Pray for the World

[Rowland Croucher]

Subject: [HCJBDaily] 12 August 2003 Update From HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

PAKISTANI COURT UPHOLDS LIFE SENTENCE FOR TWO CHRISTIANS
SERBIAN YOUTH CONCERT MARRED BY GRENADE ATTACK, THREATS
INTERNET OPENS RESOURCES TO LATIN AMERICAN PASTORS
MINISTRY USES INTERNET TO HELP LATIN AMERICAN PASTORS
UZBEK PASTOR TO ASK FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM
BBC's PROPOSED ANIMATED CARTOON `POPETOWN' DRAWS PROTESTS
OPERATION MOBILIZATION ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP

Today's News Stories:

PAKISTANI COURT UPHOLDS LIFE SENTENCE FOR TWO CHRISTIANS
A Pakistani court has upheld the conviction of two Christians accused of
committing blasphemy against the Islamic holy book. The two Christians
received life sentences--the maximum penalty--for desecration of the Koran
under Pakistan's 295-B blasphemy law. They are expected to appeal the Lahore
court decision to Pakistan's Supreme Court. Pakistan is known to be hostile
toward Christians. (Voice of the Martyrs)

SERBIAN YOUTH CONCERT MARRED BY GRENADE ATTACK, THREATS
During a music concert organized at Vrdnik, Serbia, (90 kilometers or 60
miles northwest of Belgrade) by the local Church of God Pentecostal, the
power line was cut with an axe, and someone threw a hand grenade near the
stage. After the concert ended one person drove his car into the park of
spectators, threatening organizers and saying that he was armed. The
incidents occurred on the evening of August 8 during a concert by a German
Pentecostal band from Heidelberg. More than 300 young people attended the
event, and no injuries were reported. The police are investigating the
incidents, and a Vrdnik city councilor expressed his regrets. The Vrdnik
Church of God organized five youth camps this year, with a total of 300
participants from all around Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and Croatia. They often host foreign visitors, like the German youth group.
(Forum 18 News)

MINISTRY USES INTERNET TO HELP LATIN AMERICAN PASTORS
Mission agencies are challenged as they try to disciple church leaders in
remote or inaccessible areas of Latin America. CAM International's Aaron
Sandoval explains how the Internet opened new doors for their outreach. "CAM
International has realized the value of the Internet as a tool for sermon
outlines, study guides, articles, things that could be put to use
immediately in the church." The ministry is using the Internet to provide
these resources to pastors in some areas of Latin America who do not have
access to Christian materials. Team members took distribution as a matter of
prayer. Sandoval says they found the answer staring them in the face. "Just
about every little town in Latin America has an Internet café. So, taking
advantage of that infrastructure, we've been able to use it and put some of
these materials directly in their hands." (Mission Network News)

UZBEK PASTOR TO ASK FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM
Pentecostal pastor Bakhtier Tuichiev, from Andijan in eastern Uzbekistan,
has decided to ask a democratic country for political asylum as Protestants
are enduring intolerable conditions in Andijan. Tuichiev stated that
authorities in Andijan refused to register his church and officials told him
in private conversations that they would not register the church because
they were not interested in the spread of Christianity. Tuichiev claimed
that the work of the church in Andijan is impossible without registration.
He said he had been repeatedly warned that he would be subject to
administrative and even criminal sanctions as a pastor. In February 2002 he
first received authorization for his church to operate, then had the
authorization taken back. In September his church was visited by a group of
people claiming to be BBC and CNN journalists, but who appear to have been
National Security Service (ex-KGB) officers, as both the BBC and CNN had no
knowledge of these "journalists." (Forum 18 News)

BBC'S PROPOSED ANIMATED CARTOON `POPETOWN' DRAWS PROTESTS
Nobody has seen it yet -- it is still in production -- but already 25,000
people have signed a petition calling on the BBC not to go ahead next year
with the screening of a series of animated cartoons called "Popetown."
According to the BBC's publicity material, "Popetown is a sitcom about the
office politics that exist in any workplace -- with the bizarre twist that
the company is the Vatican and the CEO happens to be the pope." The series
depicts main character "Father Nicholas" and his "daily struggle against the
insane and chaotic bureaucracy of Popetown, where the reporter is a
fame-obsessed nun, cardinals are corrupt and mysteriously wealthy, and the
pope is a childish 77-year-old whose every fickle whim must be indulged."
This description left the organizer of the petition, Kathy Goble, speechless
with indignation. "I think the BBC has sunk as low as it can get," she said.
She said she would feel just as indignant if they were poking fun at the
chief rabbi or a prominent Muslim leader rather than the pope. (Religion
News Service)

OPERATION MOBILIZATION ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP
After more than 46 years at the helm, the founder of Operation Mobilization
is stepping down as the organization's president. George Verwer, 65, will
pass on the torch at a special meeting in Keswick, England on August 22nd.
Peter Maiden will be his replacement. "He's a more quiet, steady person than
myself," said Verwer. "He's a great Bible teacher. He's a leader in his
local church, but he's a great visionary, he's got a pastor's heart, and
he's a leader." OM now has 3,500 workers in 90 nations. Verwer says he will
continue his focus on reaching the unreached. "So few of the Lord's people
seem to see this (evangelism) as a priority and really get in on the action,
whether its praying , giving or going. In a world of 6 billion people, we
need more active mobilizers and participants." (Mission Network News)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier
HCJB World Radio
Web: http://www.hcjb.org

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 232 - Wed 13 Aug 2003

-------------------------------
NIGERIA: PRAYING FOR THE NATION
-------------------------------

This RLP is a call to pray for Nigeria as a nation, particularly
regarding mission. More than 3000 Nigerian missionaries minister
locally, cross-culturally and in some of the world's most hostile
Muslim regions. The Nigerian Evangelical Missions Association
(NEMA) networks some 95 Nigerian churches and mission agencies for
the purpose of effective mission to Nigeria's unreached groups, the
Muslim north, and beyond. Religious liberty and mission are
seamlessly intertwined - they are the two sides of the one coin.
Jesus warned us that we (Christians) would be persecuted. However,
he also explained why they (our persecutors) would do this: 'This
is because they have never known the Father or me.' (John 16:1-4
NLT) Whilst religious freedom is seen as the answer to the problems
faced by missions, it is mission that has the solution to the
problem of persecution. Through mission, the Holy Spirit transforms
hearts.

Nigeria has an extremely tense Muslim-Christian religious fault-
line running east to west through the centre. The greatest pressure
is in the middle belt states of Kaduna and Plateau, where the
Muslim/Christian ratios are nearly even and tension has spilled
over into violent conflict on several occasions, leading to the
geographic polarisation of the Muslim and Christian communities.

The northern states have adopted Sharia (Islamic) law, heightening
Islamic zeal in the north. Kano state, which has a sizable and
intensely persecuted Christian minority, has recently elected a pro-
'strict'-sharia, Islamist Governor Shekarau. The same night his
election victory was announced on 21 April, a Baptist pastor, along
with his wife, three children and two guests, were burnt to death
in their home in an area of Kano city known as 'no-man's land'.
Pastor Madumere was known as a powerful Christian preacher who led
many Muslims to Christ. The state authorities have closed most of
Kano's Christian schools and churches, and many churches and
mission properties have been vandalised and burnt by Muslim
vigilantes.

Recently several southern Christian communities have been attacked
by followers of African traditional religions ('traditionalists').
On 16 July, Rev. Fr Gilbert Ohai was assassinated in his home in
the southern state of Anambra. Assailants entered his room while he
was praying and fired shots at him. The Nigerian Daily Champion
newspaper reported that 'miraculously the bullets did not penetrate
his body'. In spite of this clear sign, the killers then used
machetes to kill him. Local traditional elders and doctors are
reported to have been angry that Fr Ohai's prayer and healing
ministry was more powerful and popular than their medicine.

Traditionalists attacked Christians also in the southern state of
Ebonyi on 28 July. Reports say they declared war on the whole
Christian community in response to allegations that the Christians
had instigated court proceedings against them. When the Christians
successfully escaped to the local police headquarters, the angry
traditionalists rampaged, destroying property worth N11 million.
They claim that Christian principles and way of life are an affront
to their tradition, and for a peaceful co-existence, the Christians
must submit to the dictates of the tradition. Those dictates
include being flogged in the Omebe traditional masquerade, and
shouting a password whenever an Omebe passes them in the street.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* strong, wise federal government in Nigeria, leading the nation
in justice, righteousness and peace. Pray for President Obasanjo.
1 Tim 2:1-5

* Nigerian career missionaries and 'ambassadors for Christ' to be
empowered by the Holy Spirit with effective integrity, grace and
witness, that many will be saved in both the Muslim north and the
traditionalist communities of the south.

'The one who used to persecute us now preaches the very faith he
tried to destroy.' Galatians 1:23 - speaking of Saul (Paul).

* Nigerian missions, especially the Nigerian Evangelical Missions
Association (NEMA), that God will provide NEMA with its needs,
spiritual wisdom and clear guidance on mission strategy.

* Christians who are presently facing persecution at the hands of
Muslims or traditionalists, that they will be faithful in truth
and righteousness, courageous in witness and perseverance, and
blessed by their heavenly Father.

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE:
------------------------------------------------------------
PRAYING FOR THE NIGERIAN NATION

Nigeria is a land of prayer, mission and church growth. It is also
a land of religious tension, particularly along the central Muslim-
Christian religious fault-line where religious conflict has claimed
many lives and polarised the communities. The northern states have
adopted Sharia (Islamic) law, heightening Islamic zeal in the
north. This is a serious problem in Kano State where the sizable
Christian minority is severely persecuted and most Christian
schools and churches have been closed. In two southern states,
'traditionalists' have recently violently attacked Christian
communities, having declared war in Ebonyi to force Christians to
submit. Pray for strong, wise federal government; strong, wise
Christian leadership; and for the Spirit's anointing on Nigeria's
amazing missionaries and mission bodies so many will be saved.

----------------------------------------------------
Previous RLPs may be viewed at
http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/
If you downloaded this message from a website or it
was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions
by sending an empty e-mail to <join-rl-***@xc.org>

Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty
Prayer List <rl-***@crossnet.org.au>
----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Friday, August 15, 2003 4:16 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's News Headlines:

HAITIANS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL DAY WITH VOODOO SACRIFICES UGANDAN REBEL
GROUP LEADER ORDERS KILLING OF CHRISTIANS CHRISTIAN LEADER APPEALS FOR END
TO TRIBAL CONFLICT IN INDIA LAWSUIT CHALLENGES FIRST HOMOSEXUAL PUBLIC
SCHOOL IN U.S. CHRISTIAN YOUTH CLEAN UP U.K. NEIGHBORHOOD MINISTRY SAYS
DOORS ARE OPENING FOR GOSPEL MESSAGE IN ASIA

Today's News Stories:

HAITIANS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL DAY WITH VOODOO SACRIFICES Today while
Haitians celebrate their National Day with sacrifices to Voodoo demons,
Christians will mount a National Day of Prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
The National Day hearkens back to August 14, 1804, when a black slave named
Boukman sacrificed a pig and drank its blood to form a pact with the devil.
The Haitians agreed to give their land to the devil for 200 years in
exchange for freedom from the French (which they obtained). Traditionally on
this anniversary date a child is sacrificed by Voodoo ritual. Last week, a
baby was stolen from a local hospital, presumably to be sacrificed.
President Jean Bertrand Aristide made Voodoo an "official" religion, giving
it equal footing with Christianity, and has twice publicly recommitted the
country to Voodoo. (Missions Insider)

UGANDAN REBEL GROUP LEADER ORDERS KILLING OF CHRISTIANS The Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA), a brutal rebel group that has terrorized northern
Uganda for seventeen years, has begun specifically directing its attack
against Christians. Their leader, Joseph Kony, (who claims to be guided by
messages from angels) has ordered the killing of Christian leaders across
the denominations. Barbaric and terrifying attacks against civilians now
occur on an almost daily basis as part of a new wave of violence launched by
the group. Refugees and local church leaders reported that from the end of
last year the Islamic extremist government of Sudan once again began to back
the LRA. Ammunition, guns, military equipment and supplies provided by Sudan
have enabled the LRA to unleash its latest wave of terror. The LRA is
fighting to overthrow the Ugandan government. The group is notorious for its
widespread use of child soldiers. It is believed that some
20,000 Ugandan children have been kidnapped and cruelly abused by the group.
Children are severely beaten and systematically raped, forced to fight and
kill for the LRA and to savagely discipline (even murder) other children.
Many are mutilated, having hands, noses, ears and lips amputated. (Barnabus
Fund)

CHRISTIAN LEADER APPEALS FOR END TO TRIBAL CONFLICT IN INDIA Dr. Rochunga
Pudaite, the founder of Bibles for the World and an Hmar Christian leader,
called on both sides of the violent struggle in northeast India between the
Hmars and the mainly Hindu Dimasas to end their fight. In an interview from
his office in the United States, Dr. Pudaite said troubles started on March
3, when what he called "Naga political revolutionaries" started the violence
"by kidnapping three people from a neighboring Dimasa village and demanding
ransom." He went on to say, "Apparently one of the kidnappers wore a Hmar
cloth. As a result, the Dimasa people accused the Hmars of being involved in
the kidnapping." Dr. Pudaite said that several Christian Hmar villages were
set on fire. "Twenty-one Christians were burned alive in their homes because
there was no time to escape in the night. Unfortunately, some angry Hmar
young men took matters in their own hands and retaliated by burning three
Dimasa villages, which resulted in the death of
11 Dimasas. The latest news we have is that a total of 669 houses were
burned to the ground and 16 villages destroyed," he said. (Assist News
Service)

LAWSUIT CHALLENGES FIRST HOMOSEXUAL PUBLIC SCHOOL IN U.S. New York City
announced it would soon be opening the first public high school devoted to
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students in the United States. By
September, Harvey Milk High School (named after San Francisco's first openly
gay city supervisor who was assassinated in 1978) expects to enroll 100
students. A lawsuit has now been filed in the New York Supreme Court to
challenge the validity of the new public school. Mathew D. Staver, a Liberty
Counsel attorney representing the Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said New York
regulations prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. "Thus the
School, which discriminates against heterosexuals, violates the Regulation."
According to Staver, 84% of the children served by the New York School
System are racial minorities, and as many as 95% of the students fail basic
competence evaluations. "The city took 3.2 million dollars away from these
minority student schools and diverted the money to fund a school that
discriminates based on sexual preferences where heterosexuals are not
welcome." (Maranatha Christian Journal)

CHRISTIAN YOUTH CLEAN UP U.K. NEIGHBORHOOD "How do you reach a zero crime
rate in one of England's most run-down neighborhoods, and that during a
period of ten days? You bring 1,000 young Christians to the area!" That was
the summary given by a Manchester police officer of the Soul Survivor
outreach to crime-plagued Swinton Valley in Greater Manchester. The
Christian youths tidied up three hundred gardens, collected over 200 tons of
refuse and renovated a public hall and a park. Eighteen months later the
youth crime rate had dropped by almost half, so that even the British Home
Secretary Jack Straw traveled to Manchester to present the police with a
medal. Soul Survivor is planning a similar outreach in London in August
2004. (Compass)

MINISTRY SAYS DOORS ARE OPENING FOR GOSPEL MESSAGE IN ASIA Ron Pritz with OC
International reported recently that many people in Asia are just waiting to
hear the gospel. OCI is working side-by-side with national church leaders to
help grow the church. Pritz says because Asia is already very 'religious',
the gospel message is tolerated. "There's a wide open door to work in those
communities. Generally speaking, we find openness to the gospel. We find
people turning to Christ and tremendous church explosion in some (Asian)
countries today." While short-term workers have increased recently, long
term commitments haven't. "To go for the incarnational ministry--where you
actually go into a country long enough to learn the language, the culture,
to come along side the people, to get into their homes and become
friends--it's more difficult to find people willing to invest that kind of
time in kingdom work." (Mission Network News)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org

[JA]

Post by Rowland Croucher
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2003 4:16 AM
A ministry of HCJB World Radio

<snip>

Unfortunately HCJB ceased all English operations hearable in the western
hemisphere spring 2003. The last thing I heard was a moving play of the
passion while languishing with turista in the rural highlands of central
Mexico on Holy Saturday 2003. Then I saw the local enactment at the RC
church in the village with a cast of 350.

[Rowland Croucher]

From: "Mission Network News" <mnn-***@mnnonline.org>
To: <mnn-***@mnnonline.org>
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 10:00 PM
Subject: [mnn-news] Mission Network News


News headlines for August 18th 2003

(Haiti)--We begin today in Haiti where the population just finished
celebrating their National Day. It's a voodoo rite intertwined in the
history that shaped the country. The Haitians agreed to give their land
to the devil for 200 years in exchange for freedom from the French. As
the time nears for a renewal of the pact next year, Christians are taking
to their knees. Christian Aid Mission's[1] John Lindner. "It's a real
tug-of-war between the forces of voodoo and the forces of Christ. Whereas
the forces of Christ are going to be holding an all day prayer session,
the forces of voodoo are going to trying to play voodoo music to try to
drown out the Day of Prayer." Lindner urges prayer on behalf of
believers in Haiti. Despite the occult influence, there is a lively
church. "We help indigenous ministries in Haiti that are ministering
among their own people and their own culture. I believe they're going to
have an extra thrust forward with this emphasis on voodoo right now."

(North Africa)--Elsewhere, ministry in some countries is so sensitive that
the location or worker cannot be revealed. Such is the case for a
missionary team in North Africa. We spoke with YWAM's 'Andy' about the
challenges of working in a country openly hostile to the Gospel, "It is
challenging because we're not able to do any kind of public evangelism, of
course, because it is an Islamic country. It's really through one-on-one,
sharing our faith, what many people call 'friendship evangelism' building
relationships, building trust, and then sharing with them, God's love."
'Andy' says, compounding the issue, "There seem to be fewer workers
compared to other areas of the world as well as resources, seem to be less
going to these unreached areas. I think part of it is the church is not
as aware of some of these areas, is not as knowledgeable that these areas
are so unreached." 'Andy' and his wife are staying at D&D Missionary
Homes[2] in Florida while in the United States.

(Russia)--Youth culture in Russia is punctuated by growing sub-cultures.
Many of the groups find heavy exposure to substance abuse and a
desperation of future. Russian Ministries'[3] Sergey Rakhuba says this
poses a challenge to the local church. "Today, there is the tremendous
freedom for the Gospel, but unfortunately, the young generation is having
different challenges or different orientations in their lives." Rakhuba
reports that the church leaders are rising to the test. He says there is
a surge of growth in youth outreach. What's more, Rakhuba believes the
young people are responding to the Gospel. "Ministry is growing in this
direction, reaching out to younger people that at certain point, they lost
their hope, but, due to compassion of national workers, they're coming
back to a normal life, and they find hope in Christ."

(International)--Next, the Southern Baptist International Mission
Board[4] says they need to increase by half the number of missionaries to
reach the lost with the Gospel. Leaders reached that conclusion following
their Global Strategy Summit in Virginia recently. But, the opposite is
happening. The IMB had to limit the number of workers sent this year
because of the lack of funding. That will mean attrition will take a
higher toll than usual. It's believed the number of missionaries will
drop from five-thousand-600 to below five-thousand by the end of 2004.

(Sri Lanka)--And, the foundation stone has been laid for the I-N
Network's[5] Vocational Training and Ministry Center in Sri Lanka. There
are some concerns related to the new activity. Permission to build was
granted under the previous government, and with the recent change of
administration, new applications must be submitted. The I-N team asks for
earnest prayer that there will be no delay in the government office so
that construction can be completed on schedule.


[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=CAID
[2] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=DAD
[3] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=RMI
[4] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=IMB
[5] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=INN
---------------------------------------------------------------------

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STORIES ABOVE, EMAIL US AT ***@MNNONLINE.ORG
OR CALL OUR RESOURCE LINE AT 800-995-4828!

Mission Network News, a service of Cornerstone University of Grand
Rapids, Michigan, USA. http://www.MNNonline.org

SUPPORT MISSION NETWORK NEWS at http://www.MNNonline.org/support
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,600+ articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 10:17 AM
Subject: Compass Flash: Staines Killers found Guilty in India

FLASH NEWS from COMPASS DIRECT
Global News from the Frontlines

Summary:
BANGALORE, India, September 15 (Compass) -- More than four years after the
tragic murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons,
Philip, 11, and Timothy, 7, prime suspect Dara Singh and 12 others were
convicted of the killings today. Delivering the judgment to a packed court
room, Orissa district court justice M.N. Patnaik declared Singh and 12
co-defendants guilty of conspiracy, unlawful assembly, burning of a vehicle
and house, and murder. One of the accused, Aniruddha Dandapat, was acquitted
due to lack of evidence. Sentences are to be announced September 22. The
January 1999 murder of Staines and his sons sent shock waves around the
world and demonstrated that Christians are persecuted in India. Mrs. Gladys
Staines, widow of the slain missionary, has remained in Orissa to work among
the leprosy patients her husband cared for during his 34-year missionary
career. "I have forgiven Dara," she said. "I have said that earlier and it
has not changed. I forgive him." According to defense lawyer Banabihari
Mohanty, Singh plans to appeal the verdict.

**********
Full Story:

Staines Killers found Guilty
Orissa Court Delivers Guilty Verdict Against Dara Singh, 12 Co-Defendants
by Abhijeet Prabhu

BANGALORE, India, September 15 (Compass) -- More than four years after the
tragic murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons,
prime suspect Dara Singh and 12 others were convicted of the killings today
by the district and sessions judge of Orissa state, India.

Delivering the judgment to a packed court room, Justice M.N. Patnaik
convicted Dara Singh, alias "Ravindra Kumar Pal," and 12 other defendants on
counts of conspiracy, unlawful assembly, burning of a vehicle and house, and
murder. The court will announce sentences on September 22.

One of the accused, Aniruddha Dandapat, was acquitted due to lack of
evidence.

The triple murder of Staines and his sons Philip, 11, and Timothy, 7, sent
shock waves around the world and demonstrated that Christians are persecuted
in India. However, the case has been characterized by political
interference, judicial delay, evidence tampering and the intimidation of
witnesses.

Expecting communal violence against Christians and church institutions,
authorities tightened security measures in and around the state capital of
Bhubaneswar. Intelligence reports indicated that large groups of "Dara fans"
drawn from various parts of the state left for Bhubaneswar on Sunday to hear
the court verdict. Dara's supporters reportedly planned to hold a protest
rally in the capital.

A Home Department official said police were providing security cover for the
Australian missionary's widow, Gladys Staines, who resides at Baripada.

Graham Staines worked among lepers in Orissa from 1965 until his murder on
the night of January 22, 1999.

He and his two young sons were burned to death by assailants, led by Dara
Singh, who attacked the Staines late at night while they slept in the family
station wagon parked outside a church at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar
district. The group set fire to the vehicle and prevented the Staines from
escaping the flames.

Dara lived in hiding for over a year after the incident. During that time,
he allegedly committed two more murders: one of a Muslim trader named Rehman
in Thakurmunda, and the other of Father Arul Doss, a Christian missionary
from Balasore.

Because he had attained near-hero status as leader of a Hindu cult, police
suspect locals helped him avoid their dragnet for a year. Many militant
Hindus that sympathized with Singh's campaign against Muslims proclaimed his
innocence. Some even defended his "legitimate" right to kill the missionary.

Eventually, police arrested 55 people in connection with the murder. Singh
himself was arrested in a forest in the Keonjhar district on January 31,
2000. However, due to poor investigations, most of the suspects were
released. The investigation was then transferred to the Central Bureau of
Investigation, which took nearly five months to frame charge sheets against
Dara Singh and 17 others.

The trial produced several bizarre twists as witnesses rapidly turned
hostile. In one case, a witness even accused the missionary of molesting a
tribal woman. The breakthrough came when defendant Daya Patra admitted
before the court that he had witnessed Dara Singh set the Staines' vehicle
on fire.

According to defense lawyer Banabihari Mohanty, Singh plans to appeal the
verdict.

Mark Webslor, a diplomat with the Australian High Commission, was present in
the court and expressed satisfaction over the judgment. "The Australian
government had taken keen interest in the case and I have come here on
behalf of the High Commission," he said.

People of all faiths, including Hindus, responded with touching messages of
sympathy, praising the spirit of Gladys Staines and her testimony to the
gospel. "I have forgiven Dara," she said. "I have said that earlier and it
has not changed. I forgive him."

Mrs. Staines now directs her energies to the welfare of leprosy patients her
husband cared for.

"I was not very involved earlier. But after he was killed, I took up his
mantle. As a result, the people and the place have become very dear to me,"
she said.

Graham Staines' brother said he hopes the 13 people convicted of the murders
will be spared the death penalty. "There are other people who could get
hurt," John Staines told the Australian Associated Press.

"The thing is, we have forgiven them in Christ's name," he added. "I think
that these men have to face up to what they've done. By the same token, I
don't want to see them put to death over it. Anything that man does in these
things doesn't really count for very much, because God is the final judge."

Finally, in a church near the Staines' home in Baripada, prayers have been
said, not only for the Staines family, but also for the man who ended the
lives of Graham, Timothy and Philip.

END

**********
Copyright 2003 Compass Direct

Compass Direct Flash News is distributed as available to raise awareness of
Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Articles may be
reprinted by active subscribers only.
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,800 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland and Jan Croucher]

World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

Case PAK 220903
Torture / Death in detention / Extrajudicial killing

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in Pakistan.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Asian
Human Rights Commission and the Asian Center for the Progress of
Peoples, both members of the OMCT network, of the torture and
subsequent death in detention of 18 year old Samuel Sunil in
Pakistan.

According to the information received, on August 9th, 18-year-old
Samuel Sunil, who is a member of the Christian minority in Pakistan,
was arrested by police officers from the Qilla Singh Police Station,
having been falsely accused of robbery by his employer as a result of
a dispute. Samuel Sunil worked for Mr. Jute at an Internet café on
Mall Rd. When Samuel Sunil demanded his salary, his employer tried to
delay payment leading to an argument between them. Mr. Jute then
registered a fabricated charge of robbery against him. Sub-Inspector
Ghulam Hussain from the Qilla Singh Police Station and other officers
arrested Samuel Sunil and allegedly tortured him in front of Mr.
Jute. The victim was sent that day to Camp Jail Lahore where he was
detained with convicted criminals.

Inmates at Camp Jail Lahore report that Samuel Sunil was sodomized by
three inmates named Mehboob, Naeem, and Naseer. The prison
authorities failed in their duties to protect this young detainee
from sexual assault while he was in custody. Moreover, when the
victim made a complaint about the assault to the prison officials,
the Deputy Superintendent Zia-ullah reportedly ordered Samuel Sunil
to be punished along with his assailants, as he was viewed as being
party to the crime of sodomy.

Prison staff members Iqbal and Abbas then tortured Samuel Sunil along
with the three accused. Samuel Sunil begged to be spared, but the
officials demanded five thousand rupees as a bribe. When Samuel Sunil
refused to give them the bribe money, they continued to torture him
for two days, resulting in his death on August 19th 2003. Jail
officials reportedly hung his body by the neck from a ceiling fan in
order to make his death appear to have been a suicide.

The family of the victim claim that an autopsy report noted that
torture and sodomy are the causes of Samuel Sunil's death. The
victim's family have registered a case against the Prison
Superintendent, Jail Warden, and the three prisoners Mehboob, Naseer,
and Naeem.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, extra-judicial
killings have increased compared to previous years. During 2002, at
least 236 people were killed "encounters" by law enforcement
officials and more than 50 people were victims of "targeted
killings." This year, from January 1st to July 31st there have been
25 custodial deaths in the Lahore District and suburbs. Christians
are over-represented among the victims with approximately 13% of
victims being Christian while Christians compose only 2% of the
population.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by
arbitrary detention and torture to which Samuel Sunil has been
subjected, which allegedly led to his death on August 19th, 2003.
OMCT calls upon the Pakistani authorities to launch an immediate and
impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events,
notably the allegations of torture and resulting death of Samuel
Sunil, in order to find those responsible, bring them to justice and
award appropriate reparation to the victim's family. OMCT notes with
concern the rising numbers of extra-judicial killings in Pakistan and
the common abuses of police power including torture, arbitrary
detention, and rape and death in custody, combined with the apparent
near-total impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of these acts.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Pakistan urging them to:

i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the
circumstances of these events, notably the allegations of torture
and resulting death of Samuel Sunil, in order
to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the
penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to Samuel Sunil's
family;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental
freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and
international human rights
standards.

Addresses

· President, Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad,
Pakistan, Fax: [phone], E-mail: ***@pak.gov.pk
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mian Khursheed Mahmud Kasuri, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Constitution Avenue, Islamabad, Pakistan, Fax:
[phone]/922
4205/4206, E-mail: ***@usa.net
· Minister for the Interior, Faisal Saleh Hayat, Ministry of
Interior, Block R, Federal Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan, Fax: +92
51 9202624, E-mail:
***@interior.gov.pk
· Ambassadeur Umer Shaukat, Rue de Moillebeau 56 (4ème) - CP 434, CH-
1211, Genève 19, Suisse, E-mail: ***@ties.itu.int, Fax:
[phone]

Please also write to the embassies of Pakistan in your respective
country.

Geneva, September 22nd, 2003

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.


Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT)
8 rue du Vieux-Billard
Case postale 21
CH-1211 Geneve 8
Suisse/Switzerland

http://www.omct.org
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,800 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland and Jan Croucher]

PRESS RELEASE FROM JUBILEE CAMPAIGN

September 23rd 2003

LORD ALTON AND LADY COX SUBMIT PROTEST LETTER TO CHINESE GOVERNMENT

2 members of the British House of Lords, Lord Alton of Liverpool and
Baroness Cox, a deputy speaker in the Lords, have recently concluded a 6
day visit to North Korea, which included a stopover in Beijing, China.
During their visit they met senior members of the North Korean government.

After leaving North Korea, while in Beijing, they presented a protest letter
to Mrs. Fu Ying, the Director General of the Asian Department for Foreign
Affairs, at the Chinese government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


In their letter they informed the Chinese government that more widespread
provision of life-saving aid to North Korea would reduce the necessity for
people to leave that country in order to survive. They believe that the
overwhelming majority of North Koreans leave the country because of food
shortages.

It has been estimated that 200-300 refugees are forcibly repatriated from
China back to North Korea each week without determination of their status.
Lord Alton and Baroness Cox stated in their letter, "We also know of the
harsh consequences for anyone repatriated to North Korea who has attempted
to go to a third country. These consequences include execution."

Included with the letter was a list of forcibly repatriated refugees and aid
workers imprisoned in China for assisting the refugees. Lord Alton and
Baroness Cox urged the Chinese government to honour its international
humanitarian obligations, including their bilateral agreement with the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), promising unimpaired
access to refugees and conferment of refugee status where appropriate.

There are up to 300,000 North Korean refugees hiding in China. The situation
of North Korean refugees in China is desperate. The human rights
organisation, the Jubilee Campaign, has been campaigning with Lord Alton for
an end to the Chinese policy of forcibly repatriating refugees back to North
Korea which it considers to be both inhumane and contrary to international
law. These refugees are likely to be imprisoned or even executed on their
return to North Korea. At least 7 aid workers have been imprisoned in China
for assisting the refugees.

Jubilee Campaign has also been lobbying the UNHCR to enforce their bilateral
agreement with the Chinese government. This agreement permits UNHCR
unimpeded access to refugees and has a provision for arbitration in the
event of a dispute. Despite the Chinese government's repeated refusal to
permit UNHCR access to North Korean refugees, the refugee agency has yet to
bring the matter to arbitration.

Jubilee Campaign is an interdenominational Christian human rights
organisation which has worked with more than 150 British Parliamentarians on
human rights issues worldwide.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 7:05 AM
Subject: [HCJBDaily] 2 October 2003 Update from HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

SUSPICIOUS FIRE DESTROYS SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN RUSSIA
PERSECUTION OF VIETNAM'S TRIBAL CHRISTIANS CONTINUES
SURVEY SHOWS ABSENCE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN TURKMENISTAN
NIGERIAN MINISTRY OFFERS ALTERNATIVE TO DUMPING UNWANTED BABIES

Today's News Stories:

SUSPICIOUS FIRE DESTROYS SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN RUSSIA
Arsonists are suspected of burning down a Seventh-day Adventist Church in
the northwestern Russian city of Novgorod Saturday, Sept. 25. The fire also
destroyed books, records and archives while water damage rendered the
building unusable. The congregation of 98 worshipers is seeking an alternate
location. Pastor Stanislav Bazilo said church members arrived on the scene
at 5 a.m. to find the building in ruins. Earlier, a guard at a neighboring
construction site noticed smoke coming from the building and called fire
brigades. "The police discovered that the locks on all the doors were
broken," Bazilo said. "They even found the crowbar with which the locks were
broken." No motive for the suspected arson has been given, and police are
investigating. Bazilo has asked city authorities for help in seeking a new
worship location. (Adventist News Network)

PERSECUTION OF VIETNAM'S TRIBAL CHRISTIANS CONTINUES
Soldiers recently confiscated Bibles, raped, arrested and used
electric-shock torture on Vietnamese Christians. In August, 100 soldiers
forced their way into H'Duen Buondap's house in the village of Buon Yang Reh
in Daklak province, confiscating Bibles and hymn books, reported the
Montagnard Foundation. The group's leader also reportedly raped Buondap. In
another incident on Aug. 21, a group of soldiers and police officers beat
Y-Pho Eban and his family with rifles and used stun guns against them
because they suspected him of feeding refugees who were hiding in the
village of Buon Cuoi. Last month a joint patrol of Vietnamese and Cambodian
police also arrested and beat four Cambodian Montagnards who were trying to
provide food to a group of 50 Montagnards who had fled Vietnam. The
Montagnards were fined and their supplies and money confiscated. Montagnard,
a Vietnamese word meaning "mountain people," includes several Christian
tribes living in Vietnam's central highlands. (Religion Today/Charisma News
Service)

SURVEY SHOWS ABSENCE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN TURKMENISTAN
A religious freedom survey of the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan
shows a "complete lack of freedom" to practice any faith except for Sunni
Islam and Russian Orthodox Christianity in a limited number of registered
places of worship. All other communities -- Baptist, Pentecostal, Adventist,
Lutheran and other Protestants, as well as other forms of Islam, Armenian
Apostolic, Jewish, Baha'i, Jehovah's Witness and Hare Krishna -- are de
facto banned and their activity punishable under the administrative or
criminal law. Religious meetings have been broken up with a spate of raids
on Protestants and Hare Krishnas since May. Believers have been threatened,
detained, beaten, fined and sacked from their jobs while homes used for
worship and religious literature have been confiscated. Turkmenistan's
secret police oversee all activities of religious groups and social
organizations in the country. (Forum 18 News Service)

NIGERIAN MINISTRY OFFERS ALTERNATIVE TO DUMPING UNWANTED BABIES
While some Nigerians are throwing away unwanted babies, at least one
Christian ministry is making strides to change this cruel practice. An
article in The Kano Sun told of newborns being dumped daily in poor parts of
the city. In some instances rats came and gnawed on parts of the babies
while they were still alive. To counter the problem, neighbors and police
have been urged to watch for women entering the streets in the early morning
hours. So far the efforts of government leaders, civic officials and law
enforcement officers have failed to halt the baby-dumping practice and did
not offer any positive solutions to the problem. A Nigerian Christian
ministry wants to set up a home to reclaim the unwanted babies while
educating and counseling the distraught mothers. "Only the gospel can break
the chains of Satan in these wicked and inhuman acts," said the mission
leader.

The ministry sponsored a "Health and Healing" seminar in July that attracted
more than 2,500 people. Clergymen and Christian medical professionals gave
lectures on how to avoid HIV/AIDS, chronic diarrhea, malaria, typhoid and
polio while giving guidelines for simple hygiene and safe pregnancies. "The
ministers concentrated on salvation, which is the No. 1 healing that
everyone needs," the leader said. At the end of the conference more than 300
ministers spent the evening praying individually with those who requested
prayer. At least 200 young women received counseling on the dangers of
teenage pregnancy and early marriage; more than 150 women got professional
counsel on female health problems; and 300 persons put their faith in
Christ. (Missions Insider)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier
HCJB World Radio
Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org

[Rowland Croucher]

In the Australian parliament we have a 'Greens' Senator Dr. Bob Brown.

In the press this week:

The Chinese President Hu Jintao is to visit Australia. Bob Brown said he
would give the visitor a standing ovation on these conditions:

* consent to free association for all Chinese citizens

* free Tibet

* agree to autonomy for the Uighurs in Xinjiang

* release thousands of Christian and Falun Gong prisoners

* erect a memorial to the hundreds murdered in jails since 1995

* stop forcing the return of North Korean refugees

* release the Tiananmin Square activists from prison, and

* end capital punishment.

Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 4:13 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

REBEL GROUP IN UGANDA STRIKES AGAIN, KILLING 22 PEOPLE
BELARUS AUTHORITIES DEMAND DATA ON SUNDAY SCHOOL CHILDREN
COLOMBIAN CHRISTIANS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PEACE PROSPECTS
ANGLICAN LEADERS TAKE STAND ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, GAY PRIESTS

Today's News Stories:

REBEL GROUP IN UGANDA STRIKES AGAIN, KILLING 22 PEOPLE
The 17-year civil war in northern Uganda continues to wreak havoc throughout
the nation as armed rebels from the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a
cult-militia group, have struck again, rounding up 22 people in a bar in the
Lira district and shooting them to death. The Church Mission Society
launched a campaign against the group on Aug. 21 by delivering a petition to
Downing Street that asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair to help break
what local churchmen have called an "international conspiracy of silence"
regarding the LRA's brutal reign. The latest rebel attack comes less than a
month after the LRA members killed 10 people in a market. Uganda and Sudan
have renewed an agreement to work together to help flush out the LRA. The
worst victims are the youth as the LRA is responsible for the abduction of
thousands of children with more than 20,000, some as young as 7, being used
as soldiers, laborers and sex slaves. (Anglican Communion News Service)

BELARUS AUTHORITIES DEMAND DATA ON SUNDAY SCHOOL CHILDREN
Local authorities in Belarus are demanding that religious organizations
supply the names and dates of birth of all their Sunday school children.
This comes a year after the country's new religion law outlawed the
"attraction of minors to religious organizations and also the teaching of
religion to them against their will or without the agreement of their
parents or guardians." Pastor Pavel Firisyuk of the Salvation Baptist Church
called this a "violation of believers' rights [and violates] Christ's
command, 'Let the little children come to me.'" However, Vladimir Lameko,
vice chairman of the State Committee for Religious and Ethnic affairs,
defended the move, telling the Baptists that officials failed to properly
explain why they needed the information. (Forum 18 News Service)

COLOMBIAN CHRISTIANS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PEACE PROSPECTS
Many Colombians credit President Alvaro Uribe with notable success in the
war on drugs and the campaign against rebel insurgents during his first year
in office. Some evangelical leaders say their lives have changed for the
better. "The government has taken back control of the highways," said a
veteran pastor. "Pastors are now able to go from one place to another, and
the church is doing a good work." However, churches that minister to the
poor, reach out to refugees displaced by the fighting or raise their voices
against human rights abuse say they face greater risk of being mistaken for
guerrilla sympathizers. Church leaders also hold differing views on an
amnesty plan that Uribe hopes will entice 13,000 members of the paramilitary
group, United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). This organization
comprises several right-wing paramilitary groups supported by wealthy
landowners, drug cartels and segments of the Colombian military. AUC forces
have assassinated leftist guerrillas, politicians, activists and other
Colombian civilians. Christian leaders agree that the gospel must play a key
role in building a durable peace in Colombia. "I believe the church holds
the answer for Colombia," said human rights worker Ricardo Esquivia. "Only
through the message of Jesus and His church can changes come." (Religion
Today/Compass/Council on Foreign Relations)

ANGLICAN LEADERS TAKE STAND ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, GAY PRIESTS
Thirty-seven primates representing Anglican churches worldwide emerged
Thursday, Oct. 16, from a closed two-day meeting at London's Lambeth Palace,
headquarters of the archbishop of Canterbury, with a strong statement on
what they perceive as threats to unity. The special meeting was called by
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to address "controversial decisions
by the Diocese of New Westminster" in Canada to bless same-sex unions, and
the confirmation of the election of an openly gay bishop by the Episcopal
Church's General Convention in August. "These actions threaten the unity of
our own Communion as well as our relationships with other parts of Christ's
Church, our mission and witness, and our relations with other faiths, in a
world already confused in areas of sexuality, morality and theology, and
polarize Christian opinion," the statement said. The actions taken in Canada
and the U.S. "could be perceived to alter unilaterally the teaching of the
Anglican Communion. . . . Whilst we recognize the juridical autonomy of each
province in our Communion, the mutual interdependence of the provinces means
that none has authority unilaterally to substitute an alternative teaching
as if it were the teaching of the entire Anglican Communion." The Anglican
leaders also established a commission to further investigate the matter.
(Episcopal News Service)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier
HCJB World Radio
Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.

[Rowland Croucher]

ACNS 3642 | BURUNDI | 20 OCTOBER 2003

Churches in Burundi unite to pray for peace for the nation

[ACNS source: Episcopal Church of Burundi] Christians across the
denominations united last week to pray and fast for the country that has
suffered from 10 years of war, during which nearly every family has lost
a friend or family member.

Peace marches took place through the streets of Bujumbura, Burundi's
capital, and the towns of Gitega and Makamba.

Throughout the week, meetings with prayer for the nation were held with
Government and Church leaders at the highest levels, including the
President, Domitien Ndayizeye, and the Speaker of the Parliament, Dr
Jean Minani. In his address, Dr Minani said,"I pray that this House of
People's Representatives should become a House of God."

The week culminated on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in Celebrations of
Peace in stadiums around the country.

In Bujumbura Dr K A Paul, from Global Peace Initiative in USA, urged the
Church to repent, to turn to Jesus the Prince of Peace, and to allow the
transforming grace of God to restore hope and trust between the people
of Burundi. He commended Church leaders on the unity they displayed.

The initiative was organised by a committee comprised of representatives
from most of the denominations, Catholic and Protestant.

The Rt Revd Bernard Ntahoturi, Anglican Bishop of Matana diocese, said,
"This event took place in the month of October when the people of
Burundi remember the assassination of the first Prime Minister of
Burundi on the 13 October 1961, the first inter-ethnic killings on the
18 October 1965, and the assassination of the first democratically
elected President on the 21 October 1993. The Churches organised this
event to seek healing from God for wounded lives, cleansing of the land,
and reconciliation for those in conflict. Restoring peace is a journey
and we call on our friends in Burundi and abroad to walk with us."


___________________________________________________________________
ACNSlist, published by Anglican Communion News Service, London, is
distributed to more than 7,000 journalists and other readers around
the world. For subscription information please go to:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/acnslist.html

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 8:18 AM

Subject: [HCJBDaily] 18 November 2003 Update from HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

4 STUDENTS AT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN INDIA KIDNAPPED, KILLED

371 PASTORS MEET FOR TRAINING IN PHILIPPINES DESPITE TERRORIST THREAT

CONFERENCE IN U.K. URGES CHRISTIANS TO SHOW LOVE TO PERSECUTORS

130 GATHER IN CYPRUS FOR CONSULTATION ON CHURCH, TELEVISION

ONLINE CHURCH REACHES PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS IN CLOSED COUNTRIES

FEAR, LACK OF FAITH HINDER MANY CHRISTIANS FROM WITNESSING


Today's News Stories:

4 STUDENTS AT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN INDIA KIDNAPPED, KILLED
Four students at a Christian school in India were kidnapped and killed
Friday, Nov. 14, in an area that is wracked by ethnic violence. Two of the
students were the teenage sons of a man named Rustam who heads Gospel for
Asia's English Medium School in the northeastern state of Assam. The four
students killed by the Kuki tribal people. The murders were in retaliation
against Karbi tribals who days before had kidnapped 28 Kukis and murdered
eight. To avenge the murders of the children, the Karbis burned down many
Kuki villages, killing a number of youths and men. Villagers are fleeing
their homes in fear. "Rustam's whole family is in great shock and pain,"
wrote a GFA leader. "Pray that God may comfort them and grant them His grace
to overcome this time of grief and pain and help them to be firm in their
faith. Also pray for the others who have lost loved ones in the conflict."
Much blood has been shed in the last 10 years due to ethnic strife between
these tribes, and authorities rarely intervene. (Gospel for Asia)

371 PASTORS MEET FOR TRAINING IN PHILIPPINES DESPITE TERRORIST THREAT
In the Philippines where an Al-Qaida affiliate is training Indonesian
extremists, believers are concerned that a four-month-old peace accord will
end if they fulfill a strike threatened against Christians near Christmas.
Against this backdrop, Global Advance's David Shibley says his team recently
met with church leaders to share a mission vision. "It was exciting because
not too many pastors' conferences are held in that area," he said. "This
[event was held] on the island of Mindanao where there's been considerable
terrorist activity, and yet we found a group of pastors who were very
committed to continuing to advance the gospel." Shibley describes the
outcome of the conference as "encouraging" with 371 pastors and church
leaders attending this Frontline Shepherd's Conference. "More than 100 of
them made committments to cross-cultural ministry and to be the firs fruits
of Filipino missionaries who would go, not only to the rest of Asia, but to
the ends of the earth." (Mission Network News)

CONFERENCE IN U.K. URGES CHRISTIANS TO SHOW LOVE TO PERSECUTORS
There were impassioned pleas for British Christians to use their freedom to
speak out for the persecuted church at what is believed to be the world's
largest Christian human rights conference in London Saturday, Nov. 15. More
than 1,000 people heard speakers from around the globe give moving,
first-hand accounts of the growing hardship faced by up to 250 million
Christians who are persecuted for their faith. The conference, using the
theme "Grace Under Pressure," was held jointly by two British human rights
organizations, Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Release International,
with support from Premier Radio. The venue was Westminster Chapel. Delegates
heard stories of faith under fire from Indonesia, India, Peru, Nigeria,
North Korea, Iraq, Sudan and the Middle East. They also listened as speakers
describe how Christians were striving to respond to violence with love and
by praying for their persecutors. "The church is asleep," warned CSW
President Baroness Caroline Cox. "Militant Islam is rapidly gaining ground.
Unless we wake up and take this seriously, there will be a backlash against
all Muslims -- including moderates." Attendees heard repeated calls for
Christians to reach out instead with a hand of love to their oppressors.
(Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

130 GATHER IN CYPRUS FOR CONSULTATION ON CHURCH, TELEVISION
Some 130 partners, associates, staff and supporters of SAT-7 television
ministry met in Larnaca, Cyprus, Nov. 6-8, for "Network 2003," a three-day
event with the theme, "TV and the Church: Encounters with television in the
Middle East." The conference addressed some of the key issues concerning the
impact of TV on contemporary Arab society and on the life, work and witness
of the church. Bishop Moussa stressed the importance of SAT-7, pointing out
that it can do what no church can do -- enter millions of homes daily with a
variety of speakers, presenting a Christian view on many different subjects.
TV was also examined as a tool for social change, and its effectiveness in
impacting attitudes, opinions and behavior was frankly discussed.
Programming on the 24-hour-a-day digital channel will be expanded throughout
2004 and 2005. Farsi broadcasts will also be extended, including regular
slots for children's programming, and support provided to a sister
organization developing Christian TV programming in and for Turkey. SAT-7's
mission is to provide the churches and Christians of the Middle East and
North Africa an opportunity to witness to Jesus Christ through
inspirational, informative and educational television services. (Assist News
Service)

ONLINE CHURCH REACHES PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS IN CLOSED COUNTRIES
The Hungary-based International Christian Internet Church (ICIC) operates a
website aimed at reaching persecuted Christians worldwide with church
services. Founder Rev. Lazlo Banfi, 42, who suffered for his faith under
communism, said the ICIC's new Internet address (www.churchmeeting.net)
would make it easier for people "who can not or do not want to go to church"
to find his ministry. The Internet is often the only way for persecuted
Christians to participate in a church service, he said. Earlier this year a
"33-year-old man from Iran wrote a short e-mail saying that their Christian
church was closed six years ago," said Banfi. "However, the six or eight
believers in the group now gather in a private home to join the online
worship service, listen to the preaching, read the daily Bible verse and to
shortly pray together. This is the only way to practice their faith."
(Assist News Service)

FEAR, LACK OF FAITH HINDER MANY CHRISTIANS FROM WITNESSING
A recent poll conducted via the website for Mission Network News
(mnn.gospelcom.net) indicates that 43 percent of browsers aren't sharing
their faith on a regular basis. The question is, why? Jerry Wiles, author of
The Faithful Witness and president of Living Water International, gives some
insight. "The main barrier that most people have is fear and the
preconceived idea about the way people might respond if they took the
initiative," he says. "When you see the biblical pattern in the early church
the ordinary people, wherever they went, they [shared] the gospel. It wasn't
just the pastors and evangelists, it was the ordinary people." Wiles says
people who are actively reaching out "will discover that there's more people
in their hearts to talk about the Lord and, in fact, prepared to receive
Christ into their lives." Wiles says North American Christians have a lot of
training and resources, but lack faith when it comes to witnessing. "The
cutting edge is taking the gospel and inviting people to come to Him. Living
Water International works to make clean, safe drinking water available to
the needy abroad while sharing living water that can only be found in
Christ." (Mission Network News)


Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 249 - Wed 03 Dec 2003

-------------------------------------------
PAPUA: A CHRISTIAN PEOPLE SERIOUSLY AT RISK
-------------------------------------------

The indigenous people of Papua (Irian Jaya) are Melanesian and
predominantly Christian, estimated by Operation World at over 90%,
and mostly Protestant. They have been living under Indonesian rule
since 1963. The Indonesian military (which has invested heavily in
Papua's resources) has been involved in gross human rights abuses
against the oppressed indigenous Papuans. In recent years,
primarily since East Timor achieved independence, Papua has seen a
dramatic influx of pro-Indonesia militias and Islamic militants,
particularly Laskar Jihad. Islamists saw East Timor as 'part of the
Islamic world' (bin Laden, November 2001). They no doubt see Papua
the same way.

In 2001 the Indonesian government decreed autonomy for Papua.
However the government reneged and divided Papua into three
provinces against the will of the Papuans, thus violating the
Special Autonomy Law. This division of Papua has created extreme
tensions. Over the past 40 years, Javanese transmigration has
seriously altered the ethnic and religious demography of Papua. One
consequence of this division will be the Islamisation of Papua,
with two of the new provinces being majority Muslim.

The feared militia leader Eurico Guterres is reported to be living
now in Papua, where he has established a 200-strong - and growing -
Laskar Merah Putih (Red and White Warriors) militia. Guterres was
convicted and sentenced to ten years' jail for his role in leading
his militia in the August 1999 referendum massacres in East Timor,
but was released pending an appeal. During his trial, Guterres
boasted that his militia was supported by the Indonesian military
and funded by a government official in Jakarta.

Complementing his presence will be Inspector-General Timbul Silaen,
as police chief of Papua. He was East Timor's police chief during
1999, and had been implicated in the attack on Bishop Belo's
compound, as well as the Liquica church massacre, amongst other
crimes. In August 2002 an Indonesian court acquitted Silaen of
gross human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in East
Timor.

Sources report that the Indonesian military are actively trying to
provoke an incident so they can justify a full-scale military
assault, with militia and Laskar Jihad support. Papuan Church
leaders fear if that happens, Papua might be closed off to the
outside world and an ethnic cleansing and jihad unleashed. This
could result in literally the genocide of a Christian people.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* this terrible situation in Papua to be exposed widely, and for
international pressure on the Indonesian government to guarantee
security, human rights and freedom in Papua.

* the global body of Christ, the Church, to join the Papuans in
their struggle by praying to God for them (Romans 15:30) - they
have no other allies.

* God to intervene and reverse the situation as only he can, to
head the Papuans towards justice and freedom, rather than
Islamic subjugation or genocide. 'All power is his (God's)
forever and ever.' 1 Peter 5:11

* great spiritual wisdom and courage for Papua's Christian leaders
and pastors, who are a respected voice in Papua. May they be
able to keep the Papuan people calm and focused at this tense and
frightening time.

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE:
------------------------------------------------------------
PAPUA'S CHRISTIAN PEOPLE SERIOUSLY AT RISK

Under Indonesian rule since 1963, Papua (Irian Jaya) is now
teetering on the brink of serious conflict. The indigenous Papuans
are Melanesian and predominantly Christian. They long for self-
determination and freedom from oppression. In 2001, the Indonesian
government granted them autonomy. However, the government has
reneged and now the Papuan people are facing a future of Islamic
domination. The Indonesian military is becoming increasingly
provocative, looking for grounds to launch a military assault to
eradicate the Papuan people. Since East Timor gained independence,
Papua has seen an influx of pro-Indonesia militias and Islamist
militant groups such as the Laskar Jihad. Christian leaders in
Papua fear that an ethnic cleansing could be imminent. Pray for God
to overrule and reverse the situation.

----------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 10:31 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

CHRISTIANS FACE RENEWED VIOLENCE IN EASTERN INDONESIA
ATTACKS RESUME ON SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN KOSOVO
CANADIAN JUDGES MAY ENFORCE ISLAMIC LAW FOR COUNTRY'S MUSLIMS
JUBILEE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES BOOK ON SUFFERING CHURCH

Today's News Stories:

CHRISTIANS FACE RENEWED VIOLENCE IN EASTERN INDONESIA
Christians in the Poso district of eastern Indonesia's Central Sulawesi
Island have been the brunt of renewed attacks by militant Muslims. A news
release from International Christian Concern stated that a Christian
resident of Tiwaa village (near the city of Poso), was shot and critically
wounded in gunfire at about 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1. As a result of this
latest attack, the Indonesian government sent an additional 1,000 police
officers to Poso in an effort to restore order. Tiwaa is next to another
village that was attacked on Saturday, Nov. 29, leaving two residents dead,
including the local chief. Two other attacks occurred on Sunday, Nov. 30.
Twenty well-armed gunmen entered Kilo Trans, a village 110 miles from Poso
inhabited by mostly Christians and some Balinese Hindus, and started
shooting into the houses. No Christians were injured as they were at evening
prayers, but two Hindu men died from gunshots, and others were wounded.
About 15 minutes later two gunmen entered a church service in Tabamawo (70
miles east of Poso) and opened fire. They killed two young men and wounded
the pastor's wife and two others, one critically. A series of attacks in the
Poso region in October left another 10 dead. Jihad warriors have been
accused of attempting to stir up hatred between Christians and Muslims in
Poso. Indonesian Social Welfare Minister Yusuf Kalla said that "outsiders"
are stirring up trouble in the area, but he declined to speculate as to who
these parties are. (Assist News Service/Missions Insider)

ATTACKS RESUME ON SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN KOSOVO
During the last week of November, two Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovo
were vandalized -- the first attacks on churches since August. The Kosovo
Police Service investigated all the reported cases, but no perpetrators have
been identified or charged. Miroslav Popadic, a priest responsible for the
chapel at Gornja Brnjica, reported that the cemetery chapel was broken into.
A similar attack occurred several days earlier at St. Dimitrije Church in
Susica. Unknown persons damaged the churchyard fence and wrote graffiti on
the church wall. This was the second such attack on the church this year.
Numerous Orthodox graveyards also have been desecrated and tombstones
destroyed or knocked down. Belgrade daily Politika reported that in the past
four years more than 50 Serbian Orthodox graveyards have been destroyed with
damage reaching millions of dollars. The Orthodox cemetery in Djakovica
(Gjakova) also was leveled along with a French military cemetery where World

War I soldiers are buried. This French war cemetery is now used as a city
dump. (Forum 18 News Service)

CANADIAN JUDGES MAY ENFORCE ISLAMIC LAW FOR COUNTRY'S MUSLIMS
Judges in Canada may soon be enforcing sharia (Islamic law) for the
country's Muslim population. A 30-member council was established less than
two months ago to decide disputes, but the move could pave the way to
criminal punishments. Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is watching the events,
bearing in mind a similar situation in Nigeria. "In a country like Canada,
where you've always had the rule of law and the courts make a final decision
now, you're bringing in a new court and is their decision final or not
final?" questioned VOM spokesman Todd Nettleton. "It really undermines the
judicial system and the court system that has been established." Nettleton
says it's still too early to predict the effect this would have on
evangelistic outreach. Their concern, though, is more for [believers] who
may be affected by the change. "We need to pray for our brothers and sisters
who are there, regardless of what happens with the legal system. There is a
need for witnesses for Christ, and we can pray that Canadians will stand up
and be counted for Him." (Mission Network News)

JUBILEE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES BOOK ON SUFFERING CHURCH
Human rights advocate and member of the U.K. House of Lords, David Alton,
with co-writer Michele Lombardo, has written a new book called Passion and
Pain: The Suffering Church Today. The book, published by the Christian human
rights group, Jubilee Campaign, contains information and prayers for
different countries where Christians are persecuted. It is full of harrowing
but inspiring testimonies of Christians who have kept their faith despite
suffering at the hands of brutal regimes and fanatical groups. In his
introduction, Alton writes, "The persecution of Christians today is
staggering and often far graver in its breadth and severity than any
suffered in history. More Christians -- Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox --
were martyred in the 20th century than in the previous 19 centuries
combined. Of the world's 6 billion inhabitants, more than half live in
countries where being a Christian could cost you your life." (Assist News
Service)


Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2003 8:03 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

EGYPTIAN BORDER POLICE DETAIN MAN SECRETLY MARRIED TO CHRISTIAN
FRANKLIN GRAHAM INVITED TO HAND OUT CHRISTMAS SHOEBOXES IN SUDAN
MATERIALISM BECOMING GREATEST THREAT TO CHINA'S CHURCHES
VIETNAM'S MONTAGNARD CHRISTIANS FACE INCREASING REPRESSION
BIBLE DISTRIBUTION MINISTRY BOOSTS CHURCH GROWTH IN CAMBODIA
BARNA SURVEY: JUST 4% OF AMERICANS HAVE 'BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW'

Today's News Stories:

EGYPTIAN BORDER POLICE DETAIN MAN SECRETLY MARRIED TO CHRISTIAN
A Coptic Christian secretly married to a woman convert from Islam was
apprehended for the second time last week while trying to leave Egypt for
Canada. Boulos Farid Rezek-Allah Awad, 31, was stopped at the Libyan border
on Nov. 25 and detained by Egyptian border police for 12 hours. Once the
authorities had confirmed Rezek-Allah's identity, he was refused exit
permission and released. Upon returning to Cairo, security police summoned
him for interrogation and told him that he was blacklisted and would never
be allowed to leave Egypt. An officer monitoring the case since
Rezek-Allah's first arrest nine months ago demanded to know the whereabouts
of his wife, Enas Badawi Yousef Guirguis, 27. When told that Enas had
managed to leave the country, the policeman vowed to find her. "I'll bring
her back and cut her into pieces in front of you," he reportedly told
Rezek-Allah. Sources in Egypt say Rezek-Allah's only hope of leaving Egypt
and be reunited with his wife is through direct intervention by President
Hosni Mubarak or Interior Minister Habib al-Adli. (Compass)

FRANKLIN GRAHAM INVITED TO HAND OUT CHRISTMAS SHOEBOXES IN SUDAN
More than 100,000 shoeboxes filled with toys and gospel literature are
headed to children in war-torn Sudan. Transport planes filled with the boxes
collected by Operation Christmas Child leave this weekend for Sudan. Rev.
Franklin Graham will fly to that country to help hand out the shoeboxes to
children. Graham, who has been highly critical of the religion of Islam
since 9/11, says he was invited to Sudan -- a Muslim nation -- by the
African nation's foreign minister to meet the president. After clarifying
that it was indeed him they wanted to invite, Graham was told the Sudan
government asked him to bring his Christmas program there because they
wanted him to "part of the peace process." Operation Christmas Child plans
to deliver 7 million shoeboxes individually packed by American donors to 95
countries worldwide. (Religion Today/Agape Press)

MATERIALISM BECOMING GREATEST THREAT TO CHINA'S CHURCHES
Amidst conflicting reports on the Chinese government's harassment of
believers, the church appears to be standing firm. A closer look, however,
has revealed divisiveness among believers. Yet, China Partner's Erik Burklin
senses a growing unity of the house church movement and the registered
church. "Both sides are not only willing to talk to each other but also to
start fellowshipping with each other. There are many house church Christians
who attend a registered church on the weekends, while people who attend a
registered church on the weekends will go to a house church for further
Bible study during the week." Burklin says there is a different subtle
threat creeping into the church. "I think what happens within the church and
what happens from the government is not so much detrimental to the Chinese
church as the growth of materialism and the desire to become rich and
wealthy."(Mission Network News)

VIETNAM'S MONTAGNARD CHRISTIANS FACE INCREASING REPRESSION
Recent reports were received from the central highlands of Vietnam telling
of increased mobilization of soldiers repressing Montagnard Christians. This
crackdown allegedly involves Army Division 198 whose members are reportedly
sweeping several villages of Dak Lak province looking for Christians and
fleeing refugees. In the village of Buon Kdun there is another division
conducting sweeping operations that reportedly involve shootings, beatings,
arrests, disappearances and electric shock torture of Montagnard Christians
and beatings of women whose husbands are refugees living in the U.S. In May
the U.S. International Commission for Religious Freedom stated, "The
increased repression of religious freedom has been reportedly sanctioned at
the highest levels of the Vietnamese government." The U.S. State Department,
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and numerous non-governmental
organizations have recently confirmed such human rights violations directed
against hill tribe Montagnards, many of whom are Christians. The situation
appears to be a sophisticated form of ethnic cleansing by the Vietnamese
authorities who view Christianity and freedom of expression as a threat.
(Montagnard Foundation)

BIBLE DISTRIBUTION MINISTRY BOOSTS CHURCH GROWTH IN CAMBODIA
Cambodia has a church growth rate of 25 percent annually. This year, working
in conjunction with local churches, the Bible League (TBL) placed more than
65,000 Bibles in 364 newly established churches. Most of these new converts
learned about the Word of God through small group studies as part TBL's
"Project Philip." The mission is planting an average of seven churches per
week in Cambodia. (Mission Network News)

BARNA SURVEY: JUST 4% OF AMERICANS HAVE 'BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW'
Relatively few Americans have a biblical worldview -- even among devoutly
religious people. That's the conclusion by the latest study of the Barna
Research Group, suggesting that a large share of the nation's moral and
spiritual challenges is directly attributable to the absence of a biblical
worldview. Released Monday, Dec. 1, the survey of 2,033 adults discovered
that only 4 percent of Americans have such a perspective on life, and only 9
percent of those who called themselves Christians have a biblical worldview.
The research defined a biblical worldview was as having a firm belief in six
specific religious views: Jesus' sinlessness, God's sovereignty, salvation
through faith in Christ alone, the reality of Satan, the Christian's
responsibility to witness, and the inerrancy of Scripture. "Although most
people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that
most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to
form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities
of life," said President George Barna. "We're often more concerned with
survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance." When
compared with the views of Americans with a non-biblical perspective, those
who have a biblical worldview were 31 times less likely to accept
cohabitation (2 percent vs. 62 percent, respectively); 18 times less likely
to endorse drunkenness (2 percent vs. 36 percent); 15 times less likely to
condone gay sex (2 percent vs. 31 percent); 12 times less likely to accept
profanity (3 percent vs. 37 percent); and 11 times less likely to describe
adultery as morally acceptable (4 percent versus 44 percent). (Charisma News
Service).

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 6:48 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

GUNMEN INJURE 2 INDONESIAN YOUTHS SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS
TURKMENISTAN'S HARSH NEW RELIGION LAW THREATENS CHURCHES
JORDAN'S COURTS STALL JUSTICE FOR CHRISTIAN WIDOW
MINISTRY EXPANDS WORK IN IRAQ DESPITE CONTINUING VIOLENCE
INTERNATIONAL RADIO OUTREACH LAUNCHES FARSI BROADCASTS TO IRAN
POLL: RELIGION CRUCIAL TO CASTING VOTES IN U.S. ELECTION IN 2004

Today's News Stories:

GUNMEN INJURE 2 INDONESIAN YOUTHS SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS
Two unidentified gunmen shot at six Indonesian youths the evening of Friday,
Dec. 5, as they sang Christmas carols on the street. Two were wounded,
renewing fears of terrorist acts against Christians. The attack occurred at
8:15 p.m. in the eastern Indonesian city of Poso as six Christian youths sat
playing a guitar and singing Christmas carols in front of the Indonesian
Christian Church. In Indonesia, Christmas is celebrated the whole month of
December, and these youths wanted to express their faith and unity in
Christ. Two men on a motorcycle armed with a military-style pistol shot at
the youths six times from a distance of about six feet and sped off. The
bullets hit one youth, Hidayat Guru, 20, in the wrist and another, Fifien
Rumapar, 16, in the calf as the youths dove for cover. They were treated at
the hospital and released into the care of their families. After weeks of
increasing violence and the circulation of pamphlets calling for the
extermination of Christians "whenever and wherever you find them," the
government has increased security, promising to crack down on anyone with
weapons, while sending in extra troops to guard 46 locations where attacks
were thought probable. This brought a feeling of increased security to the
Christian community, and the youths felt they were safe singing Christmas
carols in front of the church. In response to the attack, authorities will
send an additional 500 troops to Poso. (Missions Insider)

TURKMENISTAN'S HARSH NEW RELIGION LAW THREATENS CHURCHES
Police in Turkmenistan raided a Baptist service on Sunday, Nov. 30, warning
church members that they would face severe punishments if they continue to
worship without state registration. This is believed to be the first time
Turkmenistan's harsh new religion law has been used since it came into force
on Nov. 10. It outlaws all unregistered religious activity while a criminal
code amendment prescribes penalties for breaking the law of up to a year of
"corrective labor." Following the raid, police took all those present at the
service, including children, to the police station. They were accused of
breaking the new religion law and warned that they would be fined 10 times
the minimum wage. Authorities threatened to take away the four children of
one of the Baptist women and place them in a children's home. Officials
allow only Sunni Muslim and Russian Orthodox communities to register.
Marie-Jose van Rie, human rights officer at the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe office in Ashgabad, said it's too early to say if
the situation for religious minorities had worsened since the adoption of
the new law. "The fact is, police raids on unregistered communities were
happening before the new law was adopted," she said. "But I think that in
future, under the new law, the situation of religious minorities will become
even worse." (Forum 18 News Service)

JORDAN'S COURTS STALL JUSTICE FOR CHRISTIAN WIDOW
A Christian mother fighting for legal custody of her two children admitted
this week that she has little hope that Jordan's judicial system will rule
in her favor. "Everyone is giving me promises," said Siham Qandah. "But no
one is really doing anything. I'm only counting on God and all the prayers
of His people." The past 10 weeks have been particularly discouraging to
Qandah who has watched numerous scheduled court hearings postponed in both
Amman and Irbid. When her children's Muslim guardian failed to appear at the
last hearing set for Nov. 23, the judge ordered another continuance. "I
hardly expect him to show up this next time either," Qandah said. Concerned
members of the U.S. Congress have reportedly addressed inquiries to King
Abdullah II about the case, and Prince Mired bin Raed has discussed it with
the monarch. The prince stressed last week, however, that it remains "quite
difficult" for anyone in the royal family to intercede with the court. "We
do not want to be accused of tampering with the judiciary," he said.
(Compass)

MINISTRY EXPANDS WORK IN IRAQ DESPITE CONTINUING VIOLENCE
While some humanitarian organizations are leaving Iraq due to continued
violence and unrest, Open Doors with Brother Andrew continues to make
progress with its efforts to help needy Iraqi Christians. The ministry
addresses both spiritual and physical needs as Iraqi Christians prepare to
celebrate Christmas minus the tyrannical rule of Saddam Hussein, but
uncertain about the future. Open Doors is distributing 50,000 Christian
coloring books as a special Christmas gift to the children in Iraq. Early
next year Bible stories for children will be printed and distributed and
Sunday school teachers will be trained. Many youth workers have received
felt boards to help show children the truths of God's Word. Also, various
Christian books and materials directed at teenagers are being printed and
will be handed out early next year. Devotional materials for adults are also
being selected and will be distributed in 2004. A Christian praise team from
Egypt will hold concerts in Iraqi churches during the Christmas holidays and
next spring. In addition, Open Doors is supporting Christian bookstores with
thousands of books, cassettes and videos and a resource center in Baghdad
that will open early next year. Open Doors USA President Carl Moeller says
the sentiment among Iraqis is more positive than immediately after the war.
"People are trying to resume normal life, although frequent bomb attacks and
other violence limit the scope of these positive developments," he says.
"Christians are happy with their new freedoms. People can freely attend
churches, and in some cases the number of visitors has tripled." (Open Doors
USA)

INTERNATIONAL RADIO OUTREACH LAUNCHES FARSI BROADCASTS TO IRAN
A Christian radio ministry has started weekly Farsi broadcasts to a country
that's hard to reach with the gospel. A ministry called Leading the Way with
Dr. Michael Youssef is bringing encouragement to the country's
Farsi-speaking people. "The program is specifically for Iran," says ministry
spokesman Yesdi Bhada. "We want to provide this opportunity to the people to
be able to get the Word, and then let the Holy Spirit do His job, to get
them to listen and to bring in the harvest." Bhada is praying that many
Iranians respond to God's saving grace and for additional funding to expand
the outreach. "Right now it's being transmitted only one time a week. We're
planning on expanding this program. In March or so we will go to two times a
week." Leading the Way now broadcasts in five languages. (Mission Network
News)

* HCJB World Radio, in cooperation with FEBA Radio, broadcasts weekly
Christian programs to Iran via shortwave in the Luri language. There are
less than 100 known believers among the 4 million Luri speakers.

POLL: RELIGION CRUCIAL TO CASTING VOTES IN U.S. ELECTION IN 2004
Nearly two-thirds of American voters say their religious beliefs will be an
important factor when it comes time to cast their votes for president next
year, according to a new Gallup Poll. Sixty-four percent of registered
voters say their "personal religious beliefs and faith" will help shape
their vote for president, while 36 percent say it will not. Pollsters
detected a "gender gap" between women and men -- 44 percent of women said
faith would be extremely or very important, compared to only 33 percent of
men. Rev. Albert Winseman, religion and values editor for Gallup's Tuesday
Briefing report, said the gap presents opportunities and challenges for both
parties. "The challenge for the Democratic candidate -- whoever that may
be -- will be to make a real connection between personal faith and public
life, something that most of the Democratic candidates have not yet done,"
he said. President George W. Bush, who has been open about his evangelical
Christian faith, may have an advantage in areas that are traditional
Republican territory -- rural areas and suburbs. Only 30 percent of urban
voters said religion will dictate their votes, compared to 41 percent of
suburban voters and 46 percent of rural voters. (Religion Today/Religion
News Service)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2003 7:00 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

VIETNAMESE HOUSE CHURCH LEADER ESCAPES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
THOUSANDS OF INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS MAY FACE HUNGER, GENOCIDE
AZERBAIJAN BAPTISTS PROTEST ARREST OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY LEADER
RELIEF MINISTRY HELPING CHRISTIANS IN LIBERIA RETURN TO NORMALCY
'JESUS' VIDEO MIX-UP IN GERMANY TURNS EMBARRASSMENT INTO BLESSING
* HCJB WORLD RADIO BEGINS FIRST BROADCASTS TO UNREACHED GROUP

Today's News Stories:

VIETNAMESE HOUSE CHURCH LEADER ESCAPES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Prominent Vietnamese house church leader Nguyen Hong Quang narrowly escaped
injury from a motorcycle accident staged by police on Tuesday, Dec. 9, in a
clumsy assassination attempt. Following a 24-hour imprisonment on Monday,
Dec. 8, he subsequently launched a prayer and fasting vigil for 48 pastors
who had been arrested Friday, Dec. 5, for distributing Christian literature
at the Southeast Asia Games in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Quang is urging
the government to release all of the church leaders. "The government has two
choices," he said. "Either they shoot me so I can meet the Lord Jesus Christ
in heaven, or they resolve the issue of freeing the churches so they can
worship the Lord." Quang threatened to organize street demonstrations unless
the government releases the detainees. In other recent incidents, Le Thi
Thanh Tuyen was arrested, bound and beaten in the Ben Nghe police station in
Ho Chi Minh City where she was held for 24 hours before being released on
Dec. 6. The next day four evangelists were arrested and beaten on Dong Khoi
Street in the heart of the tourist area. Evangelist Dang Quoc Tuan, one of
the four, was stripped of his clothes and beaten on the street by about 10
policeman before being taken to the Ben Nghe police station. (Assist News
Service)

THOUSANDS OF INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS MAY FACE HUNGER, GENOCIDE
A leading human rights group appealed Wednesday, Dec. 10, for food supplies
and medical aid for thousands of persecuted Christians in Indonesia amid
fears they will experience hunger and genocide this Christmas season. The
Barnabas Fund reported that "missiles, bombs and bullets often light up the
sky, of Poso City and nearby areas on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi,"
which has seen a recurrence of anti-Christian violence. While thousands are
believed to have fled the region, many villagers are still trapped in their
homes following a spate of Islamic attacks on Christian towns and individual
Christians in the Poso area. Analysts have linked the violence to growing
anti-American sentiments since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. An intercepted
Muslim document reportedly urged supporters to "mobilize the masses to
destroy the Christians. . . stun them with sudden and simultaneous attacks.
. . kill their important leaders." In the most recent violence, two
Christians were gunned down as Islamic militants raided the church service
they were attending. The attackers apparently also hit the pastor's wife who
was speaking at the time. She and two others are being treated at Ampana
Hospital, church sources say. In addition, 20 "well-armed men descended upon
the predominantly Christian village of Kilo Trans, west of Poso." They
reportedly killed the village chief and a close member of his family.
Similar attacks and bomb explosions have rocked other villages where dozens
of Christians have been killed in recent weeks. (Assist News Service)

AZERBAIJAN BAPTISTS PROTEST ARREST OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY LEADER
Baptists in Azerbaijan have protested the arrest of Ilgar Ibrahimoglu,
secretary general of the Azerbaijan chapter of the International Religious
Liberty Association. In a statement to the government, llya Zenchenko,
president of the Union of Evangelical Christians Baptists of Azerbaijan,
criticized the arrest of Ibrahimoglu. He has supported the Baptists in their
struggle for freedom at the Azeri Baptist Church, the release of Bibles
there and the freedom of their pastor to lead the church he started.
Zenchenko described Ibrahimoglu as "God's servant whose voice sounded in the
protection of the weak, looking for help and restoration of justice." While
Baptists in Azerbaijan normally avoid politics, Zenchenko said, "It is
extremely important now to speak up, not only for Ibrahimoglu, but for all
of society. God will judge not only those who are lawless but those who keep
silent in the face of it." (Baptist World Alliance)

RELIEF MINISTRY HELPING CHRISTIANS IN LIBERIA RETURN TO NORMALCY
While continued fighting and famine have marred peacekeeping efforts in
Liberia, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee spokesman Jacob Kramer
says the ministry is helping war survivors return to normalcy. "For us it's
the challenge to work toward the demobilization of these people . . .
getting them into a resettlement program . . . getting them out of the
refugee camps and back to the villages . . . and seeing that agriculture is
restarted." Kramer explains that the hope of the gospel can be read through
people's actions. "Churches are everywhere in Liberia," he says. "They're
well aware of God's saving grace. But they have a problem connecting it to a
deed and a value system. Through our presence there, and in our meetings
with them, we were able to bring that connection between the gospel and
everyday living." (Mission Network News)

'JESUS' VIDEO MIXUP IN GERMANY TURNS EMBARRASSMENT INTO BLESSING
After Christians had distributed about 30 "Jesus" videos in the German
village of Lampoldshausen (near Stuttgart), the local parish began receiving
disturbing telephone calls. Half a dozen recipients found that the video was
in fact pornographic. Rev. Frithjof Schwesig said that volunteers swiftly
collected all the distributed videos and checked the 270 others still in
stock. To their dismay they found that one in three contained a sex film.
The parish had ordered the "Jesus" videos from Campus Crusade for Christ in
Germany. According to the ministry, a video copy company in Munich had
inadvertently mixed up the orders. The outreach program to 300 households in
Lampoldshausen was re-launched after volunteers double-checked all the
videos. Then what had started as an embarrassment turned into a blessing as
the mishap raised public awareness for the evangelistic outreach program.
"Another positive side effect was that "some of those who ordered porn got a
'Jesus' video," Schwesig said. Campus Crusade for Christ delivers "Jesus"
videos to about 20 to 30 outreach programs in Germany each year. This was
the first time such a mix-up occurred. (IDEA)

* HCJB WORLD RADIO BEGINS FIRST BROADCASTS TO UNREACHED GROUP
For the first time, the 1 million speakers of a major language spoken in the
North Caucasus region of Russia can hear Christian radio broadcasts in their
own language. HCJB World Radio began airing weekly programs in the language
Monday, Dec. 1, from a shortwave facility outside of the area. The name of
the language and other details are omitted for security reasons.

"This is a historic moment for the mission and the answer to many people's
prayers over several years," said a spokesman from the Euro-Asia region.

HCJB World Radio President Dave Johnson said he was "delighted" to see the
introduction of the broadcasts after overcoming many hurdles in the last 10
years.

Those who speak the language live primarily in the North Caucasus (between
the Black and Caspian seas) and are among of the world's least-reached
people groups with only a handful of known believers. Their predominant
religion is Islam.

"With so few believers and unrest in the area, it was a real challenge to
find a native speaker who was willing to produce programs," Johnson said.
"The people who speak this language can only find the answers they're
looking for in Christ."

The programs are produced with the understanding that the listeners have
little or no interest in Christianity and would never listen to an
evangelist or enter a church.

"Through radio we can reach more people over a longer period of time,
building up their confidence," said a mission spokesman at HCJB World
Radio's international headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo. "We're not
going to see immediate results. But Christian radio is probably the only
practical way to reach them with the gospel."

With this language on the air, Kituba is the only dialect on the HCJB World
Radio's original list of "World by Radio" languages that still needs
Christian broadcasts.

Through the World by Radio challenge (formerly called World by 2000), HCJB
World Radio has worked with Far East Broadcasting Co., Trans World Radio,
SIM, FEBA Radio and others to add Christian broadcasts in more than 110
"megalanguages" -- those with at least 1 million speakers. Today less than
70 of the world's 372 megalanguages still are without Christian broadcasts.

Meanwhile, work is progressing well on Kituba, a language spoken by 4.2
million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "We have a producer,
programming material and a sponsor, but we're still looking for a local
station in the area from which to air the programs," said a ministry
spokesman. "I'm confident that a site will be found within the next year."
(HCJB World Radio)


Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 251 - Wed 17 Dec 2003

----------------------------------
REMEMBERING PRISONERS AT CHRISTMAS
----------------------------------

Many Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus in freedom and
security, with family, singing, feasting and gifts. Many others
spend Christmas with their joy overshadowed by fear of impending
jihad or terror, or the threat of fines, beatings or imprisonment
if they are caught meeting together. Other believers spend
Christmas in prisons and labour camps, separated from their
families, hungry and cruelly treated because of their faith.

Once again we raise the call to fulfill the prayer of Christ and be
one (John 17:21). We, the body of Christ, the Church, are one body
(1 Cor 12:12,13), one spiritual temple (1 Peter 2:5-8), one chosen
people, one kingdom of priests, one holy nation belonging to God (1
Peter 2:9,10). We are one - we need to be one. The fact of our
unity needs to be expressed in action.

'Dear friends, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to
join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of
your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.' Romans 15:30

Do you want to receive a gift this Christmas? Ask God to give you,
through the Holy Spirit, a love for your brothers and sisters that
will compel you to join them in their struggle by praying for them.

---------------------------------

WE ESPECIALLY REMEMBER those believers who will spend Christmas in
third world prisons, many suffering severely, in appalling
conditions, abused, tortured and beaten. We particularly remember
those we have been upholding in prayer throughout the year, some of
whom are in -

+~+ CHINA: we pray especially for Pastor Gong Shengliang and the
South China Church prisoners, and Chinese Church historian Zhang Yi-
nan. We pray also for the hundreds of pastors, evangelists and
simple, faithful believers who suffer in Chinese prisons and labour
camps, charged with illegal worship and subversion.

+~+ COMMUNIST SOUTH EAST ASIA: we pray for those who for their
faith and witness and Christian leadership are imprisoned in the
jails and labour camps of Laos and Vietnam.

+~+ ERITREA: we pray for at least 334 evangelical believers who are
imprisoned for their faith in nine known locations across Eritrea.
Many of these suffering Eritrean believers are mere teenagers. The
believers are barbarically imprisoned in metal shipping containers.
They are tortured and deprived of adequate food, sanitation and
ventilation. Some are in underground isolation cells. Some were
arrested for meeting together, some for possessing Bibles - all for
being affiliated with banned non-Orthodox evangelical churches. To
be released, all they need do is renounce their faith.

+~+ INDONESIA: we pray for Pastor Renaldy Damanik imprisoned in
Palu, Central Sulawesi, especially as his appeal to the Indonesian
Supreme Court was recently rejected, causing much frustration and
heartache.

+~+ NORTH KOREA: we pray for an estimated 100,000 Christians who
will spend Christmas in the world's most appalling and cruel
concentration camps. Life expectancy is short as starvation and
violence are commonplace. Christians are regarded as political
criminals. They are imprisoned with their families, often to the
fourth generation to ensure political purity. They will probably
not know it is Christmas.

+~+ PAKISTAN: we pray for the Christians incarcerated on blasphemy
charges, especially remembering Anwar Masih (recently arrested),
and Christian school-teacher Pervaiz Masih (arrested April 2001).
Two other believers arrested in 2001 are still awaiting trial,
while another four sentenced to either death or life in prison are
appealing their lower court judgments. Not only are Pakistani
prisons extremely unpleasant, they are extremely dangerous for
Christians accused of blasphemy.

-----------

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* all the suffering imprisoned believers to be comforted by the
Comforter (2 Corinthians 1), counselled by the Counsellor (John
14), given peace from the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9), and justice
from the Giver of justice (Proverbs 29:26).

* the families of all imprisoned believers to know the love of God
and the peace that passes understanding. Pray for blessings of
joy and provision, for demonstrations of God's mercy and love, so
their hearts will be guarded and their faith encouraged.

* the political leaders of nations where Christians are
imprisoned, that their hearts will be redirected by the hand of
the Lord (Proverbs 21:1).

-----------

In the midst of our Christmas celebrations, we believe it is
acceptable to take a few moments out to remember and even shed a
tear for our imprisoned brothers and sisters. We cannot see them,
but their heavenly Father sees them.

'Don't forget about those in prison. Suffer with them as if
you were there yourself. Share the sorrows of those being
mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies.'
Hebrews 13:3

----------------------------------------------------
Previous RLPs may be viewed at
http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/
If you downloaded this message from a website or it
was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions
by sending an empty e-mail to <join-rl-***@xc.org>

Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty
Prayer List <rl-***@crossnet.org.au>
----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 10:30 AM

Today's Headlines:

WAVE OF VIOLENCE BATTERS CHRISTIANS IN SRI LANKA
2 EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS REARRESTED IN CAMPAIGN AGAINST CONVERTS
HABITAT FOUNDER CALLS 150,000 HOMES 'SIGNIFICANT BEGINNING'
EVANGELISTIC OPPORTUNITIES MULTIPLY IN INDIA DESPITE PERSECUTION
* HCJB WORLD RADIO BROADCASTS HISTORIC CHRISTMAS PROGRAM TO INDIA

Today's News Stories:

WAVE OF VIOLENCE BATTERS CHRISTIANS IN SRI LANKA
The first weekend of December saw Christians in Sri Lanka being targeted
with at least 12 new incidents of violence. A small group meeting for prayer
in Ampegama was assaulted, and a pastor leading the prayer meeting, as well
as some of the members, were beaten by assailants. On Dec. 7 four churches
in the Kegalle district were attacked by religiously motivated militants.
Belongings were stolen, one church was burned and church members were
beaten. In one church a mob smashed the building's windows and doors, burned
the belongings and threatened the lives of some church workers who lived
there. On Dec. 9 Buddhist groups held a rally in Embilipitiya. The speakers
reportedly said that Christian churches were functioning illegally and
should be attacked and smashed. That evening police prevented an attack on a
local Assembly of God Church, but the World Vision office and Catholic
church were not spared. Soldiers from a nearby army camp attempted to
prevent the Church building from being burned, but were told by the mob to
not intervene, claiming they had orders from "higher authorities." In nearby
Udawalawe, the Assembly of God church was besieged by about 30 people who
smashed windows and doors and burned furnishings. The pastor managed to
escape unharmed, but the home of another pastor was damaged by stones.
(Voice of the Martyrs)

2 EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS REARRESTED IN CAMPAIGN AGAINST CONVERTS
Two Christians from Alexandria, Egypt, who were originally detained in
October have been rearrested. Their first arrest was part of a widespread
sweep targeting converts from Islam and those who helped them obtain new
identities. Aziz Zakher Sarkis and Sharif Kameel Nazer were taken back into
custody on Tuesday, Dec. 16, after being seized without a warrant. They are
accused of helping Muslim converts to Christianity obtain new identities.
Officer Sayed Zaki, known for his aggressive attitude towards converts, led
the arrests. Charges have not been officially lodged against the two
Christians or the 22 others who were arrested in late October for
"falsifying official documents." All were released on bail. Following this
latest development, converts throughout Alexandria are living in a state of
heightened fear. A Christian who converts to Islam in Egypt can receive new
identification papers with a new Muslim name within 24 hours, but the
opposite is nearly impossible. They will always be regarded as Muslim in the
eyes of the law. This means that female converts to Christianity are
prohibited from marrying Christian men; children will be treated as Muslims
and educated as such at school; and converts who die are buried as Muslims.
(Barnabas Fund)

HABITAT FOUNDER CALLS 150,000 HOMES 'SIGNIFICANT BEGINNING'
Habitat for Humanity International founder Millard Fuller, recently named
"executive of the year" by the Nonprofit Times, said the ministry has
provided homes for more than 150,000 families in nearly 3,000 communities
worldwide. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1976, constructs
affordable homes for low-income families. Fuller says Habitat has been so
successful in fulfilling its mission because it follows the scriptural
mandate to care for our neighbors. "It's God's idea," he says. "The Bible
tells us plainly that we should love one another, and we should express love
in tangible ways. I think its working because we are doing business with
some fundamental biblical ideas." Fuller says that while reaching the
150,000-home milestone is a "significant beginning," much more work remains.
"More than 100 million people in the world are absolutely homeless," he
says. "So our work is really just beginning." Rather than give houses away,
Habitat provides poor people with low-interest mortgages and requires
recipients to invest hundreds of hours in helping to construct their own
homes. (Religion Today/Agape Press)

EVANGELISTIC OPPORTUNITIES MULTIPLY IN INDIA DESPITE PERSECUTION
Tom Dudenhoffer of Audio Scripture Ministries says the spiritual hunger in
India often counters the threat of persecution. In four states of India,
parties favoring Hinduism came into power with the Dec. 1 electoral victory
of the Bharatiya Janata Party. This could mean hard times for the Christian
community since the Hindu culture finds the growing interest in Christianity
a threat to their own political stability. In spite of this threat,
opportunities for ministry have "almost overwhelmed our missionaries and
staff," Dudenhoffer said. "There seems to be an unusual openness to the
gospel even while there's an increase in persecution." In one area more than
700 people recently signed up "Scripture listening kits."

Other ministries report a similar response. Vernon Brewer of World Help
witnessed an event in Allahabad where 40,000 believers gathered in India's
holiest city to worship Christ. He says what Christians are doing in India
is incredible. "They're going two-by-two into the unreached villages of
Uttar Pradesh, a state of 175 million people, and they're going to 100,000
unreached villages," Brewer said. "Their vision and goal is to see 1 million
house churches planted in the next five years. What we're seeing now is the
result of Christians going in these Hindu strongholds and marching and
praying and believing God for the impossible."

Dan Hitzhusen of Global Missions Fellowship says short-term teams from
North America are opening up incredible ministry opportunities. "A chief who
was having a wedding for his son stopped the ceremony, and because there was
an American there, allowed him to preach the gospel. Many people professed
faith in Christ! In that particular situation the chief set up a piece of
land for the new church to get started." Hitzhusen says the Christians in
India are fervent and willing to face persecution. But since many of the
believers come from the lower castes "they're not given any kind of entree
into whole villages," he says. However, villagers will often welcome
American Christians. "Whole villages open up, and people come to know
Christ," Brewer says. (Mission Network News)

* HCJB WORLD RADIO BROADCASTS HISTORIC CHRISTMAS PROGRAM TO INDIA
A powerful signal from the "Voice of the Great Southland," HCJB World
Radio-Australia's shortwave station in Kununurra, blanketed the subcontinent
of India today with a special program in Hindi called, "Aao Christmas
Manayein" (Let's Celebrate Christmas). The program was also simulcast on FM
radio stations in three major cities of India -- New Delhi, Mumbai and
Lucknow with a total population of 35 million -- a first for the ministry.

"It's the first true Christmas program to be aired on local radio stations
in India," said C. Thant Khobung, director of Bibles for the World in India.
This was the first of a two-part magazine-format program that includes
Christmas carols, street interviews, a Christmas drama and a Bible lesson.
The second half will air on Christmas Day, broadcasting at the same time and
on the same frequencies and stations.

Reports are coming in from listeners who said they enjoyed the program while
in their cars, auto-rickshaws, homes and hotel rooms. Listeners who submit a
correct answer to a question pertaining to a character in the drama will
receive a Christmas card with a Hindi version of the Christmas story printed
on rice paper.

The Christmas program was produced at the studios of Global Media Training
Associates, HCJB World Radio's national partner in New Delhi. Children from
a hostel/orphanage in the city provided voices for the drama segment. Much
to their glee, it was the first time any of them had heard their voices on
the air. They all tuned in to their local FM station to hear the program.
(HCJB World Radio)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.
_______________________________________________

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Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm

11300+ articles

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 3:34 AM

Subject: [HCJBDaily] 20 October 2003 Update from HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

DESCENDANTS OF FIJI'S CANNIBALS APOLOGIZE FOR EATING MISSIONARY
ANOTHER CHINESE CHRISTIAN ARRESTED AMID CRACKDOWN
LAOS CONTINUES BRUTAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST HMONG CHRISTIANS
CHRISTIAN BROADCASTS GIVE 'PEACEFUL ALTERNATIVE' TO IRAN'S REGIME
PRESIDENT BUSH SAYS HIS FAITH 'MATTERS A LOT'

Today's News Stories:

DESCENDANTS OF FIJI'S CANNIBALS APOLOGIZE FOR EATING MISSIONARY
Villagers in Fiji whose ancestors killed and ate a British missionary 136
years ago are to offer a traditional apology to his descendants. An article
by Nick Squires in the London Daily Telegraph said Rev. Thomas Baker of the
Wesleyan Methodist Church was killed in the remote mountain community of
Navatusila in 1867, possibly after he took a comb out of a chief's hair.
"Touching the head of a chief was taboo in Fiji, once known as the Cannibal
Isles," Squires wrote. "The people of Navatusila want to atone for the sins
of their ancestors because they believe they have been cursed by Mr. Baker's
death with their village suffering a string of misfortunes." The chief of
the village on the island of Viti Levu has invited the missionary's
descendants in Britain to attend next month's ceremony, the Pacific Islands
News Association reported. Lance Martin, an archivist at the School of
Oriental and African Studies in London, said the story about the comb may be
a myth. "It seems Baker got caught up in some sort of inter-tribal feuding
relating to his right to travel across the island," Martin said. "He was
ambushed as he and his companions were leaving a village one morning. He was
cut up on a flat rock at the base of a ravine. His body was anointed and
then eaten." Baker, from Playden, East Sussex, is the only European to have
been cooked and eaten in Fiji; however, accounts of cannibalism in the South
Pacific in the last 200 years were not unusual. A contemporary account of
the 35-year-old churchman's grisly death quoted villagers as saying, "We ate
everything but his boots." One of those boots is on display in the national
museum in the capital, Suva. (Assist News Service)

ANOTHER CHINESE CHRISTIAN ARRESTED AMID CRACKDOWN
Another Beijing house-church Christian has been arrested as Chinese
authorities continue a wide spread crackdown against rapidly expanding
congregations. Voice of the Martyrs reported that Liu Feng Guang was
arrested last week by Public Security Bureau (PSB) authorities in China's
Zhejiang province. Guang was arrested after traveling to meet with
underground church leaders, including some recently released after almost
two months in custody. Zhejiang PSB officers and Beijing police, "searched
Liu's apartment in Beijing and confiscated 36 items, including two
computers, his address book, cameras, and documents." His wife, Bi Yu-xia,
was told that her husband was facing serious charges for "leaking national
secrets" to those outside of China. His arrest came on the heels of the
detention of three prominent house church members last month. The latest
developments have underscored international concern about the persecution of
Christians throughout China, many of whom are held in prisons and labor
camps for many years. Scholars and human rights workers have linked the
measures to concern among Communist authorities about the growing number of
Christians in China which is said to experience the largest church growth in
the world. (Assist News Service/Voice of the Martyrs)

LAOS CONTINUES BRUTAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST HMONG CHRISTIANS
The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Commission reported
that the Lao government is conducting a "relentless war" against
Christianity. The Hmong, a people group living in several countries of
Southeast Asia, are major -- though not exclusive -- targets. Large numbers
of them have turned to Christ, and they are considered spies of the West,
enemies of the state, and fit for "extermination." Lao believers are beaten,
imprisoned, tortured and forced from their lands for refusing to renounce
their faith. "The government wants us to go back and worship evil spirits,"
wrote a local believer. Villagers are encouraged to report any Christians to
authorities so they can be arrested or "eliminated." Early in September WEA
interviewed a Lao observer who said that many Hmong groups are hiding in the
jungle. "The army is attacking in three ways: with ground troops, bombs from
aircraft, and chemical weapons," the observer said. "The government uses
helicopters, and they spray out something that looks like yellow rain. It
causes headaches, diarrhea and blindness and makes their teeth fall out.
Within three weeks people die. Others die from disease and starvation, and
some have been captured and killed." (Religion Today)

CHRISTIAN BROADCASTS GIVE 'PEACEFUL ALTERNATIVE' TO IRAN'S REGIME
Due to tight restrictions on any evangelism effort in Iran and the cessation
of Bible translation there, the best way to deliver the gospel message
currently is by radio. Words of Hope radio broadcasts in Farsi, a language
spoken in Afghanistan and Iran. Spokesperson Lee DeYoung says, "The Iranian
people who are hearing the gospel and growing in faith are eager to reach
their own people. But, at the same time, they are wise enough to realize
that is best done with a low profile." Christians comprise less than 1
percent of the population. Christian radio broadcasts have offered a
peaceful alternative to the Islamic regime that has been in place for more
than 20 years. Iranians are seeking the alternative of peace and hope that
only the love of Jesus could provide. The Words of Hope programs have been
effective to both individual and small house church groups. DeYoung says
that while there are concerns for those living in extreme Muslim areas, the
future is bright. "Some of the restrictions and concerns and risks and
dangers are notably increasing and yet, at the same time, the hunger and the
openness on the part of some people in these populations is growing. I would
say, as a general rule, the underground church is on the rise." (Mission
Network News)

PRESIDENT BUSH SAYS HIS FAITH 'MATTERS A LOT'
U.S. President George W. Bush says his faith is helping him deal with the
challenges of the presidency, and he credits the Bible with inspiring him to
push for federal funding to fight AIDS. In an interview appearing next week
in the October issue of Ladies' Home Journal, Bush says it is possible to
function in the presidency without believing in God, and probably some of
his predecessors did not believe in God, but he finds that Christianity
helps. "When you realize that there is an Almighty God on whom you can rely,
it provides great comfort," says Bush, who was interviewed with first lady
Laura Bush. "That's why I read every morning, the Bible and Scriptures and
Charles Stanley devotionals," he adds. "It matters a lot to me personally."
Stanley, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, is a TV and
radio evangelist. Bush, a Methodist, often refers to his faith in public
remarks but does not link it to government policy. "You shouldn't fear a
religious person," Bush says. "The Bible talks about love and compassion.
That's really a lot behind my passion on AIDS policy, for example." Bush
surprised some conservatives in January when he asked Congress to raise the
five-year budget on fighting AIDS in Africa to $15 billion from $5 billion.
(Charisma News Service)


* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 247 - Wed 19 Nov 2003

-----------------------------------------
INDONESIA: CENTRAL SULAWESI VERY VOLATILE
-----------------------------------------

On Sunday 16 November, four Christians, all members of the Central
Sulawesi Christian Church (GKST), were brutally murdered. Mr Oranje
Tadjodja (58, the church treasurer) and his nephew, Yohanes
Tadjodja (26), were ambushed in their car about 20km out of Poso
between the Muslim villages of Puna and Tabalu. They were savagely
beaten to death. Delfis Lingkuliwa (Dennis) from Wawopada village,
was dragged off his motorcycle and beaten to death in Poso Central
Market. Mr Bowo from Ranoncu village was also found dead in Poso
Central Market, with his motorcycle burnt.

RLP 241 (15 Oct 2003) reported the systematic jihad terror attacks
launched against several Christian villages between 10-12 October,
that left at least 10 Christians dead. The government has linked
the attacks to the regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah.

On Saturday 15 November, police arrested three Muslim militants
suspected of involvement in the 10-12 October jihad attacks. One of
these jihad terror suspects, Hamid Sudin (22), was shot dead when
he attacked the police. The other two have since been released.

The next day (the day the four were murdered), Muslims rioted
outside Poso police headquarters to protest the death of Hamid
Sudin. Christians from Tentena wanting information about the
murders were refused entry to Poso because the police feared the
presence of the Christians might spark more strife. There is much
fear and grieving in Tentena, Central Sulawesi. Rev. Renaldy
Damanik, imprisoned in Palu, is a member of the GKST and the head
of the GKST Crisis Centre. He is devastated by the killings.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* the grieving families and members of the Central Sulawesi
Christian Church (GKST), that they will know the peace of
God that passes understanding, and be given grace from the Holy
Spirit to pray for those who persecute them.

'Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he
no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are
persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with
death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours
through Christ, who loved us.' 1 Corinthians 15:35,37

* the Indonesian government to take a decisive stand against
religious violence and terrorism, restoring peace and security by
removing and banning all foreign militants, disarming the
population, and supporting the December 2001 Malino Declaration.

(See other special points for prayer following the Summary.)

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE:
------------------------------------------------------------

CENTRAL SULAWESI (INDONESIA) VERY VOLATILE

From 10-12 October, Muslims militants waged jihad on several
Christian villages of Central Sulawesi, leaving 10 Christians dead
and multitudes displaced and homeless. On Saturday 15 November,
police arrested three Muslim militants suspected of involvement in
those attacks. One was shot dead when he attacked the police. The
other two have since been released. On Sunday 16 November, Muslims
protesting the death rioted outside Poso Police HQ. Four
Christians, members of the Central Sulawesi Christian Church, were
in the wrong place at the wrong time around Poso and were savagely
murdered. The church is grieving and there is much fear. The
situation is extremely volatile. Please pray for peace and security
in Central Sulawesi.

~~~~

SPECIAL DATES FOR SPECIAL PRAYERS

* 20 NOVEMBER

The RLP October Update reported 22 Christians imprisoned in EGYPT
and severely punished for changing their Muslim names to Christian
names on their identity cards. Now, 17 have been released, but the
five still detained are suffering immensely under tremendous
pressure. Their detention will be reviewed on 20 November. Please
pray for their release and that God will sustain them.

(The five still in prison include Mariam, one of the first
arrested. A photograph of Mariam and her family can been seen at
<http://www.compassdirect.org/en/breaking.php?idelement=119>.)

* 21 NOVEMBER

Ramadan Muslim NIGHT OF POWER (Laylatul Qadr). According to the
hadith, the sayings of Mohammad: 'Whoever prays during the night of
Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his
previous sins forgiven.' Please pray that all Muslims truly seeking
forgiveness of sins will find Jesus, the Lamb of God and only
Saviour.

----------------------------------------------------
Previous RLPs may be viewed at
http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/
If you downloaded this message from a website or it
was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions
by sending an empty e-mail to <join-rl-***@xc.org>

Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty
Prayer List <rl-***@crossnet.org.au>
----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2003 6:28 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

CHRISTIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FOUND GUILTY IN MALAYSIA
SITUATION IN BOLIVIA 'TENUOUS' AS LEADERSHIP CHANGES HANDS
CHURCHES WORLDWIDE TO JOIN IN PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS
75,000 ARAB CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT JESUS AT SUMMER BIBLE SCHOOLS
AMERICANS SPEND 50 TIMES MORE ON FAST FOOD THAN HELPING POOR KIDS
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST MEMBERSHIP WORLDWIDE SURPASSES 13 MILLION

Today's News Stories:

CHRISTIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FOUND GUILTY IN MALAYSIA
Christian human rights activist Irene Fernandez has been sentenced to one
year in prison after exposing human rights abuses at immigration camps in
Malaysia. She was found guilty on Thursday, Oct. 16, by the Kuala Lumpur
Magistrates Court of "maliciously publishing false news" after releasing a
memorandum at a press conference in 1995 on alleged torture and death in
immigration detention centers. Her trial, which began in June 1996, has been
the longest criminal trial in Malaysian history. Fernandez was arrested two
years after releasing a report in 1994 that accused immigration camp guards
of beating and sexually assaulting detainees. She has been released on bail
pending an appeal at the High Court. Fernandez is a Roman Catholic of Indian
background with three children aged between 18 and 22. She is head of the
Tenaganita rights group that assists workers and helps run HIV awareness
programs. Tina Lambert, advocacy director at Christian Solidarity Worldwide,
called the sentence a "travesty of justice" and pledged the organization's
support for her appeal. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

SITUATION IN BOLIVIA 'TENUOUS' AS LEADERSHIP CHANGES HANDS
Bolivia still teeters on the edge of bedlam, despite the exit of former
President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada who resigned on Friday, Oct. 17, in the
midst of civil unrest. While a new cabinet was assembled hastily on the
weekend and former Vice President Carlos Mesa moved into the leadership, the
quick change of power leaves the country in a "tenuous" political situation,
says Grace Ministries International's Sam Vinton. Mesa came in to power
following violent protests to the former leader's plan to export natural gas
from the landlocked country through either Chile or Peru to North America.
The new president has only a short time to show that he can get the
situation under control, he said. "If he doesn't deliver in so many weeks or
months, whatever limit they set, these people will do the same thing again,"
Vinton said. "We need to pray that the Lord will, in some way, work through
these new leaders." He added that the unrest has had little impact on the
ministry in Bolivia because it is isolated from the trouble areas. The
indigenous church is moving ahead in spite of substantial obstacles, he
said. "We're seeing the Bolivian believers move on by starting some new
churches and put up some buildings which is what we're aiming for in any of
our ministries." (Mission Network News/Associated Press)

CHURCHES WORLDWIDE TO JOIN IN PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS
Thousands of congregations across the U.S. and worldwide will join together
in the annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church Sunday,
Nov. 9. Observed since 1996, this is the largest prayer event of its kind in
the world. More than 200 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation,
arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with another 200 to 400
million facing discrimination and alienation. "The world is becoming more
and more hostile to Christianity," says Carl Moeller, president/CEO of Open
Doors USA. "It is critical that we stand together in unity in support of our
persecuted brothers and sisters worldwide. And praying for those suffering
for their faith is the most important action believers can take." (Open
Doors)

75,000 ARAB CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT JESUS AT SUMMER BIBLE SCHOOLS
This summer more than 75,000 Arab children heard about Jesus, learned to
pray, studied Scripture verses and sang praises to God. Arab Christians in
Egypt started this initiative at the start of 2000, encouraging and training
church leaders to run Bible schools for children. The vision has now spread
to neighboring Sudan and other countries. (World Prayer News)

AMERICANS SPEND 50 TIMES MORE ON FAST FOOD THAN HELPING POOR KIDS
U.S. residents spend nearly 50 times as much money on fast food as they do
on helping children in poverty, according to the results of a recent survey
conducted by the Barna Research Group. The survey, sponsored by Compassion
International, indicated that the average U.S. household spends about $240 a
year on fast food. At the same time, a typical household spends only $5 year
on helping poor children. The survey shows that six in 10 Americans don't
think it's their job to help poor children overseas." Although it is a
disappointment that so many Americans don't feel responsibility for children
in poverty, I believe more people would participate if they knew who to
trust and knew what to do," said Wess Stafford, president of Compassion, a
major Christian child development organization. "When one sees the faces and
hears the stories of children in poverty, an individual knows that every
child is worth helping. Every child deserves to have hope." Two-thirds of
respondents indicated that the parents of poor children and the government
of a child's country should bear "a lot" of responsibility to help poor
children. Only 13 percent would put that burden on individuals. Stafford
said the Barna survey indicates that Americans need more understanding of
the nature of poverty. "It is estimated that half of the world's
population -- more than 2 billion people -- are under the age of 25. About
the same number live on less than $2 a day. I believe Americans are a very
giving people," Stafford said. "They want to help. They just don't know the
extent of the problem, who to trust or how they can get involved." (Mission
Network News)

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST MEMBERSHIP WORLDWIDE SURPASSES 13 MILLION
There are 13,325,270 baptized members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church as
of June 30, 2003, reported Bert Haloviak, director of the church's office of
archives and statistics. This represents a net increase of 573,097 members,
or about 1,569 members per day. "In 2002 there was one Seventh-day Adventist
for every 494 people living," he said. "There is now one for every 480." If
the present trend continues, "there should be one Seventh-day Adventist for
every 341 people on our planet at the end of 2010," Haloviak added. More
than 13 congregations were formed daily last year. In that period, Adventist
members contributed more than $4.8 million a day to help proclaim the gospel
message around the world. The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,
the official name of the world church's governing organization, celebrated
140 years of operating during this fall's annual business meeting.
(Adventist News Network)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org

[Rowland Croucher]

From: <hcjbdaily-***@list.hcjb.org>

To: <***@list.hcjb.org>; <***@list.hcjb.org>

Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 7:52 AM

Subject: [HCJBDaily] 27 October 2003 Update from HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

22 EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS BEATEN, TORTURED IN NEW CRACKDOWN
COLOMBIAN LAWYERS DEFEND CHRISTIANS ON FLIMSY TERRORISM CHARGES
THEFT OF CAR, VIDEO EQUIPMENT DOESN'T HALT MINISTRY IN SLOVENIA
ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ LAUNCH EVANGELISTIC NEWSPAPER
ONGOING PERSECUTION IN INDIA BRINGS OUT BEST IN BELIEVERS
MYANMAR MINISTRY MEETS ORPHANS' PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL NEEDS

Today's News Stories:

22 EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS BEATEN, TORTURED IN NEW CRACKDOWN
Twenty-two Christians, including many secret converts from Islam to
Christianity, have been arrested by Egyptian police and are being "beaten,
interrogated and tortured," reported Barnabas Fund, a group that supports
persecuted believers. The abuses began when Christians were taken from
Alexandria to police stations in the capital city of Cairo as part of a new
anti-Christian crackdown that began Tuesday, Oct. 21. Among the first to be
arrested were two converts from Islam, Yusuf Samuel Makari Suliman and his
wife, Mariam Girgis Makar. The following day, seven others were also
arrested and taken to the office of the attorney general. On Thursday, Oct.
23, that number rose to 22 as other "converts and Christians who have tried
to assist them were rounded up and arrested in dramatic sweeps by police."
Local Christians fear the arrests will continue and that many other converts
from Islam who have been living quietly as Christians may also be arrested.
Egyptian authorities have not yet reacted to the charges; however,
hard-liners say they want to rid the country of all "Western" (Christian)
influences in the mainly Islamic country where Christians comprise about 6
percent of the population. Officially, the 22 arrested Christians being
charged with "falsifying identification papers," apparently because they
changed their Muslim names to Christian names. (Assist News Service)

COLOMBIAN LAWYERS DEFEND CHRISTIANS ON FLIMSY TERRORISM CHARGES
The Association of Christian Lawyers in Colombia is defending a pastor and
several lay church leaders arrested by security forces near the city of
Sincelejo and jailed on terrorism charges. Deivis Manuel Carrascal, 23,
pastor of the AIEC evangelical church in Colosó, was arrested at his home at
5 a.m. Aug. 20. Also arrested were Manuel Monterroza, a Christian school
teacher from nearby Chalán, and at least seven other active members of an
evangelical church in that village were among the 156 persons arrested in
the pre-dawn military sweep. An ex-guerrilla who wore a hood over his head
to conceal his identity, reportedly identified the suspects as former
comrades in arms. "This man says he trained Deivis to use explosives,"
explained a spokesperson from the Sincelejo chapter of the Commission for
Reconciliation. "But this was supposedly in 1983. At that time my client was
only 8 years old!" The defendants stand charged with rebellion against the
state and acts of terrorism, crimes punishable by 20 to 30 years in prison.
(Compass)

THEFT OF CAR, VIDEO EQUIPMENT DOESN'T HALT MINISTRY IN SLOVENIA
A gospel video ministry in Slovenia was helping to organize a pastors'
conference in Croatia last February, and was responsible for the main
speaker and the audio/video portion of the conference. The leaders arrived
at the conference center early with all their video recording and viewing
equipment loaded in their car. After making preparations inside, they went
back to the car only to find that it, along with all their equipment, had
been stolen. In spite of this, the missionaries were able to share their
ministry with the pastors at the conference and still take orders for more
than 300 videos. Without a vehicle, however, they would have to cancel their
annual summer ministry tour of the churches of former Yugoslavia and would
also be unable to move their offices to a new location. As the missionaries
began to fast and pray, God provided. A local Christian loaned them his
second car so they could make the move to a new office location easily and
take their scheduled missionary tour of the Yugoslavian churches. After six
months, the stolen car was retrieved. "We have had a fresh experience of how
God can help when people get humble and get closer to Him," the leader said.
"When we thought it was over, He took us by the hand and led us further.
When we thought it was impossible, He made it possible." The ministry
produces Christian videos in four languages, Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian
and Macedonian. (Missions Insider)

ARMENIAN CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ LAUNCH EVANGELISTIC NEWSPAPER
Amid hardship and killings in Iraq, local Christians are stepping up efforts
to preach and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Armenian Christians
recently launched Norayek (New Dawn), an evangelistic newspaper with
Bible-related news stories. "We are issuing it in Arabic so that all Iraqis
will be able to read it," said editor Raffi Karakashian, one of the
newspaper's founders, in a statement. "The Armenian bishop blessed it. I
believe one day I'll see Iraqis more open to Christianity." (Assist News
Service)

ONGOING PERSECUTION IN INDIA BRINGS OUT BEST IN BELIEVERS
While anti-conversion legislation has been passed in some states of India
and ongoing persecution is a growing concern, Dr. Bobby Gupta of HBI Global
Partners says the pressure is bringing out the best in Christians. "We're
seeing the church respond to persecution by saying, 'If they're getting on
our case, we need to give our lives even more to Jesus Christ so that God
can do greater things.' Never in the history of missions in India, have
people been more responsive to the gospel. More churches are being planted,
and young people are giving their lives to the Lord and wanting to do more
for Him." HBI is training nationals through the ministry's Bible institute.
"The No. 1 need is for us to decentralize," Gupta says. Plans are to
establish 10 training centers in the next five years at a cost of $150,000
each. Work already has started on four of the centers. (Mission Network
News)

MYANMAR MINISTRY MEETS ORPHANS' PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL NEEDS
A ministry in Myanmar (formerly Burma) is finding an open door as it meets
the needs of hundreds of needy children in the predominantly Buddhist
country. One ministry assisted by Christian Aid reaches out to more than 70
orphans who attend government schools in two separate villages. In addition,
the ministry assists 27 orphans who live with relatives. Although they are
unable to build enough accommodations to care for so many, they managed to
open Christian schools in two other villages where there were no government
schools and sent in two teachers for the 117 boys enrolled there. The
teachers belong to the local Christian church and conduct Sunday school as
well as personal evangelism among the children and their families. When they
learned that the families had no anti-malaria medicines and that family
members were suffering from the disease, they obtained and shared some of
the medicines from one of the children's homes. (Missions Insider)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 4:35 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

SEVERE DROUGHT IN SUDAN PUTS 500,000 AT RISK OF STARVATION
RELIGION LAW IN BELARUS JEOPARDIZES FUTURE OF HOUSE CHURCHES
ESCALATING COSTS CAUSE FINANCIAL CRUNCH FOR MANY MISSION AGENCIES
FOUL LANGUAGE ON AMERICAN PRIME-TIME TV REACHES ALARMING LEVELS
U.S. CONSERVATIVE GROUPS PROMOTE 'MARRIAGE PROTECTION WEEK'

Today's News Stories:

SEVERE DROUGHT IN SUDAN PUTS 500,000 AT RISK OF STARVATION
Severe drought is again affecting Sudan with the lack of rain, civil war and
inadequate harvests putting more than 500,000 people at risk of starvation.
Aid workers have not been allowed to access some of the refugees, while
those who have been reached are camped beneath trees with almost no food or
water. Refugees are filling up the schools and pushing out local children.
Local people have provided food and shelter to some of the refugees, but
they are also reeling from drought and food shortages. Despite the ongoing
fighting, humanitarian access to the region has improved significantly since
a cease-fire was signed on Sept. 6 between the government and rebel Sudan
Liberation Movement/Army. In response to the need, the Evangelical Free
Church of Sudan is raising money to purchase supplies. A shipment of grain
was sent to the Lopit Mountain region from northern Uganda two months ago. A
similar effort in 1998 prompted hundreds of unchurched people to start
attending Evangelical Free Churches in Sudan. (Mission Network News)

RELIGION LAW IN BELARUS JEOPARDIZES FUTURE OF HOUSE CHURCHES
With the law banning registered religious communities in Belarus from using
residential properties as their legal addresses without "specific
authorization," numerous house churches face the risk of failing to gain
re-registration or being liquidated by court order. Aleksandr Sakovich, head
of the charismatic Full Gospel Church, said its 10 registered churches in
the capital city of Minsk, attended by an estimated 5,000 people, are unable
to worship together, and many congregations split up to meet in private
homes. He said there have been no cases of these groups being prosecuted for
doing so, but this could change if the law is enforced. Of the 64 registered
Full Gospel churches in Belarus, only five have their own buildings. (Forum
18 News Service)

ESCALATING COSTS CAUSE FINANCIAL CRUNCH FOR MANY MISSION AGENCIES
Mission agencies around the world are facing incredible financial needs,
forcing ministries to cut back outreach such as OC International. Harold
Howell, vice president of operations, says that while donations have been
about the same, costs are climbing. "In the last two years we've had close
to doubling our costs that we have to pay for medical and benefits, life
insurance and those types of things. . . . We don't see any end in sight,
but yet we have to guarantee our people a certain level of support on the
field." Howell says the runaway costs have other implications. "We can't
support all the ministry objectives they want to do in the field once they
get there because the money's not there to support them." (Mission Network
News)

HUNGRY RUSSIANS FIND PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL HELP VIA FEEDING MINISTRY
Even though Russia is experiencing an economic upturn, prosperity has not
reached the majority of people. Ukrainian evangelist Slavik Radchuk says
that Russia's economy is improving with jobs paying up to $300 per month --
a vast improvement from the $15 to $30 per month people received just a few
years ago - but not everyone is enjoying the new economics. The leader of a
ministry stationed in western Russia said that the homeless and hungry are
being reached through its feeding ministry which offers soup and porridge
for dinner and provides haircuts and shaves for men. While they are being
treated, they listen to God's Word. Some repent and accept Christ as their
Savior. The ministry is helping those who come regularly to find work, and
some help with church construction. But many wander off and never return.
The feeding program takes place outdoors, but with colder weather
approaching, the leader said he doesn't know the ministry can continue
unless it obtains an additional building. (Missions Insider)

FOUL LANGUAGE ON AMERICAN PRIME-TIME TV REACHES ALARMING LEVELS
Prime-time network television features increasing amounts of foul language,
shows a study by the Parents Television Council. The use of various kinds of
foul language -- from curses to offensive epithets to sexually suggestive
language -- were examined by analysts viewing prime-time series on major
broadcast networks during the first two weeks in November in 1998, 2000 and
2002. "It's easy to be dismissive of foul language on TV, but it does have
an impact," concluded the executive summary of "The Blue Tube: Foul Language
on Prime Time Network TV." The report added that the "entertainment industry
needs to get serious about reducing the flood of vulgarity coming into the
family home via the broadcast airwaves." Across the board, analysts found
that foul language during the "family hour" (8 to 9 p.m.) increased by 95
percent between 1998 and 2002. It increased by 109 percent during the 9 p.m.
hour and 39 percent during the 10 p.m. hour. The Los Angeles-based council,
founded in 1995, is dedicated to improving the quality of entertainment
programming, especially on television. (Religion News Service)

U.S. CONSERVATIVE GROUPS PROMOTE 'MARRIAGE PROTECTION WEEK'
Stepping up their opposition to same-sex marriage, 25 U.S. conservative
groups have proclaimed Oct. 12-18 as "Marriage Protection Week" in which
voters will be urged to support legislation favoring traditionally
structured families. "Traditional marriage is the stable model for our
society," said Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values
Coalition. "Any attempt to elevate same-sex marriages to that same plane
will have grave consequences for our nation." The rights movement for
same-sex couples gained momentum recently on the heels of a landmark Supreme
Court decision that decriminalized private, consensual sexual relationships
among same-sex partners. Marriage Protection Week supporters want to "rally
churches to this last stand in defense of the institution of marriage,"
Lafferty said. The campaign will target religious groups and voters across
the country through radio broadcasts and public events. "In a time such as
this, we must stand with the truth. Calling something a 'marriage' doesn't
make it one," she said. (Religion News Service)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.
_______________________________________________

[Rowland Croucher]

From: <hcjbdaily-***@list.hcjb.org>

To: <***@list.hcjb.org>; <***@list.hcjb.org>

Sent: Saturday, November 01, 2003 10:54 AM

Subject: [HCJBDaily] 31 October 2003 Update from HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

ERITREAN AUTHORITIES CONFISCATE FULL GOSPEL CHURCH IN CAPITAL
MINISTRY TO AID 1,500 FAMILIES LEFT HOMELESS BY FIRE IN MANILA SLUM
CHINESE HOUSE-CHURCH CHRISTIAN RELEASED AFTER BELIEVERS PROTEST
DESPITE SECURITY RISKS, MISSIONARY SCHOOL IN NIGERIA EXPANDS WITNESS
COOPERATION PROMOTES SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN MYANMAR

Today's News Stories:

ERITREAN AUTHORITIES CONFISCATE FULL GOSPEL CHURCH IN CAPITAL
Government authorities in the Eritrean capital of Asmara confiscated and
sealed the complex of the Full Gospel Church during the past two weeks,
ordering the church staff and members to evacuate the building permanently
on Oct. 15. Located in the Gaza Banda district of Asmara, the large complex
had served as the Full Gospel Church's main headquarters and meeting place
for the past 11 years. Meanwhile, all but six of the 62 young people who
were arrested and locked into metal containers last August for having Bibles
in their possession at the Sawa summer military camp, have been released.
Also released were 12 young evangelicals from Asmara's Dubre Bethel Church
who were arrested during a house prayer meeting on Sept. 7 and refused to
sign a denial of their faith. Including other arrests in recent months, a
total of 230 evangelical Christians are known to be jailed for their faith
in Eritrea. (Compass)

MINISTRY TO AID 1,500 FAMILIES LEFT HOMELESS BY FIRE IN MANILA SLUM
On Monday, Oct. 20, a fire broke out in a huge slum area of Pasay City
outside of Manila that took nearly eight hours to contain. The blaze
apparently started when a husband threw a gas lamp at his wife. With
congestion making it nearly impossible for fire equipment to reach the fire,
the flames spread rapidly, destroying more than 1,500 shanties and a bus
terminal. In response to the fire, staff members from ACTION Philippines
visited the area to see what help was needed. "What we saw was
unbelievable," said ministry spokesman Jeff Anderson. "The entire area was
burned to the ground with people scattered across the streets, sidewalks and
the nearest overpass. There were long lines of people waiting for hours in
the hot sun for assistance from the city government. We saw people trying to
clean the area where their dwellings used to be, with shocked expressions on
their faces. It's a miracle there are no reported fatalities." The local
mayor asked the ministry for assistance in the relief efforts. Despite the
devastation, Pasay Baptist Church was spared. "The fire surrounded the front
of the compound, but there was no damage," Anderson said. "The church has
now become a temporary relocation and relief center for several families."
ACTION plans to work with partners Speed the Light and Pasay Baptist Church
to provide basic relief goods such as food (milk, sugar, cooking oil, rice,
canned food), cooking pots and utensils, blankets, sleeping mats and
building supplies. (ACTION Philippines)

CHINESE HOUSE-CHURCH CHRISTIAN RELEASED AFTER BELIEVERS PROTEST
Xiao Bi-guang, an advocate for house-church Christians in China, has been
released from prison and has returned to his home in Beijing. His wife, Gou
Qinghui, reported that he was not beaten or physically abused during his
incarceration. Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) attributes his soon release to the
publicity the case has received as well as the prayers and protests of
Christians around the world. At one point police asked him, "How did you get
your story on the Internet?" Police reportedly couldn't find a link to prove
that Bi-guang was involved in activities that "subverted the Chinese
government and socialist system," a charge that could carry long prison
terms and even a death sentence. He was arrested on Sept. 26. VOM spokesman
Todd Nettleton said the case is "proof positive that Christians around the
world can make a difference with their prayers and telephone calls and
letters to the Chinese embassy." (Voice of the Martyrs/Assist News Service)

INNOVATIVE YOUTH MINISTRY FOUNDER DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT
Mike Yaconelli, owner and co-founder of Youth Specialties, in El Cajon,
Calif., died early Thursday, Oct. 30, after being involved in a car accident
the previous evening. He was 61. In addition to starting the organization
dedicated to equipping and training youth workers through events and
resources, Yaconelli was the founder and general editor of The Door
(formerly The Wittenberg Door) and the author of numerous books, including
Dangerous Wonder and Messy Spirituality. He was also a contributing
columnist to the Youthworker journal. "Mike lived a life of wonder and
amazement at God's grace," said Tic Long, president of events at Youth
Specialties. "He never claimed to be perfect; he just lived as he was -- a
man after God's own heart." Perhaps his greatest contribution was his
ability to "encourage and inspire youth workers for almost 30 years at the
National Youth Workers Convention." Youth Specialties has worked alongside
Christian youth workers from nearly every denomination and youth-serving
organization for 34 years. Each year the ministry serves more than 100,000
youth workers worldwide via training seminars, conventions, resources and
the Internet. Yaconelli leaves behind his wife, Carla, five children and
four grandchildren. (Youth Specialties)

DESPITE SECURITY RISKS, MISSIONARY SCHOOL IN NIGERIA EXPANDS WITNESS
The spread of rigid forms of Islam is creating division, chaos and religious
violence in both East and West Africa. Nigeria is a case in point. The
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is in the process of
rebuilding its missionary school following arson attacks last year, said
spokesman Dan Egeler. "The school was targeted by Islamic fundamentalists,
and the dormitory for the boys was burned down, twice. They were singled out
because they were the children of missionaries who were going in and
expressing the gospel message to Muslim people." Egeler says the school
opens many opportunities to share Christ in the community. "The predominant
part of that community is Muslim. But the high-quality education has moral
fiber. They don't truly understand the Christian philosophy of education,
but they're attracted to that, and enrolled their children. As a result, the
Muslim kids are hearing the gospel message in the context of the school
day." Funding is still needed to repair the damage from the fires. On his
recent trip to Nigeria, Egeler handed the school's administrator $1,000 in
cash to replace the dormitory's metal roof. (Mission Network News)

COOPERATION PROMOTES SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN MYANMAR
"Our political situation is discouraging. Economically we are at the bottom.
Yet transcending this gloom is a spiritual awakening," said Ronnie Tin Maung
Tun, leader of Witnessing for Christ in Myanmar (Burma) and the Evangelical
Christian Fellowship of Myanmar. Tun was speaking at Christian Aid Mission's
Gateways Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, last week. He said the chief
sign of awakening is the new openness among Christian leaders. In the heyday
of foreign missions, denominations carved the country into sections and
would be responsible for evangelizing a certain section while avoiding work
in a neighboring section. Emphasis was on growing one's own work rather than
on cooperative ventures. Today a new generation of leaders is making friends
across denominational and geographical lines. Their evangelical zeal is
prompting them to do things together. They are more interested in networking
than in maintaining their independent works. Recently they conducted a
five-day training seminar for workers. They subsidized the workers'
transportation, fed them, trained them, and sent them back home. Tun said
that 42 organizations and churches are cooperating together in the country.
"It's a new day in Myanmar," he said. (Missions Insider)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 8:15 AM
Subject: [HCJBDaily] 24 November 2003 Update from HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines:

MUSLIM RIOTERS BURN DOWN 13 CHURCHES IN NIGERIA
CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ FACE INCREASING ACTS OF INTIMIDATION, VIOLENCE
SECRET POLICE CLOSE DOWN MOSQUE IN TURKMENISTAN
WORLD VISION TEAM WORKS TO STAMP OUT CHOLERA IN MALAWI

Today's News Stories:

MUSLIM RIOTERS BURN DOWN 13 CHURCHES IN NIGERIA
The evening of Tuesday, Nov. 18, a crowd of Muslims tried to enter a girls'
school in the town of Kazaure in Nigeria's Jigawa state where a pupil had
allegedly "blasphemed" against Islam. When they were prevented from doing so
by police, they rampaged through the town, torching 13 churches, 40
businesses and many Christian homes. Muslim shops were also looted as the
mob grew further out of control. The crowd had gathered outside the school
because they were unhappy with what they considered to be the lack of action
against the pupil. They attempted to gain entry in order to enforce their
own punishment. When police shot a 17-year-old protester in the neck while
trying to protect the school, the crowd turned on local Christians and their
property. Two weeks earlier the 12-year-old Christian student reportedly
responded to taunts from Muslim classmates by insulting the prophet
Mohammed. In other recent incidents, three students were killed in early
November when Muslims stormed a private party in northeastern Nigeria's
Maiduguri University where they suspected of holding a beauty pageant.
Another campus incident occurred at Ahmadu Bello University in the northern
state of Kaduna on Sept. 23 when a female Christian student who had been
engaged in a religious argument was attacked and critically injured.
(Barnabas Fund)

CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ FACE INCREASING ACTS OF INTIMIDATION, VIOLENCE
Life in Iraq is becoming increasingly difficult for the estimated 700,000
Christians. Believers in Mosul in northern Iraq are facing serious acts of
intimidation and violence, reported Zenit. It is believed that at least some
of the violence comes from militant Wahabi Muslims, a strict Islamic sect
centered in Saudi Arabia. On Nov. 11 a bomb made up of a cluster of hand
grenades, was found in front of a Catholic school in Mosul. It was defused
before it could explode, but the school was forced to close for more than a
week. Also last week, the residence of the Syro-Antiochian bishop was shot
at with an assault rifle. Again, no injuries were reported. Threats also
have been posted on a website proclaiming, "The veil should be worn and the
honorable teachings of Islam that have come to us from ages past must be
adhered to. We are Iraqis and Muslims; we will not tolerate sin. If this
announcement is not complied with we shall either inflict some unbearable
punishment, kill offenders, kidnap them or destroy them in their homes with
fire or by bombing." It is unknown whether there is any connection between
these threats/ attacks and the increasing violence against the occupying
forces in Iraq, but these were clearly directed specifically against Iraqi
Christians. (Voice of the Martyrs/Barnabas Fund)

SECRET POLICE CLOSE DOWN MOSQUE IN TURKMENISTAN
Officers from the State Security Ministry in Turkmenistan recently closed
down a Sunni mosque because one of its leaders refused to put a copy of the
Ruhnama on the same stand as the Koran during Friday prayers. The Ruhnama
(Book of the Soul), which officials have likened to the Koran or the Bible,
is President Saparmurat Niyazov's book of spiritual writings and plays a
significant role in his massive cult of personality. It is compulsory
reading for schools and the wider public. All imams in large mosques are
required to put the Ruhnama alongside the Koran during prayers and are
required to incorporate prayers for Niyazov into regular prayers. Sources
say that most imams reluctantly comply for fear of being punished or jailed.
When the leader of the mosque refused to do this, declaring that it would
contradict the teachings of Islam, he was taken in for days of questioning.
Officers banned him from attending the mosque and from holding any position
at any other mosque. They then closed down the mosque and put locks on the
doors. The mosque was respected especially for its education work with
children. Many mosques and churches have been closed by Turkmen authorities
in the past five years. (Forum 18 News Service)

WORLD VISION TEAM WORKS TO STAMP OUT CHOLERA IN MALAWI
Cholera is a deadly disease that frequents dire situations, increasing the
despair of warlike conditions. World Vision Malawi has established a core
research team in an effort to stamp out cholera as a disease kills many
children and the elderly every year in the country. The team plans to
conduct its research in southern Malawi next week. The mobilization comes in
response to news that a cholera epidemic had started with 77 cases and one
death reported in the southern district of Machinga. The research means
local World Vision staff members are going back to basics to find out all
factors about cholera and what teams should do to combat the disease
effectively. They will work with both government and non-governmental
organizations. Through this effort, mission personnel hope to alleviate some
of the physical suffering in the area, ultimately leading to witnessing
opportunities. (Mission Network News)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 252 - Tue 23 Dec 2003

---------------------------
THREATS OF CHRISTMAS TERROR
---------------------------

Christmas 1999: A series of terror attacks planned against
Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land and Amman (Jordan) were
thwarted.

Christmas Eve 2000: At around 9 pm, 18 bombs exploded almost
simultaneously outside churches in seven cities across central
Indonesia, killing 15 people and wounding 96. Another 31 unexploded
bombs were recovered.

Christmas Day 2002: In Pakistan, three girls were killed and 14
believers wounded when two masked men dressed in burkas threw
grenades into a church in the village of Chianwala, 65km northwest
of Lahore. Explosives were also found near a church in the Pakistan
capital of Islamabad.

Christmas 2003 is equally foreboding:

* INDONESIA: a Jakarta police chief has warned that intelligence
information suggests Jakarta could well be the target of a bombing
campaign this Christmas. Police officers will be stationed at more
than 240 churches throughout Jakarta and its suburbs.

* IRAQ: intelligence indicates that Iraq also may experience major
terror attacks over Christmas, although reports admit it is unclear
what the targets might be.

* ITALY: security will be increased at some 8,000 major Christian
sites in Italy, including St Peter's Square, after a warning from
Mossad (Israeli Intelligence Service) that there was a 'high index
of probability' that 'an important symbol of Christianity' would be
the target of a terror attack between Christmas and New Year. The
Via della Conciliazione, the main road leading to St Peter's
Basilica, will be closed every night until 25 December, a
precaution officials say was unprecedented.

* SRI LANKA: the situation in Sri Lanka is extremely tense due to
the death last week of the prominent and much revered Sri Lankan
Buddhist monk Ven. Soma Thero, a champion of Buddhist nationalism.
He was in Russia receiving an award at the time of his death. An
autopsy revealed he suffered a fatal heart attack. However, Sri
Lanka's 'Supreme Council of Monks' has called for his death to be
investigated, saying they suspect foul play. Sri Lankan media have
speculated there is a Christian conspiracy. According to the
Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (EASL), tensions are running so
high that churches across the nation are postponing Christmas
celebrations. Ven. Soma Thero's funeral will take place on 24
December, Christmas Eve. EASL is requesting prayer for the nation.

* USA: security has also been stepped up in USA due to intelligence
indicating that America may be a terror target over Christmas.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT:

* the Holy Spirit will draw the Church into true unity - that we
will be one (John 17:21).

* all Christians worldwide will bring glory to God this Christmas,
through their worship and witness.

* God will expose all wickedness, bring to the light all that is
hidden, frustrate the plans of the wicked and rebuke those who
plot against the Lord and against his people. We pray for divine
protection of believers this Christmas.

'For nothing is impossible with God.' Luke 1:37 - the angel Gabriel
speaking to Mary, foretelling the birth of Jesus and of John the
Baptist.

----------------------

Previous RLPs may be viewed at
http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/
If you downloaded this message from a website or it
was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions
by sending an empty e-mail to <join-rl-***@xc.org>

Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty
Prayer List <rl-***@crossnet.org.au>
----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 248 - Wed 26 Nov 2003

WELCOME to the 97 intercessors who have joined the list this month.

--------------------------------------

DURING NOVEMBER WE HAVE PRAYED ABOUT -

TURKEY: Yakup Cindilli, who was severely beaten for distributing
Christian literature in his Turkish hometown, remains
unconscious in hospital. His doctor said there was 'tiny, daily
improvement'. Please pray for Yakup's recovery and his faith.
Three ultranationalists were arrested for the attack on Yakup.
During the 18 November hearing, some 1000 right-wing
ultranationalists protested outside the courthouse. According to
Turkish media, that social pressure led to the release of one of
the attackers. The next hearing will be on the 17 December. The
Alo Dua prayer hotline, staffed by local Turkish Christians, has
been threatened and warned about greater protests.

Compass Direct reports that the pastor of the Bursa Protestant
Church where Cindilli sometimes worshiped has called for a
special day of prayer and fasting on 17 December. He is urging
fellow Turkish Christians to pray for Cindilli's complete
recovery, and for a just court ruling on his case to send a clear
message that sectarian violence will not be tolerated. Let's pray
in solidarity with our Turkish brothers and sisters. 'My prayer
for all of them is that they will be one.' (Jesus, John 17:21)

INDONESIA - CENTRAL SULAWESI: where the situation remains
volatile. Poso has been placed on 'Alert 1' until the New Year.
Pray that the machinations of those who profit from conflict will
be exposed and that these evil men will be dealt with according
to the law, so that the people of Central Sulawesi can have the
peace they long for.


MORE ISSUES DURING NOVEMBER
---------------------------

CHINA: ZHANG DETAINED AND BEATEN FOR SUBVERSIVE THOUGHT

In RLP 240 we reported the 26 September arrest of Zhang Yi-nan, a
significant Chinese Church historian. In early November, Zhang was
sentenced to two years' laojia - 're-education through labour'.
He is charged with 'subverting the Chinese government and socialist
order' and accused of subversive thought, based on evidence found
in his personal prayer journal. On Monday 12 November, on his first
day in the laojiao camp, Zhang was severely beaten by other inmates
at the behest of prison guards who said this was 'Lesson One'. A
sympathetic prison official told Voice of the Martyrs, 'Zhang Yi-nan
is a strong man, but he was terribly beaten.' Please uphold this
brother in your prayers, praying for his protection and release.
Another prominent House Church Christian, Dr Xu Yong-hai, was
arrested on 9 November. Dr Xu's wife (who was also arrested then
later released) reports that Dr. Xu is accused of espionage
regarding national secrets.

ERITREA: MORE EVANGELICALS ARRESTED

Compass Direct reports that, on 23 November, Eritrean police jailed
Protestant evangelical Pastor Iyob of the Kale Hiwot Church in the
town of Mendefera, along with seven of his church members. Compass
has also confirmed that ten young women from various Pentecostal
churches were also arrested recently. They are incarcerated at
Sawa, a military training camp. Currently at least 334 evangelical
believers are imprisoned for their religious beliefs in nine known
locations across Eritrea. Their suffering is severe as authorities
use isolation and torture to try and coerce them into renouncing
their faith. Pray for their faith to remain strong, for their
release, and for the government to change its policy of
persecution.

IVORY COAST: ON THE VERGE OF CONFLICT

The Ivory Coast rebels were due to start disarming on 1 August.
However, they refused to act until President Gbagbo appointed two
more cabinet minsters. Gbagbo received a list of four names from
Prime Minister Diarra from which he was to choose two. Gbagbo did
that in late September, but then the more militant rebels objected
to his choices. This became their excuse to split from their
colleagues, withdraw from the government of national unity and
resume their threat of war. On 18 November the rebels 'rolled out a
massive display of heavy weapons in Bouake'. If they succeed in
their aims (either militarily or constitutionally), then Ivory
Coast will become majority Muslim and the future for this free and
once prosperous nation will be quite different. Pray that God will
intervene and protect this nation that has been a launching place
for mission in West and North Africa.

PAPUA: ON THE VERGE OF CONFLICT

In recent weeks the Indonesian government has violated Papua's
autonomy by dividing it into three provinces, against the will of
the Papuan people. The two resource-rich provinces will be majority
Muslim. The Papuans have now lost control of two-thirds of their
land, including all its major mineral resources. It is now only a
matter of time before Papua is completely Islamised and dominated
by Javanese Muslims. Even more concerning are reports that the
military are trying to provoke conflict so they can justify a full
scale military assault on the Papuans, close off the land to the
outside world, and take control of it for the purpose of plundering
resources. More than 90% of indigenous Papuans are Christians,
mostly Protestant. Their future is precarious and looking bleak.
Please pray for God's merciful intervention.

NIGERIA: CHURCHES TORCHED IN JIGAWA

About three weeks ago, in the town of Kazaure, Jigawa State, a
Christian girl being taunted by Muslims allegedly responded with
blasphemy against Islam. Angry Muslims confronted the school and
were not satisfied with the school's response. On Tuesday evening
18 November, when the Muslims attempting to invade the school were
repelled by police, they rampaged through the town. Thirteen
churches were torched, with many houses and 54 shops belonging to
Christians attacked and looted. However, there were no deaths.
Surveying the charred remains of his Deeper Life Ministry premises,
Pentecostal pastor Uche Ugiri said, 'There were 12 churches here.
None was spared.' Pray for the Christians of Northern Nigeria and
for wisdom and strength for the federal government of President
Obasanjo (a committed Christian).

SUDAN: PEACE TALKS RESUME SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER

The Sudanese peace talks are set to resume in Kenya on 30 November,
with the expectation of a comprehensive peace deal being reached by
31 December. Pray that nothing will hinder the path to peace.
(Ephesians 6:11,12; Proverbs 21:1)

EGYPT: NO NEWS OF JAILED CHRISTIANS

There is no word on the fate of the imprisoned Christians (see
October Update). Please continue to pray for Egypt's Christians as
Islamic zeal rises and some 1000 Islamic militants recently
released from prison, with social hostility towards Christians also
apparently rising again.

'All power is HIS forever and ever.' 1 Peter 5:11

----------------------------------------------------
Previous RLPs may be viewed at
http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/
If you downloaded this message from a website or it
was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions
by sending an empty e-mail to <join-rl-***@xc.org>

Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty
Prayer List <rl-***@crossnet.org.au>
----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

[Rowland Croucher]

From: "Anglican Communion News Service" <***@anglicancommunion.org>

Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 2:18 AM

Subject: ACNS3697 Address by Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane at an
Interfaith Service on World AIDS Day


ACNS 3697 | SOUTHERN AFRICA | 2 DECEMBER 2003

Address by Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane at an Interfaith Service on World
AIDS Day

[ACNS source: Church of the Province of Southern Africa] Greetings to you
all and thank you for setting aside this time to meet together on World AIDS
Day. To stand together as we honour those living with and dying from AIDS
and to express our ongoing concern about the present situation.

Last Tuesday, November 25th , UNAIDS released its update on the global state
of HIV and AIDS. The report is chilling. It shows that the global epidemic
is showing no signs of abating: 5 million new infections worldwide, an
estimated 40 million plus HIV positive worldwide, 3 million deaths in 2003
alone. One in five southern Africans is HIV positive. In South Africa, the
number of infections has increased by half a million over last year making
for some 4,3 million people living with HIV.

These figures are daunting, indeed chilling. The human cost, the social and
economic impact on nations such as ours is almost impossible to imagine. The
epidemic is particularly devastating, says the report, on women who are more
likely to be infected than men and on young women in the 15-24 age group,
who have an infection rate two and a half times higher than similarly aged
young men.

The report goes on to note that, despite improved political action and
increased spending, improvements are still far too small and slow in coming.
In short, what we are doing is still inadequate.

Increasingly, there is an acknowledgement that the epidemic can not be dealt
with only as a health problem. Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director,
commented in March this year:

"The goal of realizing human rights is fundamental to the global fight
against AIDS. And in a world facing a terrible epidemic - one that has
already spread further, faster and to more devastating effect than any other
in human history - winning the fight against AIDS is a precondition for
achieving rights worth enjoying".

The issue of stigma is directly related to the issue of human rights. Stigma
discriminates, denying as it does: the protection of the dignity of people
living with AIDS; freedom of expression to openly and frankly acknowledge
their status which makes it difficult, if not impossible, for others to want
to know their own status and freedom of movement which in turn impedes
access to education and work.

Stigma is about not acknowledging or respecting the human dignity of each
and every person. It violates the fundamental human rights of people living
with AIDS in a multitude of ways and consequently against society itself. An
injury to one is indeed an injury to all!

As we work as faith-based communities with others to bring all our resources
to bear in this new struggle, we must recognize the need to add our weight
to ensure that basic human rights of people living with AIDS are
safeguarded. We are not here only to pick up the pieces of sick people's
humanity or to bury the dead and look after the countless orphans left
behind, critical as these interventions are.

We are compelled by the great imperative 'to do unto others as we would have
them do unto us'. This is fundamentally about the equal human dignity we all
share and the common human rights that flow out of this. Respect, protection
and the fulfillment of human rights is as central to all the world's great
faiths as it is to the AIDS agenda. Equally therefore, we must ensure that
HIV and AIDS is central to the global human rights as well all our faith's
agenda.

I find it almost impossible to read the Christian Gospel without hearing a
powerful message speak through it into this pandemic. It is essentially a
message which encourages us to live our lives in hope, to work unceasingly
for a better world in the here and now, to realize God's kingdom on earth as
in heaven. Because of this, I am encouraged not to give into despair as I
take cognisance of the UNAIDS report.

For that hope to be realised in the fight against AIDS, we must remain
vigilant and steadfast, increasing our efforts. We must, in the face of the
moralistic denouncing of people living with AIDS, refuse to deny who they
are as human beings with equal rights. We must not, as former President
Mandela reminds us, see them as overpowering numbers.

People living with AIDS are at risk of being swallowed up in the anonymity
of numbers. They are also at great risk of being seen as a burden on
societies, on the economies of already struggling nations. This further adds
to their stigmatisation and forces them out to the fringes of family,
community and national life. There are still people who see them as
'deserving' of their lot, as having brought this situation on themselves.

Even in the Church, there are those who shirk their duty to be compassionate
and hide behind a wall of morality and judgmental attitudes. But we are not
God. Our job is not to judge, lest we ourselves be judged for playing God!
If we are to be like God, then we must learn to love like God and to show
this love in works of mercy and compassion. We must learn to celebrate life
and seek the best possible life for all and especially the oppressed and
poor, the sick, the widowed and the orphaned. We must learn to see the human
face of this disease.

One of the great miracles that is to be found among people living with AIDS,
is their discovery of the deep value of life. There are many such people who
refuse to lay down in defeat or accept the label of 'victim'. They know
themselves to be as deserving of life and human rights as everyone else.
Experiencing life's fragility and knowing anew its value, they have learnt
to value and celebrate this precious gift in all its fullness. Being
HIV-positive does not exclude them from loving relationships, from raising
their children or from playing their role as full and responsible citizens.

It is so very critical that we raise the bar of our own contribution to
include human rights. We can do this by: creating awareness of the social,
theological and technical issues of HIV and AIDS that contribute to
stigmatization through discussions throughout our churches, sermons and
workshops with our communities; participating in advocacy programmes and
adding our contribution to the shaping of government policies on HIV and
AIDS; involving more people living with AIDS in progamme planning,
implementation and management; promoting and upholding especially the rights
of women, youth and children; networking with civil society organizations on
human rights issues; and creating workplace policies in all our places of
work which ensure the rights of all workers who are HIV positive.

One of the great teacher's of the Christian faith many centuries ago spoke
of 'the fantastic sob of recognition' that is evoked when a person
recognizes the divinity that is present in all humanity. If we are to see
the transfiguration of this pandemic from the global picture painted by the
UNAIDS report to one in which the tide is turned, then we must begin with
recognising 'with a fantastic sob' that in all people living with AIDS, we
have a common and shared humanity and destiny given to us by our Creator.
Their loss is ours. Sharing in the battle for human rights for people living
with AIDS holds the promise of a shared victory and a dawn of a world free
from AIDS.

Madiba's concert on Saturday night put the spotlight on this country. That
light must now spread into our hearts and minds, casting out all the dark
shadows of ignorance and denial. It must enlighten the way ahead so that we
may move forward with greater urgency and speed in rolling out the long
awaited national treatment campaign.

My call today is that we make this issue a voting issue. Unless a political
party produces a clear commitment - including business plans and time
frames - to fighting the disease and extending the lives of those who live
with it, it is not deserving of our votes in the 2004 General Election. More
particularly, political parties who want to be viewed by the electorate as
serious contenders, must address the catastrophe of AIDS orphans. They must
put forward a clear policy plan with a clear timeline on how to deal with
these forsaken children. Each and every child in this country has the right
to a secure home, plenty to eat, education and a secure future. I say again
that this must be a voting issue. This nation demands a deep and lasting
commitment to eradicate this pandemic from those who aspire to lead it!

Finally, let this World AIDS Day mark the turning point in our land from
darkness to light and herald the dawn of a new age of compassion and
commitment. Let it be the beginning of a generation free from HIV and AIDS.


___________________________________________________________________
ACNSlist, published by Anglican Communion News Service, London, is
distributed to more than 7,500 journalists and other readers around the
world. For subscription information please go to:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/acnslist.html

[Rowland Croucher]

News headlines for December 29th 2003

Urbana '03 kicks off with a surprise.

USA (MNN) -- The openning kick-off to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's
Urbana '03 was a high energy worship experience. However, shortly
thereafter the 20,000 in attendance received some bad news about the
evening's speaker and Urbana fixture Doctor John Stott. "Doctor Stott is
82 and a few days ago he suffered a minor stroke," says Alex Hill
President of InterVarsity Christians Fellowship. He's okay, but it's a
real disappointment. He has spoken at Urbana more often. He's 82 years
old and a real Lion of God." Hill delivered the news to the largest teen
missions conference is the world, but says Stott is expected to make a
reasonable recovery. Stott's message was delivered by close associate
Doctor Joshua Wathanga, who encouraged students to battle the prevailing
culture of pluralism in order to win others to Christ. Today delegates
will hear teaching on proclaiming Jesus across other cultures and faiths.
Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5510

Indian pastor beaten, but survives

India (MNN) -- Next, Hindu extremists continue their attacks on Christians
in India. One, recently left some questions whether a pastor and church
would survive. The incident took place in the state of Tripura in
northern India. Bibles for the World's Rochunga Pudaite. "We have about
60 missionaries working there. And, one of these missionaries had been
very successful and started building a church with a little over 100 (in)
membership. Non-Christians kept coming and tell him to tear down the
church. And, he told them before you tear down and burn my church you're
going to have to burn me first." Pudaite says they tried to do just that,
beating him severely before an attempt to burn him alive failed. The
pastor is back in the pulpit and Pudaite says what some meant for evil,
God meant it for good. "I think it's going to excite our church and
there's going to be more converts than I can see. I think the more you go
through persecution, the more the church is growing because it brings
commitment."

Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5508

Will Haiti be dedicated to Satan again?

Haiti (MNN) -- With political tensions and violence on the rise in Haiti,
a major celebration is planned. Despite some reports claiming civil war
may be on the country's horizon, Haiti will be celebrating 200 years of
freedom beginning January 1st. However, many Christians are concerned.
Jim Burdick is with the Evangelical Baptist Missions[1] Bill Evans says
they began a world-wide prayer initiative a few months ago. Evans wants
that to continue. "Just ask God to claim Haiti as His own and to begin to
win people back to Him and ask that God would give us that nation for His
glory."

Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5509

Church leaders arrested in China

China (MNN) -- Meanwhile, more arrests have been made by Chinese officials
against leaders of unregistered churches there. According to Voice of
the Martyrs[2] three significant Christian leaders were arrested in
Zhejaing (shjay-JANG) Province for gathering information on the
government's activities. These three leaders are well-known to VOM and
are part of the mission's network or contacts across China. VOM says the
arrests were made in a continuing effort by authorities to crackdown on
the growing house church movement.

Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5506

Herdboys targets of evangelism in Africa

Lesotho (MNN) -- And, Herd boys are the targets of evangelistic outreach
in Africa's Lesotho. Many children spend night and day in the fields
watching the family's herd, keeping them from school. Africa Inland
Mission[3] has started the "Herd boy Evangelism and Literacy Project".
Under the program, school children volunteer to watch the herd, while the
herd boys go to school. In the process they learn to read and write,
while learning about God's love for them. It costs just 40-dollars per
child and funding is needed.

Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5507


[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=EBM
[2] http://www.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=VOM
[3] http://www.gospelcom.net/media/group.php?agencyAb=AIM

Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/

11800+ articles

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 240 - Wed 08 Oct 2003

****** PLAN TO PARTICIPATE IN IDOP: 9/16 NOVEMBER 2003 ******
* The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church *
* For resources and links to national websites - *
* http://www.idop.org *
*************************************************************

CHINA: PRISONERS, CULTS & THE PSB

---------------------------------

Voice of the Martyrs reports that on 26 September, some 20 Public
Security Bureau (PSB) officers arrested Xiao Bi-guang and Zhang Yi-
nan in Ping Ding Shan city, Henan Province. The next Sunday,
Zhang's wife, Ding Guizhen, was arrested at the hospital in Ping
Ding Shan where she is a doctor. She is currently being held at
the Jiang He Chang PSB Office, whilst the whereabouts of the men is
unknown. Zhang is a most significant Chinese church historian and
writer. Xiao, who was in a labour camp from 1994-97 for his
Christian leadership, is a law graduate and has been on the legal
team representing the South China Church. Xiao's wife, Gou Qinghui,
was a theology professor at the Beijing Theological Seminary until
the government expelled her because of her involvement in the house-
church movement. The VOM report with pictures can be found at:
www.persecution.com/news/index.cfm?action=fullstory&newsID=282

The Chinese people have a deep hunger for ideological and spiritual
truths to fill the vacuum left by Communism. Yet repression has
caused a severe shortage of trained Bible teachers and scriptures.
This mix makes for a very vulnerable people. Numerous cults have
sprung up in China, many as offshoots of Christian fellowships. The
cults have charismatic, power-hungry leaders - most are self-
proclaimed prophets and some are even self-proclaimed re-
incarnations of Christ. They focus primarily on eschatology (end
times) and outward displays of emotion and spiritual activity, such
as an obsession with prophecy or exorcism, syncretising nicely with
spiritist Chinese traditional religions.

One such cult named 'Lightening from the East' preys specifically
on evangelical Christians. According to China researcher and author
Tony Lambert, this cult (which Lambert describes as Satanic)
follows a handbook that teaches its members how to infiltrate and
deceive evangelical Christians, identified as those who 'believe in
Jesus, pray to Jesus and thirst after God's revelation. Real
believers, who truly love God.' (see
http://www.nz.omf.org/content.asp?id=12224). Evangelical Chinese
believers have told Compass Direct that cults make false
accusations against them to police, sometimes accompanied with
bribes, in order to provoke a police raid or assault.

In an effort to clean up the police forces' international image,
the Minister for Public Security, Zhou Yongkang, has introduced
regulations for police investigating 'administrative cases' (i.e.,
without criminal charges). They are designed to end police
corruption, brutality and torture. However, there is no system in
place to ensure that the police comply with the new regulations,
applicable from 1 January 2004.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* Xiao Bi-guang (detained) and his wife Gou Qinghui; and Zhang
Yi-nan and his wife Ding Guizhen (both detained); that they will
all be kept safe and that the three who are detained will be
quickly released.

* every believer in China to receive at least a New Testament, and
for China to lift its restrictions on Bibles so that whatever
quantities are needed can be legally printed and distributed
inside the country.

* God to raise up multitudes more evangelical Chinese Bible
teachers and the funds to support them. 'The harvest is so great
but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in charge of
the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his
fields.' Jesus, Luke 10:2.

* God to continue the work begun through the Minister for Public
Security Zhou Yongkang, and bring reform to the Public Security
Bureau. Pray that systems will be put in place to ensure police
respect human rights.

* religious freedom to come to China.

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE:
------------------------------------------------------------

PRISONERS & CULTS IN CHINA

On 26 September, 20 Public Security Bureau officers arrested two
significant Chinese Christian leaders, Xiao Bi-guang (lawyer
working in the defence of the South China Church) and Zhang Yi-nan
(writer and church historian) in Ping Ding Shan city, Henan
Province. Their whereabouts are unknown. Zhang's wife, Ding
Guizhen, a doctor, was arrested the following Sunday. Please pray
for their safety and their immediate release. Evangelical Chinese
believers are also reporting that cults make false accusations
against them to police, sometimes accompanied with bribes, in order
to provoke a police raid or assault. Due to great spiritual hunger
and a desperate shortage of Bible teachers and scriptures, cults
are a real problem in China. They often feed off and prey on the
evangelical house churches. Pray for God to raise up teachers and
provide Bibles.

----------------------------------------------------
Previous RLPs may be viewed at
http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/
If you downloaded this message from a website or it
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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

[Rowland Croucher]

HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE ANGLICAN CHURCH: LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES MAY BOTH
BE WRONG

When a secular newspaper like The (Melbourne) Age publishes news, letters
and opinion pieces most days for two months about a socio-religious matter,
something important is going on.

Take yesterday, for example: Bishop John Shelby Spong tells Barney Zwartz
‘Homosexuality is like being left-handed – it’s not something you choose.
You don’t persecute people because they’re black… or because they’re gay.’
And on the same day, Archbishop Peter Jensen, in his presidential address to
the synod of the diocese of Sydney, is reported to have said ‘Homosexuality
[joins] the list of “other gross public sins” of lying and greed. Certainly
the problem is not homosexuality as such; it is the disregard for the
scriptural teaching on chastity… The reality of the Anglican Communion has
been put to the severest test this year over the blessing of same-sex unions
and the endorsement of unrepentant homosexual ministry.’

The issue of homosexuality and the Church is as big as – and probably more
complex than – any controversy faced by Christians in 2000 years – including
the doctrine of Christ’s two natures, the Protestant Reformation,
race/slavery, ecumenism and the role of women.

Today and tomorrow, in London, 37 Anglican Primates meeting with the
Archbishop of Canterbury (acronymed in the UK as ‘the ABC’), Dr. Rowan
Williams, will need Solomonic wisdom to sort this one out. A ‘strictly
confidential’ three-page memo ‘Notes towards a Handling Strategy on Gay
Issues’ has been leaked to The Daily Telegraph. Author Jeremy Harris - a
former BBC journalist and now the ABC's secretary for public affairs -
outlines how the Church could manipulate the media on this issue: ‘In
addition to attempting to manage the gay issue strategically, there is at
least the challenge . . . of displacing it at least partially from public
and media attention.’ What planet does he live on?

The trigger for the ‘crisis meeting’ was the furore over the appointment of
Dr Jeffrey John, a homosexual, as Bishop of Reading. After threats of schism
and parishes withholding money, Dr John was persuaded to stand down. Bishop
Wallace Benn, president of the powerful Church of England Evangelical
Council, said that if firm action was not taken, the worldwide Church would
come apart, slowly or quickly. (Liberals point out that the Communion
survived similarly apocalyptic rhetoric over the ordination of women).
Bishop Benn said he still hoped Bishop-elect Gene Robinson, Anglicanism's
first openly active homosexual bishop, whose appointment was confirmed by
the American Episcopal Church last month, would step down before his
consecration in New Hampshire in November.

So ‘the ABC’ is between a rock and a hard place, partly because of his known
sympathy for the gay cause. A month ago he disarmed a specially-convened
conference of 2000 Church of England evangelicals by quoting Psalm 71: ‘I am
become as it were a monster unto many.’ Every generation, he said, must
‘listen to God’ anew. The Archbishop of Canterbury has little more than
moral authority, though he can expel a province by declaring that he is no
longer ‘in communion’ with it. Or he could create a parallel
non-geographical jurisdiction for conservatives, into which individual
parishes or dioceses could opt. Or ‘flying bishops’ might minister to
conservative parishes, as they do for those opposed to women priests.

In my role as a counsellor-of-clergy I have spoken to about 18 Australian
Anglican diocesan conferences. Anglicans are sometimes caricatured as
‘Tories at prayer’, an interesting stereotype. They pride themselves
(mostly) on their inclusiveness. They are nothing if not polite. (A 1997
survey of Victorian Baptist Churches found that 34% of them ‘would not
welcome a homosexual person at the [church] door’. That wouldn’t happen in
any Anglican parish I’ve visited).

To complicate matters for the faithful, who are leaving mainline churches in
record numbers, Western countries seem to be moving inexorably towards
legitimizing gay marriages. Belgium, Holland and two Canadian provinces do
it already.

Why is this issue so divisive? Well, the ‘s-e-x’ part of the word is one
reason. But there’s a deeper issue. Liberals (like Bishop Jack Spong and Dr.
Muriel Porter) accuse conservatives of inhabiting ‘simplicity this side of
complexity’. Conservatives (like Sydney’s Archbishop Peter Jensen) believe
liberals wallow uncertainly in ‘complexity the other side of simplicity’.

Spong’s audiences are primarily a theologically literate laity – and also
many thoughtful non-Christians. He translates the work of contemporary
academics into everyday language quite brilliantly. As for leading the
effort to bring gays and lesbians into the church's full sacramental life,
he says ‘I think that's a battle that's won… even though it doesn't feel
like it all the time.’ In the 1994 ‘Koinonia Statement’ (often cited as a
litmus test by evangelicals) Spong - and 88 other bishops - asserted that he
would recognize monogamous homosexual relationships and ordain gays and
lesbians who are ‘wholesome examples.’

Does Spong believe the creeds? Yes, but he says he interprets them through a
post-modern lens. And he believes African (conservative) Christians ‘have
moved out of animism into a very superstitious kind of Christianity. They've
yet to face the intellectual revolution of Copernicus and Einstein that
we've had to face in the developing world; that is just not on their radar
screen.’

Liberals, like Spong, believe homosexuality is not an intrinsically
disordered condition ('against nature'); the Bible has nothing to say about
homosexuality as an orientation; homosexual relationships are OK if they’re
intended to be life-long and characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual
affection, respect and love.

Conservatives affirm the Church’s traditional understanding of human
sexuality: Holy Scripture nowhere condones homosexual practice; a few
passages of Hebrew Scripture and of letters of Paul explicitly forbid
homosexual acts; marriage - the joining together of a man and a woman - is
the only appropriate setting for genital sexual intimacy; the norm for
singleness, as for marriage, is chastity; for ‘singles’ that means
abstinence.

Christian liberals and conservatives are united in proscribing some
expressions of sexuality: promiscuity, prostitution, incest, pornography,
pedophilia, predatory sexual behaviour, and sadomasochism (all of which may
be heterosexual and homosexual), adultery, acts of abusive violence, rape,
and female circumcision.

Is there a way forward? It will not be easy. Certainly, the current
either/or dualism will have to give way to a via media (‘simplicity the
other side of complexity’), as was done with the slavery issue. Anglicans
are better than other churches at this process. Conservatives and liberals
will need to talk much more with each other about how the three ‘canons of
authority’ – Scripture, reason and tradition – relate to one another.
Conservatives complain that liberals are more at home asking questions than
providing answers (and today’s rationality may be tomorrow’s nonsense).
Conservatives remind us that authentic Christianity is about truth, not just
opinions. Sin is more than alienation from oneself and others: it's
rebellion against God. In ethics our aim is not simply to do what is good
but what is right. And although we should encourage scholars to study the
Bible 'critically' we must never forget that (a) our stance is primarily to
be 'under' rather than 'over' the Word, and (b) we do not have a mandate to
destroy the faith of the less theologically-literate.

But liberals make the point that heterosexual conservatives who do little
more than mandate chastity for homosexuals who did not choose that
orientation are not reflecting the love of Christ to those persons.

Conservatives have to face some uncomfortable facts at this point: (1) Of
their three broad categories of sexual ‘sin’ only two are generally
policed – homosexual activity, and heterosexual adultery. But a clear
majority of church members getting married for the first time aren’t virgins
(however you define that!). Why aren’t they ‘disciplined’ more? (My guess:
because they’re our children! This phenomenon has been termed ‘the ostrich
position’). (2) Every Christian denomination has homosexuals among their
clergy: until recently we had a ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. (3) My
Uniting Church friends tell me there are UC presbyteries who have knowingly
ordained openly gay or lesbian ministers, and these clergy have been called
by congregations in full knowledge of what they were doing.

In the meantime it would be unwise to settle these matters legislatively. We
must acknowledge and live with discomfort of our disagreements for a time.
Many argue that heresy is better than schism. Heresies die out, but schisms
last for centuries and centuries.

There’s an interesting story in John chapter 8. The religious police brought
an adulterous woman to Jesus. He said ‘I do not condemn you’ (an astonishing
statement at that time, which perplexed many early Church fathers) before he
said ‘Go and sin no more.’ You’ll meet conservatives who only remember the
last injunction, and liberals who know only those earlier loving words. A
plague on both their houses! In our quest to follow Jesus we should put the
two together – in his order.

~~

Rev. Dr. Rowland Croucher, a Melbourne counsellor and writer, is Director of
John Mark Ministries.

October 15, 2003.

Website: http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm

[Rowland Croucher]

From: <hcjbdaily-***@list.hcjb.org>
To: <***@list.hcjb.org>; <***@list.hcjb.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 4:33 AM
Subject: [HCJBDaily] 16 September 2003 Update From HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's Headlines

INDIA COURT CONVICTS 13 IN MURDER OF MISSIONARY AND HIS SONS
U.S. STORE CHAIN DROPS CHRISTIAN PUBLICATION AFTER MUSLIM COMPLAINS
2nd MAN SENTENCED IN MURDER OF WORKERS AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL IN YEMEN
INDIA PREPARES NATIONAL ANTI-CONVERSION RULE
CIVIL EMERGENCY STATUS LIFTED FROM INDONESIA'S MOLUCCAN ISLANDS

Today's News Stories

INDIA COURT CONVICTS 13 IN MURDER OF MISSIONARY AND HIS SONS
An India court convicted 13 men Monday, Sept. 15, for the 1999 murder of
Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his sons Philip, 10, and
Timothy, 8. The three died when a mob burned their vehicle while they slept
outside a church in Manoharpur, a tribal village in eastern India's Orissa
state. The murder sparked international condemnation and outrage in India
where missionaries have worked for centuries, especially in remote and
tribal areas. "We are 100 percent satisfied. It is the triumph of truth,"
the Associated Press quoted prosecutor Sudhakar Rao as saying after the
verdict was handed down in a tightly guarded and packed courthouse. The
killings were among a series of attacks against missionaries and Christian
institutions blamed on right-wing Hindus who complained that poor Hindus
were being pressured to convert. Judge Mahendranath Patnaik, who conducted
the two year long trial, said he would hand down sentences on Monday, Sept.
22. Dara Singh was accused of leading the mob that set fire to Staines'
vehicle. For nearly a year after the murder, he was on the run, apparently
protected by supporters who sympathized with his campaign against Christians
who make up about 2 percent of the population. Some Christian groups and
human rights organizations said Singh was associated with right-wing Hindu
groups, but a judicial inquiry into the attack found no links between him
and such groups. Those found guilty could receive the death penalty, but
their lawyers said they would appeal to a higher court. Before the slayings,
Staines, along with his wife, Gladys, had spent more than 30 years working
with leprosy patients in Orissa's Baripada district. She remains in India,
continuing the ministry. (Assist News Service)

U.S. STORE CHAIN DROPS CHRISTIAN PUBLICATION AFTER MUSLIM COMPLAINS
A regional Christian publication in Ohio has been dropped by its
distributor, the Marc's Discount Store chain, due to complaints from
Muslims. Connection Magazine, an award-winning member of the Christian
Newspaper Association, recently ran an article about the highly publicized
kidnapping of missionaries Gracia and Martin Burnham by Islamic radicals.
After spending a year in the southern Philippine jungle as a prisoner of Abu
Sayyaf, a Muslim group known for kidnappings, Gracia was rescued, but her
husband was killed in the rescue attempt.
A Muslim worker at Marc's and some customers of the chain complained that
the article in the Christian magazine's September issue was "offensive."
Connection editor Jon Hanna said the magazine had been distributed for five
years without incident. He wonders where such censorship will end. "If
Muslims in America can continue to remove Christian publications from public
distribution, then it won't be long before the Christian media in America
loses its freedom of speech rights," he said. Connection Magazine serves 68
Ohio cities in the Cleveland, Akron and Canton areas. (Agape Press)

2ND MAN SENTENCED IN MURDER OF WORKERS AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL IN YEMEN
An Islamic extremist was sentenced to death Sunday, Sept.14, for
assassinating a politician and coordinating the shootings of three Southern
Baptist hospital workers, reported the Associated Press. Ali al-Jarallah was
convicted for planning the attack on a hospital in Jibla, Yemen, that
resulted in the deaths of three Southern Baptist medical workers. His death
sentence includes his role in the assassination of Yemeni Socialist Party
deputy Secretary-General Jarallah Omar who was shot days prior to the attack
on the hospital. Al-Jarallah is the second person this year to be sentenced
to death for the hospital attack. In July Abed Abdul Razak Kamel was also
sentenced for shooting the three Baptist workers. Hospital Director William
Koehn, physician Martha Myers and purchasing agent Kathleen Gariety were
killed in the incident. A fourth worker, pharmacist Don Caswell, was
wounded. Kamel said he killed the hospital workers in part because he
believed they were proselytizing Muslims. Jibla residents have said the
hospital workers never proselytized - something prohibited by law in Yemen.
Kamel and Al-Jarallah may have ties to al-Qaeda, Yemeni security officials
said. AP also reported that police found audiotapes of Osama bin Laden in
Kamel's house. (Baptist Press/Maranatha Christian Journal/AP)

INDIA PREPARES NATIONAL ANTI-CONVERSION RULE
India's coalition government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP), is about to introduce fresh rules to prevent religious
conversion of Hindus across the nation. The law will come into effect once
published in the official Gazette. Framed by the National Commission for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the rule has no approval from India's
parliament. The BJP (ruling Hindu nationalist party) is vigorously opposing
conversion of Hindus to Christianity or Buddhism. "This rule is not against
conversion. We are just trying to regulate forcible conversion," Bizay
Sonkar Shastri, chairman of India's National Commission for SC/ST, said.
Once implemented, the law will insist that anyone wishing to change religion
apply with an affidavit before the district collector (a chief government
executive) or an equal authority. The official must also provide a written
order granting his permission. If violated, the person could be punished
with a fine equivalent to US$21 per day, from the date on which the
conversion took place until he or she is charged with the offense. In a
country where there are 350 million Dalits (people outside of the caste
system), 260 million of whom fall below the poverty line, the rule demands
aspiring converts to have undergone a secondary education. "This will
effectively deny a large section of the people their right to religious
faith ensured by India's Constitution," said Oliver D'Souza of the All India
Christian Council. He said India's Christians will fight the rule if
implemented. (Compass)

CIVIL EMERGENCY STATUS LIFTED FROM INDONESIA'S MOLUCCAN ISLANDS
People on eastern Indonesia's Moluccan Islands celebrated another step
towards peace as the Indonesian government lifted the civil emergency status
in the region. This status was put in place on June 27, 2002, in response to
a spate of attacks by Laskar Jihad militants and to prevent the influx of
foreign militants. The lifting of the emergency status took place at the
inauguration of the newly elected Governor, Karel Albert Ralahalu, and Vice
Governor M. Abdullah Latuconsina on Sept. 15. The Moluccan conflict, which
began in 1999, left some 10,000 people dead and more than 500,000 displaced.
Many areas remain segregated along religious lines. Under the civil
emergency status, it became virtually impossible for foreigners and
journalists to travel to the Moluccas, but it did allow security officials
to keep a tighter control on people arriving in the region. The improved
security made it possible for local Muslim and Christian leaders to focus on
reconciliation efforts. Jacky Manuputty, director of the Interfaith Council
of the Moluccas, said: "This is the right moment to enjoy freedom from fear
and to establish law and order. It is our opportunity to restore tolerance,
trust and peace and to learn to forgive each other." (Christian Solidarity
Worldwide)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier
Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,800 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

From: "Mission Network News" <mnn-***@mnnonline.org>

News headlines for August 19th 2003
========================================================

(India)--We begin today in Sri Lanka where there's a proposed
anti-conversion bill. A recent court ruling undermines the strength of
the country's constitutional provision for freedom of religion. Similar
bills in India created tensions between Christians and radical Hindus,
leading up to an increase in persecution. However, BCM
International's[1] Afro-Asian Director, Doctor Vararuchi Dalavai
(VAR-ra-ROO-chee DAHL-uh-vye) says this is won't change much.
"Persecution is a common thing in this part of the world, especially in
Asia. So, we don't definitely highlight it unless it's [the reports are]
asked for, because we are born in persecution, we are ministering in
persecution, and the day will come we will go as martyrs in the
persecution. So, we don't highlight it." BCM's President, Doctor Bob
Evans says their recent missionary conference served to encourage the
evangelists. "It's a combination of training--training our pastors in how
to do more effective ministry, but also talking about the real mission of
the church in this century."

(India)--Meanwhile, anti-Christian sentiment rises with the growing Hindu
nationalist movement in northern India. Gospel For Asia's[2] KP Yohanon
describes the obstacles believers face in areas like Himachal Pradesh
State. "Just the other day, what we have is our leader there reporting
that one of our students in our Bible school, went for outreach, and he
was beaten up and abused without any mercy, and they destroyed his tracts,
his booklets, and threatened to kill him if he ever came back to that
place again. This is something that continues to increase and all we can
do is to pray and continue to encourage our brothers which we do. We send
them out saying that 'you know, what Jesus promised is persecution and
opposition. Be courageous and be willing to lay down their life for the
Lord." GFA has established 36 Churches and 80 mission stations in
Himachal Pradesh. Pray for those involved in outreach through this area.


[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=BCM
[2] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=GFA

---------------------------------------------------------------------

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STORIES ABOVE, EMAIL US AT ***@MNNONLINE.ORG
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,600+ articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2003 4:24 AM

* IMPROVING SITUATION IN LIBERIA RENEWS HOPE AS AID SUPPLIES ARRIVE
62 CHRISTIAN STUDENTS IN ERITREA ARRESTED FOR HAVING BIBLES
ANTI-CHRISTIAN FORCES IN INDIA TO DECIDE FATE OF LOCAL CHURCH
12 LAOTIAN CHRISTIANS REMAIN IN PRISON FOR REFUSING TO RENOUNCE FAITH
COURT UPHOLDS LIFE SENTENCES FOR 2 MEN ACCUSED OF BURNING KORAN

Today's News Stories:

* IMPROVING SITUATION IN LIBERIA RENEWS HOPE AS AID SUPPLIES ARRIVE
The situation in the Liberian capital city of Monrovia is finally improving,
said Rick Sacra, associated director for SIM Liberia, in an e-mail report
that arrived today. "Monrovia is at last a basically peaceful city and
people are beginning to move around freely," he said. "The peace process and
the deployment of the ECOMIL (peacekeeping) troops are reported to be moving
on slowly but surely. Displaced people on the eastern side of Monrovia at
the Sports Complex and the Kendeja Culture Center (both sites close to the
ELWA radio campus of SIM/HCJB World Radio) have not yet received any food
distribution," but these are expected to begin next week.

Fuel continues to be a concern in the city with gasoline selling at
"anywhere from $5 to $10 a gallon," Sacra said. However, ELWA was able to
obtain 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel for its generators and vehicles at the
price of US$2.80 earlier this week.

SIM is working to help other ministry partners organize feeding programs for
displaced children in the city. "Unfortunately, there are too many kids for
us to help all of them in our areas, but we want to do what we can," Sacra
reported. "We have received a pledge of assistance from one organization in
the U.S. Programs are getting under way to feed up to 600 children every day
after a program of songs, Bible stories and games. We hope this will allow
some children to experience God's love in a very practical way."

Sacra added that Rev. Do Young Choi, who accompanied him on his trip to
Liberia, has been surveying various displaced centers in the area. Choi,
along with partners in the Evangelical Church Union of Liberia (SIM-related
churches), are assessing needs of the displaced people in Monrovia. SIM
leaders are considering the possibility of mission families returning to
Liberia sometime in the next month. (SIM)

In recent developments, Reuters reported that Moses Blah, Liberia's
caretaker president, will meet with the main backer of his country's biggest
rebel group today when he visits Guinea as part of a regional tour designed
to end 14 years of bloodshed. Blah was due to meet Guinea resident Lansana
Conte, named in a U.N. report as the biggest supporter of Liberians United
for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), the larger of two rebel factions
holding about three-quarters of Liberia. LURD fighters have taken shelter in
Guinean barracks where they were provided with ammunition and weapons, and
Conte's troops have shelled Liberia in the past. There was no official word
on whether Blah, who steps down in October, would raise the issue of
Guinea's support for the rebels during the talks.

Meanwhile, warring factions Thursday named 54-year-old Christian businessman
Gyude Bryant to lead the country's interim government after Blah steps down.
The aim of the new administration to be headed by Bryant -- as chairman
rather than president -- will be to end all violence, disarm wild warrior
bands, get hundreds of thousands of refugees home, and hold elections in
2005. "My top priority will be to heal the pain, the hurt and the wounds
that we have accumulated over the years," Bryant said. He is a key figure in
the Episcopal Church, one of Liberia's main religious denominations. He had
urged Taylor to step down, but at the same time has been critical of the
rebels. "Being a God-fearing person, he will take care of us," said Joseph
Tarplah, a soldier who has not been paid for 15 months in the battle-scarred
capital of Monrovia.

Associated Press also reported that a military plane carrying delegates of
Liberian peace talks collapsed on its wheels and skidded across the tarmac
as it took off from Ghana on Thursday, officials said. No one was hurt.
Airport workers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the plane was
badly overloaded with goods that delegates and others had bought in Ghana.
"We are all fine," said George Doweh, a Liberian journalist who had been
aboard the plane. "There is no serious problem, but there is shock."

Liberia's bloodshed started with a civil war triggered by Liberia's former
president, Charles Taylor, in 1989 and has spread chaos throughout the
region, spilling into Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Guinea.
Liberia has accused Côte d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo of backing a
second rebel faction, known as Model, and Sierra Leone of sending supplies
to LURD. Taylor, now exiled in regional powerhouse Nigeria, also meddled in
wars in neighboring countries.

62 CHRISTIAN STUDENTS IN ERITREA ARRESTED FOR HAVING BIBLES
More than 60 teenage Eritrean students caught with Bibles at a compulsory
military training camp have been arrested and subjected to severe punishment
in the past two days. Documented reports from the tiny East Africa nation
confirm that military commanders at the Sawa Military Training Camp ordered
a search of students' personal effects. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, they
confiscated Bibles from 35 Protestant students, put them under arrest and
subjected them to severe torture. The following day another 27 teenage
believers were incarcerated with them. The youths are reportedly locked in
metal shipping containers with no light, high temperatures and a limited
oxygen supply. This week's arrests bring to 213 the known total of
evangelical Christians known to be jailed for their faith in Eritrea. The 62
teenagers represent most of the country's 12 independent Protestant
denominations which have been refused legal status by the Eritrean
government for the past 15 months and ordered to stop meeting for worship. A
harsh government crackdown on Protestants was launched last February. The
country's independent Pentecostal and charismatic churches now have some
20,000 adherents -- most of them emerging from a mushrooming renewal
movement begun five years ago within the Orthodox Church. (Compass)

ANTI-CHRISTIAN FORCES IN INDIA TO DECIDE FATE OF LOCAL CHURCH
A Gospel for Asia (GFA) church with 51 believers in the village of
Jharkhand, India, is being attacked while anti-Christian leaders meet to
decide its fate. Many in the village have expressed their desire to beat the
local GFA missionary and the new believers, steal their land and other
belongings, and ultimately drive them out of the village. As the village
meeting continues, they are pressuring leaders to inflict maximum harm on
these believers. Village leaders already have made at least one decision --
the Christians must pay a fee to even meet together for church services. GFA
missionaries from other villages have traveled there to encourage the
believers. This persecution follows the conversion to Christianity of three
influential families in the village. (Gospel for Asia)

12 LAOTIAN CHRISTIANS REMAIN IN PRISON FOR REFUSING TO RENOUNCE FAITH
A group of 12 Christians in Laos are being pressured to abandon their faith
while being held in prison. They were part of a group of 21 Christians from
the Bru tribe living in Muang Nong in Savannakhet province of southern Laos.
They were imprisoned in May for refusing to renounce their faith. Nine of
the believers were later released, but the 12 leaders remain in detention.
The district police chief and district administrative head in Muang Nong
said they would be released if they signed affidavits stating they would no
longer follow Christ or worship Him. However, the 12 rejected the proposal
and therefore remain in prison. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

COURT UPHOLDS LIFE SENTENCES FOR 2 MEN ACCUSED OF BURNING KORAN
The High Court in Pakistan has upheld the life sentences of two Christians,
reported the Barnabas Fund, an organization that promotes human rights. The
two men, 45-year-old Amid Masih and 40-year-old Asif Masih, who aren't
related, are imprisoned for allegedly burning the Koran. The men had been
prosecuted under Pakistan's "blasphemy law" for supposedly desecrating the
Islamic book. The men claimed they were framed as many Islamic radicals are
unhappy about the number of Muslims turning to Christ in the region.
(Mission Network News)

Web: http://www.hcjb.org
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,600+ articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 1:22 AM Subject: Press Release Siham
Qandah

MIDDLE EAST CONCERN

PRESS RELEASE - 19 September 2003

A court ordered Siham Qandah on Wednesday September 17 to hand over her
children to her Muslim brother in three days or face 30 days imprisonment.
Mrs. Qandah, a Christian widow in Jordan, and her two children have always
been Christians. This is the latest act in a long running legal battle.

The Civil Court of First Instance in Irbid on Wednesday denied a petition to
postpone the order for her imprisonment, first issued on January 16, 2003,
while a court case in Amman to remove guardianship from the brother is
pending. Instead the judge gave Mrs. Qandah three days to comply with the
order to hand over her children or face imprisonment.

Mrs. Qandah's troubles began in November 1994 when her husband, an army
officer, died leaving her with a daughter and a son, then aged 7 and 5. When
she applied for the army widow's pension she was informed that her husband
had converted to Islam in 1991, a claim she contests.

Under Jordanian law Mrs. Qandah, a Christian, could not inherit from a
Muslim. Therefore the benefit would be paid to her children, legally Muslims
like their father. However, they were minors and so required a Muslim
guardian to administer the money. Mrs. Qandah asked her estranged brother,
who had converted to Islam many years previously, to be the children's
guardian. The brother agreed and was duly appointed in April 1995.
Subsequently he rarely paid the money to the widow, leaving her with no
income to support herself and her children.

In 1998 the brother sought custody of the children on the grounds that,
legally, they were Muslims but the mother continued to raise them as
Christians. In June 2001 the Civil Court in Irbid ruled in the brother's
favor, a decision upheld through two appeals.

International attention to the case in 2002 resulted in Jordanian
intelligence officials reassuring Mrs. Qandah in May and August 2002 that
they would do their best to resolve her situation. Two members of the
Jordanian royal family, Prince Hassan and Prince Merad, later made efforts
to help find a solution for Mrs. Siham and her children.

The brother went to court again seeking that Mrs. Qandah be imprisoned until
she hands over her children. Such an order was granted on 16th January 2003.
An appeal was lodged but later denied.

In March it was discovered that Mrs. Qandah's brother had withdrawn money
from the account held for the children without justification. A court case
was started in Amman to remove custody from the brother on these grounds. A
petition was filed with the Civil Court in Irbid to postpone the order for
her imprisonment while this case is pending. Last Wednesday this petition
was denied.

Mrs. Siham refuses to believe her husband converted to Islam, because he had
never mentioned this to her or anyone else in his family. Also, there is an
irregularity in his conversion document. Dated 29th July 1991, it is signed
by two Muslim witnesses (as required) but not by the husband himself. Where
his signature should be there is merely an 'X' mark. Further, his death
certificate stated that he was Christian and he was buried in a Christian
cemetery, which would not be allowed if he were known to be a Muslim. Even
the Civil Court in its ruling acknowledged "no one was aware of his
conversion to Islam".

MEC is a co-operative effort by concerned Christians in the Middle East
focusing on the need for Middle Eastern authorities to ensure the rights of
all who choose to call themselves Christian
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,800 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

From: "Forum 18" <f18-news-***@forum18.org>
To: <f18news-***@forum18.org>
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 6:55 PM
Subject: F18News: Uzbekistan - Baptists forced to pay for own imprisonment


FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
http://www.forum18.org/

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief

=================================================

Monday 25 August 2003
UZBEKISTAN: BAPTISTS FORCED TO PAY FOR OWN IMPRISONMENT

Judge Bahtierjon Batyrov, who sentenced five Baptist men to ten days'
imprisonment on 16 August for attending a service in a private home in a
village near Namangan, has defended his decision. "It is true that the
courts generally hand down more lenient sentences to such offenders," he
told Forum 18 News Service. "But in our Pap district the number of such
cases has increased lately and for this reason I decided to sentence the
offenders to a harsher punishment." He also fined three Baptist women. He
ordered the men to pay for their own imprisonment.

UZBEKISTAN: BAPTISTS FORCED TO PAY FOR OWN IMPRISONMENT

By Igor Rotar, Forum 18 News Service

Five Baptist men sentenced to ten days' imprisonment on 16 August for
attending a service in a private home have been ordered to pay for their
own detention. The five - E. Kim, S. Stanislavsky, A. Tyan, N. Zuldikarov,
and O. Solijonov - were sentenced under Article 240 of the Criminal Code,
which punishes "breaking the law on religious organisations", according to
a 17 August report from local Baptists reaching Forum 18 News Service. The
judge strongly defended his decision to imprison the five, telling Forum 18
he had to make an example of the Baptists as "illegal" religious activity
in the district was rising.

The five men, together with three Baptist women, were arrested on 15 August
during a service in a home in the village of Khalkabad in the Pap district
of Namangan region, in Uzbekistan's section of the Fergana valley. The 16
August hearing, chaired by the head of the Pap district criminal court
Bahtierjon Batyrov, was held in Uzbek, even though of those accused only
Solijonov understands the language. All five men were sentenced to 10 days'
imprisonment, with each being ordered to pay 816 sums for each day of
detention in temporary cells in Namangan (63 Norwegian kroner, 8 Euros or 8
US dollars for 10 days). The women Baptists, I. Boiko, N. Stanislavskaya
and the owner of the apartment A. Osnovina, were each handed down a fine
under Article 240 of 6,440 sums (51 Norwegian kroner, 6 Euros or 7 US
dollars).

The Khalkabad congregation belongs to the Council of Churches (or
unregistered Baptists), which split from the All-Union Council of Baptists
in 1961, when further state-sponsored controls were introduced by the then
Baptist leadership. It has refused state registration ever since, believing
that such registration leads to unwarranted state interference. According
to one of its pastors in Moscow, it has 3,705 congregations throughout the
former Soviet Union.

Judge Batyrov insisted his decision to fine and imprison the Baptists was
correct. "I have acted strictly in accordance with the law," he told Forum
18 from Pap on 21 August. "The law on religion in Uzbekistan forbids the
activity of unregistered religious organisations. The punishment for this
law-breaking is set out both in the administrative code and the criminal
code."

When Forum 18 commented that Uzbek courts customarily only hand down fines
in such cases without resorting to detention, Batyrov responded: "It is
true that the courts generally hand down more lenient sentences to such
offenders. But in our Pap district the number of such cases has increased
lately and for this reason I decided to sentence the offenders to a harsher
punishment."
(END)

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved.

You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News http://www.forum18.org/
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,700 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

From: <hcjbdaily-***@list.hcjb.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 3:24 AM
Subject: [HCJBDaily] 26 August 2003 Update From HCJB World Radio

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's News Headlines:

CHURCH IN SENEGAL FACES MULTIPLE ATTACKS FROM MUSLIM MOB
CHINESE POLICE RELEASE 3 OF 6 CHRISTIANS ARRESTED AT HOUSE CHURCH
NEW LAWS COULD HAMPER OUTREACH TO BRAZIL'S REMOTE TRIBES
BIBLE SCHOOL IN TURKEY BEGINS ACCREDITATION PROCESS
GOVERNMENT-BACKED COMMISSION TO STUDY INDIA'S CHRISTIAN MINORITY
TAIWAN BAPTISTS AIM TO SEND 200 WHEELCHAIRS TO IRAQ

Today's News Stories:

CHURCH IN SENEGAL FACES MULTIPLE ATTACKS FROM MUSLIM MOB
An Assemblies of God church in Senegal was recently attacked three times in
one week by a mob of young Muslims, causing injuries to several members. The
Barnabas Fund reported that a band was playing in Bethel Church Dakar when
the youths pelted the church with stones. Many of those inside the church
were hurt, and at least two members suffered serious injuries. The building
also sustained extensive damage. Pastor Mignane N'Dour filed a complaint
with local police, but they reportedly did not respond. During a prayer
meeting a few days after the Sunday service, the mob returned and shouted
that they would burn the church down if services continued. The same group
of attackers came back the following Sunday, again while the band was
leading a worship service. Besides destroying some railings surrounding the
church, they youths went inside the building and again threw stones at
parishioners. Three members of the congregation were seriously injured. The
West African nation is 94 percent Muslim while Christians comprise 5 percent
of the population. (Charisma News Service)

CHINESE POLICE RELEASE 3 OF 6 CHRISTIANS ARRESTED AT HOUSE CHURCH
Three Christians who were arrested at an early-morning house church service
on July 13 were released by Chinese authorities last week. Three church
leaders, though, including an 80-year-old man, remain in detention. Xu
Wei-Min and two other men were allowed to leave the hotel where they had
been subject to repeated interrogation. Authorities had been pressuring the
men to register their house churches with the government. They were allowed
to leave after telling authorities that they must consult with their
congregations before making such a decision. Officers told the men they
would be rearrested if their congregations did not register with the
government's Religious Affairs Bureau. Still being held are Shen Shao-Cheng,
Gao Chong-Dao and Xiang Fa. They were transferred to the Kai Yuan Cheng Shi
Hotel after leaks about their arrest reached the international community.
Shen, 80, was one of the founders of the church in that area more than 25
years ago. "This is a time of intense pressure for the unregistered house
churches in China," said Voice of the Martyrs spokesman Todd Nettleton. "The
government is seeking to control the church through fear and intimidation,
but the believers there continue to stand firm in their commitment to
Christ." (Voice of the Martyrs)

NEW LAWS COULD HAMPER OUTREACH TO BRAZIL'S REMOTE TRIBES
New laws in Brazil could have an interesting effect on how evangelists work
in the isolated regions of the country. Global Advance's David Shibley
describes this as a challenge to men such as pastor Nelino who traveled 25
days through the Amazon to attend a "Frontline Shepherds' Conference."
Nelino left the meetings encouraged and with a new vision, Shibley says.
"However, he'll also be facing some protectionist clauses of new laws that
are protecting these tribal groups from any kind of outside incursion. This
is both a plus and a minus, particularly for missions." Nelino's earnest
search for a way to minister in tribal reaches may have led to a solution
that benefits the community as a whole. "Nelino has already committed that
he will help educate the children of these tribal groups," Shibley says.
"This will serve as an entrée to get the gospel to them." (Mission Network
News)

BIBLE SCHOOL IN TURKEY BEGINS ACCREDITATION PROCESS
With the completion of its seventh year of operation, the Tyrannus Bible
School in Selcuk, Turkey, is in the process of seeking accreditation with
the Middle East Association for Theological Education (MEATE). "Another year
has gone past, leaving us with thanksgiving in our hearts to the Lord who
held every thing together and kept His Bible school going for another year,"
said Headmaster Kamil Moussa in an e-mail report. Twelve full-time students
have registered for the fall semester, but with additional students visiting
from churches across Turkey, the student body will reach as high as 20. As
the school seeks accreditation, "activities have now come under scrutiny
with a thrust to improvement," Moussa says. "MEATE accreditation candidacy
and eventual membership will mean that what is claimed to be taught and
practiced at the school is actually being done according to the high
standards set by MEATE. One of the areas which needs improvement is the
school library. The person who has been doing a tremendous work in bringing
the school library up to scratch during the past year has also been training
a national believer who was recently taken on as salaried staff." (Assist
News Service)

GOVERNMENT-BACKED COMMISSION TO STUDY INDIA'S CHRISTIAN MINORITY
A government-backed commission in India is planning to conduct the first
detailed study of the India's Christian minority (2.3 percent of the
country's 1 billion people). "So far there has been no proper study or
documentation about the Christian community," said V.V. Augustine, the
Christian representative on the National Commission for Minorities which is
planning the survey. The commission hopes that the study will "help remove
prejudices and misunderstandings" about the Christian minority and highlight
their contributions to the nation, Augustine told a meeting of more than 100
Christians in New Delhi. But some Christian leaders worry the study will
ignore the difficulties Christians face in India, where religious minorities
have experienced a resurgence of attacks. Others are concerned that the
government-supported commission may act as an advocate for the ruling Hindu
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rather than pressing the government
to address minority concerns. The BJP has been accused of limiting
Christians' religious rights through such legislation as the Anti-Conversion
Law which has been adopted by some states in an apparent effort to limit
Christian evangelical activity. More than 80 percent of India's population
is Hindu while 13 percent is Muslim. Buddhists, Jains and Parsees are among
the country's other religious minorities. (Religion News Service)

TAIWAN BAPTISTS AIM TO SEND 200 WHEELCHAIRS TO IRAQ
In the aftermath of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Taiwan Baptist
Alliance is sponsoring an appeal to send wheelchairs for Iraq's
reconstruction. The appeal, which had its major push in July, aimed to raise
enough money to provide one wheelchair from each of the alliance's 200
member congregations. Rev. Tsai Ling-min, the alliance's general secretary,
said that the project had originally been scheduled for April, but the
situation with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Taiwan put it on
hold. Though churches will provide the funds, the work is being carried out
through the Eden Social Welfare Foundation. By early July enough money had
been received to provide 50 wheelchairs. (Taiwan Church News)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier
Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.
_______________________________________________
HCJBDaily mailing list
***@list.hcjb.org
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,700 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 5:59 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's News Headlines:

ATTACKERS HURL GRENADE AT ARCHBISHOP'S RESIDENCE IN COLOMBIA
INNOCENT PERUVIAN CHRISTIAN RELEASED AFTER 8 YEARS IN PRISON
RELIGIOUS TENSIONS IN INDIA RESULT IN CATALYST FOR CHURCH GROWTH
MISSISSIPPI COURT RULES THAT FETUS HAS 'PERSON' STATUS
FOOD AID SENT TO HELP 18,000 STARVING ETHIOPIAN CHRISTIANS
MINISTRY WORKS TO MAKE IMPACT IN SINGAPORE AS MATERIALISM GROWS

Today's News Stories:

ATTACKERS HURL GRENADE AT ARCHBISHOP'S RESIDENCE IN COLOMBIA
At 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, a fragmentation grenade was thrown at the
residence of Catholic Archbishop Antonio Giraldo Jaramillo in Medellín,
Colombia. The archbishop was not in his residence when two men on a
motorcycle threw the grenade that damaged the parking area and wounded two
policemen. Jaramillo has called for reconciliation and dialogue, saying, "If
someone has something against the church, the best thing would be for us to
meet and talk." Catholic and Protestant churches frequently have been the
target of drug cartels and rebels fighting the government in Colombia. More
than 38 Protestant Christian leaders and other church members in Colombia
have been killed by terrorists this year. (Voice of the Martyrs)

INNOCENT PERUVIAN CHRISTIAN RELEASED AFTER 8 YEARS IN PRISON
A Christian widower has been reunited with his seven children after serving
almost eight years of a 10-year prison sentence. Julian Jorge Godoy, 42,
lived in the small village of Ayacucho in Peru. When Shining Path guerrillas
swept into the area and took control, they appointed Godoy as commissariat,
a position he was forced to accept or be killed along with his wife and
young children. He also had to attend the guerrillas' ideological meetings.
In 1991 Godoy and his family fled to Huamanga. In 1995 a captured Shining
Path terrorist accused him of participating in subversive activities. Godoy
turned himself in to the police, believing that when they heard his story
they would understand. Instead, he was detained for 11 days, tortured and
later sentenced to 10 years in prison. The Peru-based human rights
organization, Paz y Esperanza (Peace and Hope), took up Godoy's case and
petitioned for an emergency release on humanitarian grounds. Godoy was
released this July. In the 1990s ex-president Alberto Fujimori put into
place "emergency" terrorist laws designed to eradicate terrorist groups from
Peru. He implemented a system of arbitrary detainment and "faceless judges."
Thousands of innocent civilians were picked up by the military or police
during this time and unjustly convicted. (Assist News Service)

RELIGIOUS TENSIONS IN INDIA RESULT IN CATALYST FOR CHURCH GROWTH
Authorities in India have stepped up security in most major cities following
the deadly bombings in Bombay on Monday, Aug. 25. John DeVries of Grand
Rapids, Mich.-based Mission India, says the extremist Hindu-Muslim tensions
are building. "Christians are the object of hatred of both of these groups,"
he said. "In a very real way, Christians in India have two terrorist types
coming after them rather than just the one as in some other countries of the
world. But these two groups, the Muslims and the Hindus, are also after each
other." DeVries credits the hostilities and the anti-conversion movement as
the catalyst triggering recent church growth in India. "The persecution is
just like pouring gas on a fire. Where it comes, it makes people seriously
commit to Christ," he said. (Mission Network News)

MISSISSIPPI COURT RULES THAT FETUS HAS 'PERSON' STATUS
Mississippi's highest court has ruled that a fetus is a "person" worthy of
some legal protections under state law. In a ruling that one of the court's
justices criticized as an attack on abortion rights, the Mississippi Supreme
Court ruled Aug. 21 that a Bolivar County, Miss., woman had the right to
pursue a wrongful-death lawsuit on behalf of her unborn child. The fetus was
19 weeks old at the time the woman miscarried. The 6-2 ruling means that,
under Mississippi's wrongful-death statutes, fetuses can be included under
the definition of "person." Tracy Tucker sued a car repossession company, a
credit union and a Cleveland, Miss., doctor and hospital after suffering a
miscarriage in 1997. She alleged that emotional distress brought about by
the repossession of her automobile and misdiagnosis by medical professionals
led to the miscarriage. The ruling allows her to proceed with her lawsuit.
Under Mississippi law, women already had the right to sue for the wrongful
death of babies born prematurely or late-term fetuses that otherwise would
have been expected to live had they been born. However, the new ruling
expands that right to mothers with unborn children that have not reached the
so-called stage of "viability," or ability to live outside the womb.
(Associated Baptist Press/Maranatha Christian News Service)

FOOD AID SENT TO HELP 18,000 STARVING ETHIOPIAN CHRISTIANS
Open Doors with Brother Andrew is delivering food and other supplies in
Ethiopia with the goal of helping 18,000 Christians who are facing severe
hunger. If present trends continue, Ethiopia's food shortage will be worse
than the 1984 famine that killed 2 million people. Recent reports put the
number of Ethiopians in need of food at 13.2 million. Tens of thousands of
children are severely malnourished. Open Doors plans to send three months'
supply of staple grains, wheat, cooking oil and blankets to one of the
famine-stricken regions. Leaders and training students in Open Doors'
long-time partnership of local churches will deliver the supplies to ensure
that the food reaches the hungriest people. "We are boldly moving forward to
help our brothers and sisters by providing food and blankets," says Open
Doors founder Brother Andrew. "We need to meet both the physical and
spiritual needs of these Christians." He adds that evangelical Christians
face "persecution in Ethiopia and all across East Africa. This is why we
boosted our commitments to strengthen them spiritually this year by
providing urgently needed training. We're also providing Bibles,
commentaries, training manuals and other Christian materials. But now we
must do more to help their physical needs as well." (Open Doors)

MINISTRY WORKS TO MAKE IMPACT IN SINGAPORE AS MATERIALISM GROWS
The island nation of Singapore is a well-developed, bustling, economic
success story. Patrick Delaney, a church planter with Baptist World Mission,
said there is much work to be done for Christ. "We started a church, and now
we're in the process of transitioning by training a national whose been
called to the ministry. We're hoping to turn the work over to this person in
about 21/2 years." Delaney describes the ministry's biggest challenge as the
struggle for the heart. He says many are caught in the grip of a vise made
up of religion and wealth. "Those two sides of that vise squeeze the heart
and soul of an individual making that heart less and less open to the truth
and the light of the message of the gospel." (Mission Network News)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
James A. Ferrier
Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,700 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

eni-summary list
Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
29 August 2003


Peru's truth commission praises and criticises role of churches

Lima (ENI). A government-appointed truth and reconciliation
commission, which found that more than 69 000 people had died or
disappeared in Peru between 1980 and 2000, has both praised and
criticised the role of churches during that violent period. The
death toll cited in the report is more than twice original
estimates, based on 17 000 testimonies gathered throughout Peru
seeking to shed light on human rights violations committed after
the Shining Path rebel group launched a national insurgency in
Peru's Andean highland province of Ayacucho in 1980. [590 words,
ENI-03-0453]

Zimbabwe church alliance applauds UN stand on food distribution

Harare (ENI). An alliance of church groups in Zimbabwe has
applauded the stand taken by the United Nations' World Food
Programme to suspend food aid to Zimbabwe if the government
insists on taking over distribution from the donor organizations.
And in an apparent about-turn, the government has verbally agreed
to allow the WFP to continue distributing food aid to needy
communities in Zimbabwe, the UN coordinator in Zimbabwe, Victor
Angelo told the UN Integrated Regional Information Networks. [404
words, ENI-03-0455]

Africa likely to be centre of Christianity says incoming WCC
leader

Geneva (ENI). Africa is likely to be "the centre of Christianity
in terms of numbers" in the 21st century, the newly elected World
Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary the Rev Sam Kobia has
said. Kobia, a Kenyan Methodist will be the first African to head
the 55-year-old ecumenical organization and was elected at the
53rd meeting of the WCC main governing body, its central
committee. [516 words, ENI-03-0456]

US to be focus of World Council of Churches anti-violence
campaign

Geneva (ENI). The United States is to be the focus of an
ecumenical church campaign against violence, the main governing
body of the World Council of Churches has decided. The WCC's
central committee has approved the US as the focus of its Decade
to Overcome Violence campaign for the year 2004. Its choice moves
the focus from war-torn places such as the Middle East (the focus
in 2001) and Sudan (the 2003 focus) to the nation viewed as the
world's only super power. [668 words, ENI-03-0452]

Exhibition aims at healing the 'scars of memory' in Rwanda

Geneva (ENI). Art is a universal language that can inspire people
to overcome the evil of which human beings are capable, says Kofi
Setordji, who has created a striking exhibition dealing with the
genocide in Rwanda that happened almost 10 years ago. In 1994,
Setordji, a sculptor from Ghana, saw television pictures of the
violence in Rwanda in which about 800 000 people lost their lives
in the space of 100 days, as extremists from the ethnic Hutu
majority murdered Tutsis and Hutu moderates. "I was moved as a
human being seeing other human beings being killed," he recalls.
"My goal is to stop the evil." [551 words, ENI-03-0454]

ENI News Highlights contain summaries of ENI articles published
today.
This summary may be copied or re-posted provided the information
printed below is retained.

Individual paragraphs may be reproduced provided ENI is
acknowledged as the source.

For details of subscriptions to the full ENI News Service, which
contains full text articles, contact ENI at the address below.

ENI Online - www.eni.ch


Ecumenical News International
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,700 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
http://www.forum18.org/

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief

=================================================

4 September 2003
AZERBAIJAN: "KGB METHODS" USED TO BREAK UP SUNDAY SCHOOL
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=135
Local police chief Mukhtar Mukhtarov used "Soviet, KGB methods" in breaking
up the Sunday school attached to Baku's Greater Grace Protestant Church on
31 August, one of the church's pastors complained. "Mukhtarov said we do
not have the right to teach kids and convert Azeri children," Pastor Fuad
Tariverdi told Forum 18 News Service. But Mukhtarov rejected any criticism
and blamed the church. "They're acting illegally," he told Forum 18. "There
was nothing bad, but this must be done with the permission of the Committee
for Work with Religious Organisations." The director of the club where the
Sunday school met has told church leaders that he has been threatened that
if he lets them in again he will be imprisoned.
* See full article below. *


1 September 2003
BELARUS: MORE OBSTACLES TO PUBLIC RELIGIOUS EVENTS
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=131
Protestants and other minority faiths could find it even more difficult and
expensive to hold public religious events under the new law on
demonstrations and public events which came into force on 29 August.
President Aleksandr Lukashenko reportedly removed proposed exemptions for
religious events from the text of the new law approved by both houses of
parliament in June. Forum 18 News Service points out that the new law -
which formalises the web of controls that already exist over public
religious events - adds a new twist, allowing religious groups to be
liquidated (and therefore made illegal) if an event they organise causes
any harm to the "public interest", even such as any disruption to public
transport.


3 September 2003
RUSSIA: MOSCOW BAPTIST STREET SERVICE BROKEN UP
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=134
After police broke up an open air Baptist evangelistic service in southern
Moscow, a court ruled on 11 August that the singing and praying "disturbed
public order and the peace of those relaxing nearby". One Baptist was fined
16 US dollars after police claim he swore at them, a charge denied by local
Baptists. "Believers don't swear," Veniamin Khorev told Forum 18 News
Service. He described the breaking up of the service as "part of the normal
life of our church". As the Baptists refuse to register with the
authorities they have no legal status and in practice cannot rent buildings
for worship. Their evangelistic events have been disrupted across Russia
this summer, with books confiscated, tents taken down, six church members
detained for five days and four fined.


2 September 2003
SLOVENIA: HINDUS REGISTERED, BUT OTHERS STILL WAIT
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=133
"We are very happy to get registration, of course," Natasa Sivic, leader of
Slovenia's Hindu community, told Forum 18 News Service. Her community - one
of three religious groups granted registration in August by Drago Cepar,
head of the government's Office for Religious Communities - had been
waiting seventeen months. Among the seven Cepar identified to Forum 18 as
having lodged registration applications is the Christian Outreach Centre in
Ljubljana. "My husband was told at the religious office that they couldn't
accept any new communities because as Slovenia is joining the European
Union all laws need to be changed," co-pastor Carol Vidic told Forum 18.
"That was their excuse."


2 September 2003
TAJIKISTAN: LOUDSPEAKERS BANNED FROM UNREGISTERED MOSQUES
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=132
Unregistered mosques in the capital Dushanbe may no longer broadcast the
call to prayer through loudspeakers, local Muslims told Forum 18 News
Service, but officials denied that any decree had been issued. Shamsuddin
Nuriddinov of the religious affairs department of the city administration
admitted to Forum 18 that the authorities had "requested" the leaders of
unregistered mosques not to use loudspeakers for the call to prayer.
Nuriddinov believes unregistered Muslim places of worship cannot be
regarded as mosques and are operating illegally.


5 September 2003
TRANSDNIESTER: METHODISTS LIVE "TWILIGHT EXISTENCE," LEADER CLAIMS
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=136
The two Methodist congregations in the separatist republic of Transdniester
in eastern Moldova live a twilight existence, their leader reports. "We
can't rent anywhere for services and we can't afford to buy property. We
have to meet semi-legally in private flats," Dmitri Hantil told Forum 18
News Service. He said their local registration applications in 1997 and
again in 2000 had stalled as they refused to pay a bribe of at least 500 US
dollars sought by Pyotr Zalozhkov, the commissioner of religion and cults.
Forum 18 tried to reach Zalozhkov but his phone went unanswered. The
Methodists have also sought registration with the Moldovan authorities - so
far in vain.


1 September 2003
TURKMENISTAN: BAPTISTS TO BE FINED FOR EACH SERVICE
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=130
In the wake of the latest raid on a Baptist Sunday service in Balkanabad on
24 August, police have banned church members from meeting for services and
threatened that if they do so they will be fined for each meeting. In July
and August, all its members had already been fined 48 US dollars each. "The
Baptists refuse to be registered, citing the fact that they are forbidden
from having contact with the secular authorities," Balkanabad's procurator
Berdy Shirjanov told Forum 18 News Service. "The law is the law. We have to
fine the Baptists."


4 September 2003
AZERBAIJAN: "KGB METHODS" USED TO BREAK UP SUNDAY SCHOOL

http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=135
By Felix Corley, Editor, Forum 18 News Service

Pastor Fuad Tariverdi of the Greater Grace Protestant Church in the capital
Baku has accused the local police chief of using "Soviet, KGB methods" in
breaking up the children's Sunday school last Sunday, 31 August.
"Lieutenant-Colonel Mukhtar Mukhtarov said we do not have the right to
teach kids and convert Azeri children," Pastor Tariverdi told Forum 18 News
Service from Baku on 2 September. "He asked us to take the kids back to
their parents." But Lieutenant-Colonel Mukhtarov, chief of police in Baku's
Nasimi district where the church is located, vigorously denied doing
anything wrong and blamed the church. "They're acting illegally," he told
Forum 18 on 4 September.

The raid came as the Sunday school was almost ending. Pastor Tariverdi said
the only children present in a club near the church were the children of
church members. "Actually the parents asked us to take care of their
children while they sit in the church service," he reported. "We even had
written permission from each parent."

He said Mukhtarov had ordered the local police to make sure that the
director of the club where the Sunday school is held "never lets us back in
again". Pastor Tariverdi quoted Mukhtarov as saying that the church and its
members are bad and "should be out of his area".

But Mukhtarov insists all he did was to call the Sunday school leaders to
act in accordance with the law. "There was nothing bad, but this must be
done with the permission of the Committee for Work with Religious
Organisations," he told Forum 18. "They must list all the parameters of
what they are doing, all the subjects they are teaching." He brushed aside
as irrelevant church claims that all the parents had given written
permission for their children to be present.

Mukhtarov then complained that the club where the Sunday school was held
"is not designated for such use". But he denied that he had banned the
Sunday school from meeting again and insisted he was not "against the
church".

Pastor Tariverdi told Forum 18 that the church can no longer use the club,
as the director is now too afraid to lend it. "We met him on Tuesday. He's
been told if he lets us in he'll be imprisoned." The church does not know
where it will take the fifty or so children for the Sunday school from now
on.

Pastor Tariverdi claimed Mukhtarov has been "persecuting our church for
years". "He always sends people to invite our leadership to talk to him and
tries to prove to us that we are wrong, bad, illegal and tries to
intimidate us, using Soviet/KGB ways and mentality," Pastor Tariverdi
maintained. He said Mukhtarov had even turned up at the church one Sunday -
a day when he was not working - and summoned the elders. "The elders have
been summoned four times since January - each time without anything in
writing."

Pastor Tariverdi believes Mukhtarov hates his church and is abusing his
position to push his own private views. "He violates the Constitution of
Azerbaijan and human rights, using his power and putting his personal
dislikes ahead of Azeri law and government policy."

Azerbaijani officials at all levels have obstructed the work of many
minority religious communities, especially Protestant churches which have
many ethnic Azeris as members (see F18News 25 June 2003).

The Greater Grace church was registered with the Justice Ministry in 1993.
It has been seeking re-registration with the Committee for Work with
Religious Organisations for the past two years. "Hopefully we're now at the
last stage of this re-registration process," Pastor Tariverdi declared.
(END)

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved.

You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News http://www.forum18.org/

SUBSCRIBE here:
http://www.forum18.org/Subscribe.php
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,700 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 5:50 AM

A ministry of HCJB World Radio

Today's News Headlines:

INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS WARY DESPITE SENTENCING OF 2 ISLAMIC RADICALS
TURKISH PRIME MINISTER PROMISES EQUAL RIGHTS FOR CHRISTIANS
GERMAN PROTESTANT CHURCHES DENOUNCE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION
ZIMBABWE MUSLIMS TONE DOWN DEMANDS TO SECULARIZE SCHOOLS
LOUDSPEAKERS BANNED FROM UNREGISTERED MOSQUES IN TAJIKISTAN
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH SET FOR NOV. 9

Today's News Stories:

INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS WARY DESPITE SENTENCING OF 2 ISLAMIC RADICALS
Terrorism was dealt a blow with the recent sentencing of two Islamic
radicals in Indonesia, but Christians remain concerned. AMG International's
Paul Jenks says Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri's government
appears ready to crack down on violence, but that's little consolation.
"They're trying to at least give some kind of justice there, yet there are
elements in her own government as well as in the society that would very
much like to see the court of law be thrown out and perhaps even Islamic law
be brought in to replace secular law." Jenks urges believers to pray that
Indonesia's government would stand firm in the face of these threats. "Under
the president's leadership, the churches have been able to exist. If we had
an extreme form of government like in the Middle East, these churches would
be immediately rooted out and destroyed." AMG provides evangelism and
church-planting training in Indonesia. The ministry sends out 25 new pastors
and church planters each year. "Pray for them as many are returning to their
homes where they once were practicing Muslims," Jenks adds. "These believers
are heroes at work for the gospel." (Mission Network News)

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER PROMISES EQUAL RIGHTS FOR CHRISTIANS
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan has promised to grant equal
religious rights to the Christian minority in his country. During a visit to
Germany Wednesday, Sept. 3, Erdogan met with representatives from churches
and human rights organizations in Berlin. One of the participants of the
meeting was Rev. Christian Duncker who formerly led the German-speaking
Protestant church in Istanbul. He said Erdogan promised to "make every
effort to grant Christians the same religious rights as Muslims." The most
urgent need is to secure equal judicial status in order to be able to buy,
build or renovate churches, Duncker said. So far they were not even allowed
to open a bank account. He added that Turkish Christians need theological
training facilities. There has been a growing shortage of clergy as the last
seminaries were closed in 1971. Duncker said that Christianity in Turkey is
"in danger of extinction." Turkey has 66 million citizens, among them
110,000 mostly Orthodox Christians. Members of the small and young
evangelical churches often face discrimination. (IDEA)

GERMAN PROTESTANT CHURCHES DENOUNCE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION
For the first time, the Germany's mainline Protestant Churches have
published a brochure on the persecution of Christians. Protestant leader
Manfred Kock stressed the importance of religious freedom at a press
conference in Hanover, Sept. 4. "Religious liberty is a prerequisite for
individual human rights," he said. "Regretfully, many Christians had to live
in conditions where religious liberties are constantly violated."
Persecution is not limited to Muslim countries, but also countries such as
India, Russia and China, he said. Kock, representing 26.6 million church
members, pointed to the former Soviet Union where Orthodox churches often
claimed predominance or even a monopoly over other religions. "It is
unacceptable that one church should hold a whole country under a lease," he
said. Hermann Groehe, the Christian Democrat's spokesman for human rights,
expressed concerns about the discrimination and persecution of Christians in
Islamic countries such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and the growing Hindu
nationalism in India. Although the situation in China has improved since the
Cultural Revolution, in some regions independent Catholics and Protestants
are still subject to "considerable pressure," Groehe said. Some priests,
evangelists and house church leaders are held in "re-education camps," he
said. Liberals in the German parliament welcomed the church's efforts to
propagate religious freedom. Marita Sehn, spokesperson for church affairs,
said suffering and torture could never be tolerated, and she called on the
German government to "persistently speak out for persecuted Christians."
(IDEA)

ZIMBABWE MUSLIMS TONE DOWN DEMAND TO SECULARIZE SCHOOLS
A Muslim group which issued demands to the government of Zimbabwe to scale
back the Christian emphasis in schools -- with the threat of legal action --
has backed down, reported Barnabas Fund. In a letter received by the
Education Ministry on Aug. 5, the Islamic Convent of the Strict Observance
(ICSO) complained that Zimbabwe's school calendar only made provision for
Christian holidays and that prayers during assembly to the "Christian God"
and Christian religious instruction prejudiced a Muslim's right to freedom
of religious expression. The letter gave the government 60 days to rectify
the situation or else face a Supreme Court challenge. However, on Aug. 13
the ICSO withdrew their demands, acknowledging that they had not canvassed
the prevailing opinion of Muslims in Zimbabwe. The ICSO demand appealed to
liberal ideals as it called for the secularization of schools, but the group
also advocates the strict observance of Islamic religious teachings,
promoting its own Islamic agenda in Zimbabwe's schools. The Muslim community
represents just 1 percent of the country's population. The demands of the
ICSO come at a time when Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been strongly
asserting his influence in Zimbabwe. (Assist News Service)

LOUDSPEAKERS BANNED FROM UNREGISTERED MOSQUES IN TAJIKISTAN
Unregistered mosques in the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe may no longer
broadcast the call to prayer through loudspeakers, local Muslims said.
However, officials denied that any decree had been issued. Shamsuddin
Nuriddinov of the religious affairs department of the city administration
said the authorities had only "requested" the leaders of unregistered
mosques not to use loudspeakers for the call to prayer. Nuriddinov added
that unregistered Muslim places of worship cannot be regarded as mosques and
are operating illegally. (Forum 18 News Service)

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH SET FOR NOV. 9
The 2003 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church will be
observed on Sunday, Nov. 9. Once again, event is expected to unify hundreds
of thousands of believers worldwide in prayer for Christians suffering
persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ. Christians in Crisis, one of
the ministries sponsoring the event, is seeking 500,000 intercessors to pray
daily for the suffering church. To sign up and receive weekly persecution
reports, send an e-mail message to ***@famvid.com. (Prayer for the
Persecuted Church)

James A. Ferrier
HCJB World Radio
Web: http://www.hcjb.org
http://www.beyondthecall.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Editor's Note. Feel free to forward this to any interested friends. Our
lists are distributed for information purposes and to encourage prayer.
HCJB World Radio does not necessarily endorse or support the activities
on which it reports.
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,700 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 236 - Wed 10 Sep 2003

(This bulletin is dedicated to the nation of North Korea in
recognition of her 55th anniversary on Tuesday 9 September.)

---------------------------------
NORTH KOREA: A 55TH BIRTHDAY GIFT
---------------------------------

The Korean Church traces its origins back to 1777, when Korean
Buddhist monks found and studied Chinese-language tracts that had
been written and brought into Korea by the Jesuits in China. The
Korean Catholic Church was born and was self-propagating right from
the start. However, the Catholics were persecuted for refusing to
perform ancestral rites and because they participated in politics.
The 'Sinyu Persecution' of 1801, in which 300 were martyred, was a
watershed moment. Whilst this robbed the church of its founders,
leaders and scholars, it was transformed from a movement of the
elite to an underground church of the people. Persecution continued
in waves. In one such wave in 1866, 8000 Christians were slain.

Korea began engaging with the outside world through the 1880s. The
end of isolation saw the start of Protestant missions. The
missionaries were determined that the Korean Church should be
self-supporting. The result was strong, independent national
churches. Religious Freedom was codified in Korea in 1899. Korea
came under Japanese colonial rule from 1901-45. During those
years of oppression, Christianity (which was banned) became closely
linked to Korean nationalism.

When the Japanese were defeated in 1945, churches that had been
closed quickly re-established and blossomed. However, the country
was divided along the 38th parallel. The Americans took control of
the south and the South Korean Church thrived in freedom. The
Soviets took control of the north and Stalin handpicked Kim Il-sung
to be installed as a Marxist dictator. North Korea declared itself
independent on 9 September 1948. Christians who had not escaped
south during the Korean War (1950-53), and so were north of the
border when it closed in 1953, were martyred or driven into hiding,
whilst their churches were bulldozed. Pyongyang, the North Korean
capital, was once such a place of Christian revival that it had
been nick-named 'The Jerusalem of the East'.

The only religion permitted in North Korea today is the obligatory
idolatrous worship of the late 'Eternal President' Kim Il-sung and
of his son, the 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-il. In North Korea it is
alleged that when Kim was born a double rainbow and a bright star
appeared in the sky. He is also allegedly a great composer, author,
architect, fighter pilot, and sustainer and protector of the people.
He is not to be mocked though. If his security police catch you with
a Bible you will be executed. If you are caught worshipping the one
true God, you and your whole family will be imprisoned as political
prisoners in the gulag of concentration camps. There you will be
starved, beaten and worked to death. The nation, which suffers from
locusts and severe famine, is completely cut off from the outside
world. Whole generations are being raised without hearing the name
of Jesus.

Our birthday gift to you, North Korea, is the promise of our
most passionate and vigilant prayers. We promise to not stop
praying for your freedom until you are free. Then we will pray
for your revival and we will continue to pray until Pyongyang
is once again a city filled with songs to Jesus. (Ps 40:1-3)

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* the remnant Church in North Korea, for those struggling to survive
in concentration camps and for the secret believers who face death
and imprisonment every day simply on account of their faith in and
love for Jesus. May the forever-present Holy Spirit pour physical,
emotional and spiritual strength into their lives and their souls,
and keep them safe.

* the time of the Lord's favour to come.

'He has sent me to proclaim the captives will be released, the blind
will see, the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and
that the time of the Lord's favour has come.' (Prophetic testimony
about Jesus.) Luke 4:18,19 (Isaiah 61:1,2)

~~~~

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE:
------------------------------------------------------------
A 55TH BIRTHDAY GIFT OF PRAYER FOR NORTH KOREA

North Korea was created after the Second World War, when the
Japanese were defeated in Korea and the nation was split between the
Allies along the 38th parallel. The Americans took control of the
south. The Soviets took control of the north and Stalin installed
Kim Il-sung as a Marxist dictator. On 9 September 1948 North Korea
declared independence. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea was
once such a place of Christian revival it had been nick-named 'The
Jerusalem of the East'. Today however, after 55 years of Marxism and
madness, only a remnant Church survives, suffering in concentration
camps and in underground churches. Let us never forget to pray for
them and for their nation.

----------------------------------------------------------

EXTRA PRAYER POINT :

* for an end to LRA terror in Northern Uganda - The Church
Missionary Society (UK) has organised a 'Chain of Prayer' for
Uganda on 14 SEPTEMBER 2003. For more information see
<http://www.cms-uk.org/>. For past Religious Liberty Prayer
bulletins on the conflict in Northern Uganda see
<http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc>.

----------------------------------------------------
Previous RLPs may be viewed at
http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/
If you downloaded this message from a website or it
was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions
by sending an empty e-mail to <join-rl-***@xc.org>

Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to
World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty
Prayer List <rl-***@crossnet.org.au>
----------------------------------------------------

The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this
RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray
specifically and regularly for religious liberty
issues, and in particular to uphold the Church
where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner
of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,700 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad

[Rowland Croucher]

Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 9:34 PM

From: WEA RLC Principal Researcher and Writer, Elizabeth Kendal.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
ALL GIRLS IN KANO STATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO WEAR HIJAB
-------------------------------------------------------------------

KANO UNDER SHEKARAU

Sharia law was officially launched in the northern state of Kano on
21 June 2000. However, the then governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, was
reluctant to enforce sharia in such a cosmopolitan city as Kano
city. His primary interest as governor was rural development and he
was constantly accused by pro-sharia groups of dragging his feet on
the issue of implementation of sharia.

The 19 April 2003 governorship elections resulted in a change of
governor in Kano. Dr. Kwankwaso, who was aligned with Obasanjo's
PDP, was defeated by Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who was aligned to
Muhammadu Buhari's pro-sharia, Islamist ANPP. Shekarau campaigned on
a platform of rigorous sharia enforcement.

Daily Trust of Abuja reported on 20 June that the Kano State House
of Assembly had vowed to "rectify all policies that contradict
Islamic and Hausa cultures, inherited from the former
administration. The House also resolved that only policies which
goes in line with principles of Islam would be promulgated."

ALL GIRLS IN STATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO WEAR HIJAB

The United Nations Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)
reported on 1 September 2003, "Kano state government in northern
Nigeria has made it compulsory for all girls attending schools run
by the state government to wear the hijab Islamic headscarf, whether
or not they are Muslim." (Link 1)

The directive does not apply to private schools or schools run by
the Nigerian Federal Government, but it does apply to all girls of
all religions who attend schools run by the state government.
Considering that the Kano state government has closed virtually all
Kano's Christian schools, Christian families are not going to have
much choice.

(Christian schools are closed in Kano on the grounds that they do
not meet state mandated standards. The education standards however,
include the mandate that all schools (Christian schools included)
must employ Islamic clerics to indoctrinate the children in Islam.
Those schools that refuse are closed.)

According to the IRIN report, "Kano state commissioner for
education, Ishaq Mahmoud Umar, said the order for schoolgirls to
wear the hijab formed part of the state government's efforts to
uphold public morals and ensure 'the teachings of Islam are applied
in each and every aspect of governance'."

The Vanguard of Lagos reported "Northern states chapter of the
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has frowned at attempts by
some of the states to force Christian students to wear the Hijab."
(Link 2)

A CAN communiqué urged governments of northern states to "respect
Christian culture in the interest of peace and harmony". CAN also
expressed disappointment over what it termed "large-scale
discrimination against Northern Christian students in admission
policies of some institutions of higher learning in certain courses
such as medicine and law."

Al-Jazeera added that not only will all girls in public state
schools wear hijab, but all public schools will now have imams to
lead prayers. (al-Jazeera, 30 Aug, Abuja)

- Elizabeth Kendal
rl-***@crossnet.org.au

Links

1) Kano State Directs All School Girls to Wear Muslim Scarf
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)
1 September 2003
http://allafrica.com/stories/200309020503.html

CAN Flays Imposition of Hijjab On Christian Students in Northern
States. By Umar Yusuf. Vanguard (Lagos) 5 September 2003
http://allafrica.com/stories/200309050798.html

============================================
**WEA Religious Liberty News & Analysis**
<Religious-***@xc.org>
============================================

Please feel free to pass this along to others giving attribution to:
"World Evangelical Alliance - Religious Liberty News & Analysis."

To subscribe for Religious Liberty News & Analysis, please send
your request to Elizabeth Kendal <***@alphalink.com.au>.
Please include your name and country or state of residence.

The Religious Liberty News & Analysis mailing list provides reports
on the state of religious liberty and persecution around the world
with those with a special interest in the field. Most members are
involved in church-based religious liberty advocacy, academic
research, missions leadership, creative-access missions, religious
media, or have prayer networks supporting these groups, although
anyone is welcome to join. Postings average one or two per
week. Information shared does not necessarily reflect the opinion
of World Evangelical Alliance, or of the WEA Religious Liberty
Commission.

For more information on the World Evangelical Alliance, please take
a look at our site on the web at <http://www.WorldEvangelical.org>.
For more stories on religious liberty/persecution issues, click on
"Persecuted Church News."

For more about the Religious Liberty Commission of the World
Evangelical Alliance (RLC), see
http://www.WorldEvangelical.org/rlc.html

Advocates International serves as the legal and judicial advisor to
the RLC. Advocates International links many Christian lawyers and
judges around the world and has been involved in religious liberty
issues for many years.
Their website is located at <http://www.advocatesinternational.org>.

For those of you who would like more detailed information on
situations for prayer and intercession, we recommend that you
subscribe to the WEA Religious Liberty Prayer List. Each week a
different nation or situation is highlighted.
To subscribe, send an empty e-mail to <join-rl-***@xc.org> with
any or no subject.
--
Shalom!

Rowland Croucher

http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm/index.htm
(Now 10,800 articles)

The difference between a prejudice and a conviction is that you can explain
a conviction without getting mad