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An aid minister has accused the EU of squandering hundreds of millions of pounds of British taxpayers’ cash on countries that are too wealthy to need help. Alan Duncan said that while he shared the public’s anger over the massive spending, the UK was being ‘forced’ to hand over huge amounts of money – but then has no say over how it is spent. One sixth of Britain’s aid budget – some £1.4billion – goes straight into EU coffers. Much is spent in relatively rich nations such as Barbados, Iceland, China and Brazil; which the UK refuses to fund directly. Some £800,000 of the EU aid budget is going on a water park and tourist complex being built in Morocco by the French owners of Center Parcs. The cash is being spent to ensure L’Oasis de Noria, on the outskirts of Marrakesh, is ‘environmentally friendly’.
Pray: for action to ensure our aid budget directly helps the truly needy and vulnerable around the world. (1Jn.3:17-18)
More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210751/EU-squanders-aid-millions-says-minister--years.html
Internet pornography is “warping” children’s understanding of sex and leading them to mimic “aggressive, harmful and dangerous” behaviour, Esther Rantzen has warned. Miss Rantzen, the founder of ChildLine, says the number of youngsters ringing the helpline who have “been deeply alarmed by watching pornography has shot up by 34 per cent in the past year”. She said: “We received 641 calls from children who had been exposed to sexually indecent material — more than 50 a month. The stuff our callers see is horrifying, and has stayed in their memories, haunting and frightening them”, the former That’s Life presenter added. The stark warning comes amidst a Government consultation on protecting children online. Miss Rantzen backs an ‘opt-in’ system which would automatically block adult content. Those who wanted to view such materials would be required to contact their Internet service provider.
Pray: for much tighter regulation of the way that such materials can be accessed. (Ro.12:2)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/esther-rantzen-kids-are-haunted-by-internet-porn/
Essex parishioners without a vicar for 16 months have taken to YouTube in the hope of filling the vacancy. The villages of Woodham Ferrers and Bicknacre have had no vicar since the Rev Mary Cottee retired in June 2011. After receiving no interest in the post, parishioners made their own video appealing for applicants. Churchwarden Nick Kitchen said: ‘We're looking for somebody with enthusiasm who is flexible and willing to get involved in the community.’ The video, posted on YouTube, features a cardboard cut-out vicar officiating at a wedding, a baptism and a school assembly. The parish has two churches, St Andrew's in Bicknacre and St Mary's in Woodham Ferrers. Currently it has to ‘borrow’ retired clergy and vicars from neighbouring parishes to officiate at some of its services, with volunteers organising other events. So far, only five people have downloaded an application form for the job but nobody has yet returned it.
Pray: for God to raise up people to lead churches and congregations wherever they are needed. (Eph.4:11-12)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-19929905
The equality commission’s commitment to protect religious liberty in the workplace has been put in doubt by one of its own commissioners. Angela Mason claims the commission will break its promise to support the principle of ‘reasonable adjustment’ for the religious beliefs of staff in the workplace. She was formerly head of homosexual activist group Stonewall and currently sits as a commissioner on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Last month the commission issued a public statement saying it would intervene in four religious liberty cases going to the European Court of Human Rights. Yesterday homosexual news website, Pink News, reported Angela Mason saying: ‘The commission has already decided not to put forward ‘reasonable adjustment’ arguments if we do continue with our intervention.’ putting the commission’s commitment to religious liberty in doubt. Her comments have been welcomed by Stonewall, but the commission has not formally responded.
Pray: that the Equality Commission will not be so swayed and will honour its commitment to reasonable adjustment. (Ps.106:3)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/equality-commissioner-well-backtrack-on-religious-liberty/
Christians have reacted with a mixture of disappointment and alarm after an equality quango appeared to backtrack on its pledge to support Christians this week. In July the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated, ‘reasonable accommodation’ of religious beliefs was ‘needed’ after applying to intervene in four cases involving religious discrimination in the workplace that have come before the European Court of Human Rights. The organisation has now been given leave to intervene in the cases but announced this week that it will no longer be arguing for reasonable accommodation indicating it would be willing to intervene in cases involving public displays of faith in the workplace but not in cases involving employees with regards to their views on same-sex relations. In the face of the latest U-turn the Evangelical Alliance and CARE have expressed their deep disappointment and concern.
Pray: for the Evangelical Alliance, CARE and noticeable public opinions to be heard and acted upon. (Ps.11:7)
Lib Dem Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone wants teachers, nurses and policemen, among others, to have to disclose their sexuality. She said that all public sector organisations should consider sending ‘diversity monitoring forms’ to staff to prove that they are treating all sections of society fairly. In June 2009, Ms Featherstone said that public sector employees who face a conflict between their job and their conscience should get another career. ‘On the execution of public duty, it is important that we make it clear here and now that carrying out public services cannot be a matter of conscience.’ This could mean that those identified as having a religious background that may hold certain moral views may potentially have restricted access to many public service jobs. Critics have also questioned how intrusive such questioning is.
Pray: that the Government comes to recognise the Big Brother nature of such damaging ideas. (Jas.2:4)
A campaign group which is seeking to preserve the definition of marriage for Scotland has been welcomed by the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. Archbishop Vincent Nichols said the group’s name, ‘Scotland for Marriage’, gave a ‘very positive message’. The group’s launch comes as the consultation on redefining marriage in Scotland draws to a close – the final date for submissions is 9 December. He commented that a similar message was needed for England – a public consultation on how to change the law in England and Wales will begin next year with the Westminster Government wanting to redefine marriage by 2015. The Church said it was concerned by the speed at which the Scottish Government is proceeding with the issue, saying that the debate had so far been ‘patchy’. The Church went on to reject the Government's proposal to legalise the registration of civil partnerships on religious premises. (See also Prayer Alert 47-2011 & 45.2011)
Pray: for the Church and authorities in Scotland as they consider marriage. (Heb.13:4)
An English evangelical anglican Baroness told 825 Anglican and Episcopal missionaries including three archbishops, 20 bishops and numerous clergy and laity, that resurgent Islamic fundamentalism poses a threat to Western Civilization. Citing Bishop Michael Nazir Ali, Caroline Cox said the British nation has ‘lost its soul.’ England, she said, is in a perilous situation. ‘Where there is a vacuum, it is liable to be filled with alternative ideologies and belief systems. Without a vision the people perish,’ she said to a New Wineskins for Global Mission participants coming from 28 countries of the world. ‘A resurgent
Islam requires gospel bridges. We do not need walls, but reconciliation can only be achieved through realism,’ she said. Baroness Cox is a voice for the persecuted and marginalized of the world, especially in the war torn country of Sudan that she has visited numerous times.
Pray: for interfaith dialogue that will help diffuse all forms of extremism. (Jas.1:19-20)
People using public services should not have to answer ‘intrusive’ equality questionnaires on subjects like sexual orientation, a government minister has said. Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, has issued statutory guidance to councils which clarifies that there is no requirement for them to carry out ‘lifestyle or diversity questionnaires’. The move follows revelations that Islington Council asks people wanting to a join a library if they are transgender. (See last week’s Prayer Alert). And it comes after a grandmother was asked about her sexual orientation after she complained about her council’s bin collection service. Mr Pickles continued: ‘Local residents shouldn’t be asked to reveal detailed personal information just because they’ve enquired about getting their bins emptied or how to join their local library. Clamping down on such town hall activity will save taxpayers’ money and protect the privacy of residents of all backgrounds.’
Pray: for the new guidance to be fully adopted by all councils and departments. (Pr.13:10)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/end-intrusive-equality-surveys-says-govt-minster/
The Liverpool Care Pathway is to be abolished following a Government-commissioned review which heard that hospital staff wrongly interpreted its guidance for care of the dying, leading to stories of patients who were drugged and deprived of fluids in their last weeks of life. An independent committee has recommended its closure. The Government has ordered hospitals to carry out immediate reviews of their practices and announced that the Liverpool Care Pathway will be phased out. Its defenders say the LCP offers people a peaceful, pain-free death. But it is only pain-free because of the sedation. Dehydration and starvation are normally painful. The critics accuse doctors of using the LCP to hasten death and free up beds. Although the Pathway was supposed to be used only in cases where recovery was not possible, elderly patients suffering from non-terminal illnesses have found themselves at risk from doctors illegally practising euthanasia.
Pray: that this answer to our prayers will lead to a transformation in health recovery for those in need. (Ph.3:21)
More: http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/index.php/2013jul15lcp/