Religious News from around the World
Christianity Recognized in Province of Laos
[Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:02:00 -0600]
After years of struggle, Christians in the Attapeu Province of southern Laos rejoiced as the government officially recognized Christianity as a legitimate religion, Missions Insider reported. Only five years ago, persecution was severe. At the beginning of 2002, 73 people professed faith in Christ. But by the end of the year, after heavy persecution, only 30 believers remained steadfast.
This year, however, local authorities recognized Christianity in Attapeu. For the first time, Christians are able to legally worship together in churches. With the freedom to assemble and openly share the gospel, believers are optimistic that the number of Christians in Attapeu will increase.
Freedom of Religion at Risk in Japan
[Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:27:50 -0700]
Despite a constitution that guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the Japan Supreme Court is set to rule against public school teachers, some of them Christians, who were disciplined or removed from their posts because they refused to sing the national anthem, which praises the emperor as a deity.
Two lower courts already have ruled regarding the more than 200 teachers, and the Supreme Court has said it will hand down a ruling on February 27 without even hearing the case.
We wrote in our prayer letter last month that our son, Josiah, who attends first grade in Japan, has been feeling pressure to sing the anthem, since the Ministry of Education has begun forcing the singing of the anthem by school students. Thankfully, thus far Josiah’s teacher has not insisted that he sing it.
Persecution in Japan is not as severe as in many countries of the world, but it seems to be quickly heading in a bad direction. Please pray for Christians who must choose between their job and their Savior and for the children of believers who are being forced to participate in this and other Shinto-related activities in school.
As always, thank you for your prayers.
—David and Evangeline Kindervater, Alliance missionaries to Japan
Winning Super Bowl Coach Proud to Be a Christian
[Mon, 5 Feb 2007 15:57:20 -0700]
Merely by stepping onto the field Sunday, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith made history as the first black coaches in the Super Bowl. A few hours later, Dungy’s team won the Super Bowl when the Indianapolis Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29–17. While the media focused primarily on his distinction as the first African-American to coach his team to the championship, Dungy took the opportunity to affirm his faith in Christ. “I’m proud to be the first African-American coach to win this,” he said. “But again, more than anything, [Bears] coach Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord’s way. We’re more proud of that.”
From: the bellevillesnewsdemocract.com and frc.org.
“Rocky” Opens to Overwhelming Response from Church Leaders
[Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:38:11 -0700]
Excerpted from Religion News Service
In a movie that some are calling a powerful allegory of faith, Sylvester Stallone returns as Rocky Balboa for the sixth and final episode of the “Rocky” series, telling the uncompromising story of victory and “fighting the good fight.” The wholesome, family-friendly film (rated PG) was released December 21 in theaters nationwide. “As someone who [did] not expect ‘Rocky Balboa’ to be heralded as a Christian film, I have to confess I was won over by the real-life story of redemption I heard,” said Stuart Shepard, managing editor of Focus on the Family’s Citizenlink.com
Like its predecessors, “Rocky Balboa” is a story of impossible odds, self sacrifice, integrity and hard work as the [title character] fights to let go of the past and believe in those who believe in him. Although Hollywood has recently taken note of values-based films that include elements of faith, the 30-year-old “Rocky” story displayed these concepts long before the media was paying attention. Today, Stallone brings back what has long been there in the heart of Rocky. "This one will hopefully bring forward Rocky’s more spiritual side,” Stallone says. “I really love this character, he’s a part of me, and I’m longing to bring him back.”
With faith and values being a rarity in Hollywood’s action films, “Rocky Balboa” breaks the mold as an inspirational, family-friendly experience that depicts a man who honorably answers the call on his life. As the retired Rocky returns to the ring with “something left to give” despite his aging body, [viewers] are urged to find the courage to fight [their] own personal struggles through perseverance, support and prayer.
Motive Entertainment, which has spearheaded the most significant faith-based marketing initiatives for Hollywood blockbusters, including “The Passion” and “The Chronicles of Narnia,” has turned its attention to “Rocky.” “As longstanding ‘Rocky’ fans, we thought it would be great to put together a selection of resources that faith and family leaders can use as preaching and teaching tools,” said Paul Lauer, president of Motive Entertainment. “‘Rocky Balboa’ is a beautiful film—one that all ‘Rocky’ fans should see, especially people of faith, because it’s a powerful parable of our spiritual lives—our victories, our falls and the importance of getting back up and persevering to the end.”
www.rockyresources.com
Amish Community of Nickel Mines Honored as Most Inspiring People of the Year
[Fri, 15 Dec 2006 10:24:30 -0700]
Beliefnet.com, an online community for inspiration and spirituality, named the Amish of Nickel Mines as the Most Inspiring People of the Year 2006. Traditionally, this honor is bestowed upon one person who is deemed by Beliefnet readers and editors to have risen above expectations, countered stereotypes and demonstrated courage, forgiveness, self-sacrifice and love under challenging circumstances. This year’s acknowledgement goes to the entire Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, for their remarkable spirit of forgiveness in response to the murder of five young girls this past October.
“The Amish showed superhuman qualities of forgiveness,” said Steven Waldman, editor-in-chief of Beliefnet.com. “We all watched what they did and thought, ‘Wow—I doubt I would have the strength to practice such radical forgiveness. They taught [us] how to live our faith and values in a vivid way.”
This is the seventh year that Beliefnet has honored the Most Inspiring Person. To assemble this year’s contenders, editors conducted a year-long search for 12 extraordinary candidates who were nominated for the honor. The three finalists were the Amish of Nickel Mines; Immaculee Ilibagiza, author of Left to Tell, who, after spending three months in hiding, discovered her parents, grandparents and three brothers had been murdered in the Rwandan genocide and forgave the murderers; and Lance Corporal Todd Corbin, a U.S. Marine fighting in Iraq, whose bravery, selflessness and extraordinary grace under pressure saved the lives of many men in his unit as he single-handedly carried them off the battlefield under heavy fire into safety.
A Mandate for Marriage
[Thu, 9 Nov 2006 13:30:03 -0700]
“In the election aftermath, one thing is clear: the mandate for marriage continues,” said Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. On Election Day seven states passed amendments that define marriage as a union of one man and one woman. In Tennessee, voters approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage by nearly 1 million votes. Only in Arizona did voters narrowly defeat the marriage protection amendment.
Ted Haggard's Statement to New Life Church
[Mon, 6 Nov 2006 09:18:28 -0700]
My Dear New Life Church Family,
I am so sorry. I am sorry for the disappointment, the betrayal, and the hurt. I am sorry for the horrible example I have set for you.
I have an overwhelming, all-consuming sadness in my heart for the pain that you and I and my family have experienced over the past few days. I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment to all of you.
I asked that this note be read to you this morning so I could clarify my heart's condition to you. The last four days have been so difficult for me, my family and all of you, and I have further confused the situation with some of the things I've said during interviews with reporters who would catch me coming or going from my home. But I alone am responsible for the confusion caused by my inconsistent statements. The fact is, I am guilty of sexual immorality, and I take responsibility for the entire problem.
I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I’ve been warring against it all of my adult life. For extended periods of time, I would enjoy victory and rejoice in freedom. Then, from time to time, the dirt that I thought was gone would resurface, and I would find myself thinking thoughts and experiencing desires that were contrary to everything I believe and teach. Through the years, I’ve sought assistance in a variety of ways, with none of them proving to be effective in me. Then, because of pride, I began deceiving those I love the most because I didn’t want to hurt or disappoint them.
The public person I was wasn’t a lie; it was just incomplete. When I stopped communicating about my problems, the darkness increased and finally dominated me. As a result, I did things that were contrary to everything I believe. The accusations that have been leveled against me are not all true, but enough of them are true that I have been appropriately and lovingly removed from ministry. Our church's overseers have required me to submit to the oversight of Dr. James Dobson, Pastor Jack Hayford, and Pastor Tommy Barnett. Those men will perform a thorough analysis of my mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical life. They will guide me through a program with the goal of healing and restoration for my life, my marriage, and my family.
I created this entire situation. The things that I did opened the door for additional allegations. But I am responsible; I alone need to be disciplined and corrected. An example must be set.
It is important that you know how much I love and appreciate my wife, Gayle. What I did should never reflect in a negative way on her relationship with me. She has been and continues to be incredible. The problem was not with her, my children, or any of you. It was created 100% by me.
I have been permanently removed from the office of Senior Pastor of New Life Church.
Until a new senior pastor is chosen, our Associate Senior Pastor, Ross Parsley, will assume all of the responsibilities of the office. On the day he accepted this new role, he and his wife, Aimee, had a new baby boy. A new life in the midst of this circumstance—I consider that confluence of events to be prophetic. Please commit to join with Pastor Ross and the others in church leadership to make their service to you easy and without burden. They are fine leaders. You are blessed.
I appreciate your loving and forgiving nature, and I humbly ask you to do a few things:
- Please stay faithful to God through service and giving.
- Please forgive me. I am so embarrassed and ashamed. I caused this and I have no excuse. I am a sinner. I have fallen. I desperately need to be forgiven and healed.
- Please forgive my accuser. He is revealing the deception and sensuality that was in my life. Those sins, and others, need to be dealt with harshly. So, forgive him and, actually, thank God for him. I am trusting that his actions will make me, my wife and family, and ultimately all of you, stronger. He didn’t violate you; I did.
- Please stay faithful to each other. Perform your functions well. Encourage each other and rejoice in God’s faithfulness. Our church body is a beautiful body, and like every family, our strength is tested and proven in the midst of adversity.
Because of the negative publicity I’ve created with my foolishness, we can now demonstrate to the world how our sick and wounded can be healed, and how even disappointed and betrayed church bodies can prosper and rejoice. Gayle and I need to be gone for a while. We will never return to a leadership role at New Life Church. In our hearts, we will always be members of this body. We love you as our family. I know this situation will put you to the test. I’m sorry I’ve created the test, but please rise to this challenge and demonstrate the incredible grace that is available to all of us.
—Ted Haggard
"Facing the Giants"
[Wed, 11 Oct 2006 07:34:15 -0600]
The inspirational movie "Facing the Giants" enjoyed an impressive weekend at the box office after its recent release. Made on a shoestring budget of $100,000 by a group of churchgoers with no film experience, "Giants" grossed $2.7 million in 10 days and is "showing no signs of slowing down," according to Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. The film, about a high school football team that turns to God for encouragement, was written by an associate pastor and originally financed by the Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. The film’s Christian themes earned it a PG rating from the Motion Picture Association because it was considered "too evangelistic."
Victory for California Families
[Fri, 29 Sep 2006 11:49:56 -0600]
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed two bills—AB 606 and AB 1056—that would have required the State Board of Education to implement “tolerance training for students.” In early September, the governor vetoed SB 1437, which sought to require all textbooks used in California’s public schools to extol the “contributions of gay, lesbian and trans-gendered people, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.”
The Capitol Research Institute (CRI) is calling the vetoes “a victory for California families.” Karen England, head of CRI, said, “This proves that when citizens who care about protecting their religious and moral beliefs speak out, we can make a huge difference.” According to World Net Daily, AB 1056 would have forced students in public schools not only to tolerate homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism but to endorse them.
Source: A. Urti, www.reclaimamerica.org
The Heroes of Flight 93
[Tue, 12 Sep 2006 13:56:45 -0600]
A new documentary by Grizzly Adams Productions examines the faith and heroism of the men and women aboard United Airlines Flight 93, who are believed to have overpowered the hijackers and forced the plane to crash into the Pennsylvania countryside. After years of painstaking investigation, “Portrait of Courage: The Untold Story of Flight 93” reveals the story of Flight 93, one of four commercial aircraft hijacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001. Approximately 160 minutes, the DVD includes bonus features, such as a segment on helping children come to terms with tragedy and interviews with family and friends of those who perished aboard the plane. The documentary has been reviewed in Focus on the Family’s Citizen Link; see www.family.org.
Jew, Muslim Urge Church Intervention in Mid-East Conflict
[Wed, 2 Aug 2006 10:37:36 -0600]
In a recent PBS Religion and Ethics program, Jewish professor Dr. Peter Ochs and Muslim professor Dr. Mehdi Aminrazavi told host Bob Abernethy that they believe the Christian Church “can play a major role” in resolving the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Dr. Ochs, a professor of Judaic study at the University of Virginia and Dr. Aminrazavi, a professor of philosophy and religion at the University of Mary Washington, serve together in a group seeking to improve Jewish-Muslim relations.
According to both men, there is a need for third-party intervention in the Middle East conflict. “I think the Christian Church can play a major, major role as opposed to taking sides,” said Aminrazavi. Ochs said, “I agree fully. The Church . . . can help Muslims and Jews return to the God they share.” For a transcript of the program, go to www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics.
Judges in Washington State Rule in Favor of Traditional Marriage
[Wed, 2 Aug 2006 07:55:28 -0600]
The Supreme Court of Washington in a 5נ decision upheld that state’s Defense of Marriage Act, which bans homosexual marriages. Justice Barbara A. Madsen, writing for Chief Justice Gerry L. Alexander and Charles W. Johnson said, “The solid body of constitutional law disfavors the conclusion that there is a right to marry a person of the same sex. Same-sex marriage may be the law at a future time, but it will be because the people declare it to be, not because five members of this court have dictated it.” In the past month, judges in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Georgia, Nebraska and Tennessee have upheld state laws prohibiting homosexual marriages.
“Separation of powers is a fundamental constitutional principle,” said Washington justices James M. Johnson and Richard B. Sanders. “Our oath requires us to uphold the Constitution and laws, not rewrite them.”
Bush Vetoes Bill to Fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research
[Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:57:28 -0600]
After the Senate passed a bill to increase taxpayer funding for human embryonic stem cell research, the president was quick to take action. The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act was a direct challenge to President Bush's policy on embryonic stem cells, set in August 2001, which provides no federal funding for further destruction of human embryos for such research. It passed on Tuesday, July 18; President Bush vetoed it on Wednesday.
As Bush announced this first-ever use of his presidential veto power, he was surrounded by families who have adopted "leftover" embryos—the type of embryos this bill advocated destroying at taxpayer expense. "This bill would support the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding medical benefits for others," said the president. "Each of these children was adopted while still an embryo and has been blessed with a chance to grow up in a loving family. These boys and girls are not spare parts. They remind us of what is lost when embryos are destroyed in the name of research. And they remind us that in our zeal for new treatments and cures, America must never abandon our fundamental morals.
"America was founded on the principle that we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with the right to life. We can advance the cause of science while upholding this founding promise. We can harness the promise of technology without becoming slaves to technology. And we can ensure that science serves the cause of humanity, instead of the other way around."
The House was unable to override the President's veto on Wednesday, failing to reach the required two-thirds majority vote.
Presbyterian Church (USA) Backs Legal Access to Medical Marijuana
[Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:41:17 -0600]
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) became the latest religious body to endorse legal access to medical marijuana for seriously ill patients. By consensus, the denomination passed a resolution “urging federal legislation that allows for its use and that provides for the production and distribution of the plant for those purposes.” Medical marijuana patients already are protected from arrest by state and local police in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) joins the United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, Union for Reform Judaism, Progressive National Baptist Convention and the Unitarian Universalist Association in support of decriminalizing medical marijuana. “[This] is an issue of mercy,” said Rev. Lynn Bledsoe, a Presbyterian minister and a hospice chaplain. “As people of faith, we are called to stand up for humans who are suffering needlessly. It is unconscionable that seriously ill patients can be arrested for making an earnest attempt at healing by using medical marijuana with their doctors’ approval.”
Churches Gear Up to Pray for Iran
[Thu, 25 May 2006 14:29:11 -0600]
More than 120 Iranian church leaders have pledged to 40 days of prayer and fasting for the salvation of Iran, ASSIST News reports. The campaign began on Ascension Day, May 25. According to Sam Yeghnazar, executive director of Elam Ministries, participants will fast for varying lengths of time and at different periods. "Iranian Christians have issued a call to the global Church to join in praying for the strategic country of Iran,” says Yeghnazar. “Together they are working to see that millions of Christians around the world will join this campaign. Many church leaders and prayer groups [worldwide] have already begun to put their weight behind this campaign."
In answer to the question, "Why pray and fast for Iran?" Yeghnazar replies: "Because critical times demand dramatic action. These days [Iran] is at the center of a global crisis that could easily lead to war, deep political turmoil and economic chaos. We need to fall on our knees and pray that God, in His mercy, will intervene."
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