Vatican: Dismisses call for Islamic Europe
While Colonel Gaddafi was in Rome on an official state visit marking the second anniversary of a friendship treaty signed with Italy he said Islam should 'become the religion of all Europe'. The secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Evangelisation, Archbishop Robert Sarah dismissed the comments as a 'non-solicited provocation lacking seriousness. To speak of the European continent converting to Islam makes no sense because it is the people alone who decide consciously to be Christian, Muslim or to follow other religions', he said. True danger for Europeans was relativism, a lack of attention to faith, the weakness of religion and an indifference to the sacred. These are true enemies for our faith which could create a fertile ground for the eventual future penetration of Islam in all of Europe. Pray: for a Christian revival in Europe, enabling Christians to reclaim the years consumed by secularism, mammon and idolatry. (Joel2:25) More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/vatican.dismisses.gaddafis.call.for.europe.to.convert.to.islam/26612.htm
European Christians on the defensive
Netherlands: ‘If it'd said 'Allah Akbar', the council wouldn't have dared to try and remove it,’ says Marianne Bons, a member of the Dutch Reformed Protestant Church talking about a farm roof on which 'Jesus saves' is painted in enormous letters. The council says the text has to go. The farm's owner, a Christian, is refusing to obey. ‘You're allowed to believe in anything in this country, as long as it's nothing to do with Christians or the Church,’ says Ms Bons, describing the Dutch attitude to religion. http://www.rnw.nl/english/video/christians-defensive France: Friday in Paris. A hidden camera shows streets blocked by huge crowds of Muslim worshippers and enforced by a private security force. This is all illegal in France: the public worship, the blocked streets, and the private security. But the police have been ordered not to intervene. The Muslims in the street have been granted unofficial rights that no Christian group is likely to get under France's ‘Laicite', or secularism law. A French citizen watching the Islamization of Paris decided that the world needed to see what was happening. Using a hidden camera he posted videos on YouTube. See link: http://www.youtube.com/user/ciceropicas Pray: that the Church in Europe would speak boldly against these Islamic incursions. (Ps.138:3) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/August/Islamization-of-Paris-a-Warning-to-the-West/
European Christians on the defensive
Netherlands: ‘If it'd said 'Allah Akbar', the council wouldn't have dared to try and remove it,’ says Marianne Bons, a member of the Dutch Reformed Protestant Church talking about a farm roof on which 'Jesus saves' is painted in enormous letters. The council says the text has to go. The farm's owner, a Christian, is refusing to obey. ‘You're allowed to believe in anything in this country, as long as it's nothing to do with Christians or the Church,’ says Ms Bons, describing the Dutch attitude to religion. http://www.rnw.nl/english/video/christians-defensive France: Friday in Paris. A hidden camera shows streets blocked by huge crowds of Muslim worshippers and enforced by a private security force. This is all illegal in France: the public worship, the blocked streets, and the private security. But the police have been ordered not to intervene. The Muslims in the street have been granted unofficial rights that no Christian group is likely to get under France's ‘Laicite', or secularism law. A French citizen watching the Islamization of Paris decided that the world needed to see what was happening. Using a hidden camera he posted videos on YouTube. See link: http://www.youtube.com/user/ciceropicas Pray: that the Church in Europe would speak boldly against these Islamic incursions. (Ps.138:3) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/August/Islamization-of-Paris-a-Warning-to-the-West/
Middle East: Peace talks begin in Washington
The Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Binyamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas, began direct talks in Washington Thursday as Hamas pledged to scupper attempts to bring about peace after its second attack on Israelis in two days. Barack Obama described it as a ‘moment of opportunity that may not soon come again’.Netanyahu said the killing of four Israelis settlers by Hamas on Tuesday reinforced Israel's determination to ensure its security is at the forefront of the negotiations. Abbas said, ‘We want peace, we want normal life. We want to live as partners and neighbours.’ Obama said ‘terrorists who want to undermine the push for peace would not be allowed to weaken negotiations and harboured no illusions as to the challenges for a lasting settlement. Each side has legitimate and enduring interests. Years of mistrust will not disappear overnight. Politicians need to focus on the human face of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict not their own political agendas. Pray: God will release a spirit of optimism and trust to permeate all communications and for this to be a ‘partnership that produces peace’ (Ja.3:18) More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/02/middle-east-peace-talks-begin
