Britain is no longer a free society
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali has warned that Britain is no longer a free society where conscience is respected. Speaking at the Christian Broadcasting Council’s annual conference, the bishop warned that ‘encroaching totalitarianism’ was threatening respect for conscience. ‘What we are facing is not a free society, but an ideology that is seeking to impose its views on us,’ he said. The bishop said that the secular worldview was undermining absolute respect for human life and amounted to an attack on the unborn child, the ill, the disabled, the elderly and the family. He said that respect for the unborn child had been eroded by the ‘demands of science’ and ‘huge commercial interests’, as well as a ‘relativistic’ worldview that cannot explain the dignity of the human person. ‘If you can dispense with a person at the earliest stage of life why not do it at the later stages. Or in between?’ he said. Pray: that the secular worldview and its ideology would not be imposed upon our society. (Job.27:6) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/britain.is.no.longer.a.free.society.says.bishop.nazirali/27732.htm
Launch of equalities and conscience petition
The recent judgment in the case of Owen and Eunice Johns provoked huge national interest and wide scale media coverage. The Judgment highlighted once again the difficulties that Christians can encounter when attempting to participate in some parts of public life without compromising their beliefs. The Johns, along with Christian Concern, have launched a major new petition, calling on the Prime Minister to respect Christian conscience and take urgent action to address the problems created by equalities legislation. You can read and sign the petition here. You can download the petition forms here. Please forward the petition to your friends and colleagues, and download the forms to gather signatures locally. Pray:that this petition and other submissions to the Government will encourage them to review and amend recent legislation. (Isa.10:1) More:http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/social/launch-of-equalities-and-conscience-petition
Survey claims RE boosts faith tolerance
Nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of the British public believe if a child is taught Religious Education (RE) at school, then they are more likely to be tolerant towards other faiths and cultures as an adult. The ComRes poll of 2,000 adults also found that 72 per cent agree that RE is an important means through which children learn about other people's faiths and ways of life, and 73 per cent believe it is important for young people to learn about a range of religious beliefs other than their own while at school. Chief executive, Baptist minister the Revd Peter Kerridge, said 'This poll clearly reveals that British public are overwhelming in favour of religious education in schools, and understand the benefits the subject can for young people growing up in today's modern, multicultural Britain. 'What is so surprising is the unity across all faiths on this issue. Pray: for the Government to recognise the place of R.E. in the school curriculum. (Ex.18:20)
One in four pupils admit swapping porn images
A disturbing number of children - some as young as 11 - are taking pornographic images of themselves and swapping them with friends via text messages or the internet, experts warn. A survey reveals that 40 per cent of 11- to 14-year-olds have used their mobile phones or computer to send pictures of themselves or receive naked or topless images of friends. And more than half of youngsters who sent these images - a trend known as ‘sexting’ - did so knowing the pictures would be passed on to a number of recipients. And four in ten of the 11,000 children surveyed thought it was ‘appropriate’ to circulate pictures of topless girls in their school. Experts said the findings showed a significant shift from children viewing internet pornography - to creating it themselves. The shocking trend has been blamed on the volume of internet pornography seen by boys who, as a result, expect girlfriends to be promiscuous and flaunt their bodies. Pray: against this trend of ‘sexting’ amongst the young and pray that ways would be found to control this and other forms of pornography. (Tit.2:1)
