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The Scottish Government has come under fire for completely failing to mention Christmas in its ‘Winter Festivals’ programme. In an official news release the Government mentions St Andrew’s Day eleven times, Hogmanay five times and Burns Night several times. But Christmas is not mentioned at all. Bashir Mann, a prominent figure in Glasgow’s Muslim community, has criticised the omission of Christmas, saying: ‘This is political correctness gone mad. Why should we be offended? Scotland’s religious population is 98 per cent Christian. Why should they not be allowed to celebrate their biggest religious festival? If my neighbour is celebrating Christmas, then I should join him. That’s what my religion tells me.’ And John Deighan, parliamentary officer for the Roman Catholic Church of Scotland, described the omission as ‘disappointing and hurtful’.
Pray: that the protests by the Church and others would lead to the reinstatement of Christmas as central to the nations beliefs. (Job11.4:5)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/christmas-snubbed-by-scottish-government/
The daughter of the clergyman author who created Thomas the Tank Engine has criticised television producers for writing Christmas out of a new series. Hilary Fortnam said that her father, the Rev W Awdry, would have been distressed after executives decided to omit religious references from one his adventures. His relatives have now protested after the television company which is recording new adventures for the little blue engine rebranded Christmas as ‘the holidays’ in its latest storyline, to comply with ‘politically correct’ thinking.‘He would feel very strongly about this politically correct age and that those who now write his stories should not have taken Christ out of Christmas. Political correctness against Christian beliefs offends,’ Mrs Fortnam said in a letter to the Daily Telegraph. She explained that her father, who worked as a vicar for nearly 30 years, ‘always impressed on reporters and publishers that he ‘was a priest first and a children’s author second.’’
Pray: for such misguided political correctness to be abandoned and replaced by a better understanding of the needs of different faith groups who understand and respect each other’s traditions. (1Co.2:13)
Guinness Care and Support is refusing to pay its staff overtime for working at Christmas because it claims the move would discriminate against other religions. A staff member said: ‘We have learnt that senior head office management have decided that all staff who work on Christmas Day and Boxing Day will be paid standard flat rate wages with no bonuses whatsoever.The management themselves are on two weeks' annual leave. It has come as a shock and left us all stunned.' Ben Bradshaw, Labour MP for Exeter, said: ‘We are still an overwhelmingly Christian society and Christmas is a religious festival and a public holiday. Other religious festivals are not public holidays and I do not think Guinness is comparing like with like. Christmas Day is the one day that people want to be with their loved ones and if they have to work on that day they should be paid accordingly.’ Pray: that the management will be brought to reconsider the niggardliness of their new policy. (Job.5:16)
Christians Against Poverty is urging people not to give into the temptation of taking a loan to cover the cost of their Christmas celebrations. The debt counselling charity says it is not out to kill the festive season but that it wants people to have a clear spending strategy to see them safely into the New Year. Chief Executive Matt Barlow believes such a strategy is wise as yet more economic uncertainty looms on the horizon. ‘These are difficult times for a lot of us and the temptation is to say 'at least we’ll have a great Christmas' and use that as an excuse to spend what we haven’t got,’ he said. The charity has released its top ten tips for avoiding festive debt. These include being honest with family members if things are tight, not buying gifts for others out of obligation, and clubbing together with relatives to buy the kids’ presents.
Pray: for Christmas to be a simple, honest celebration of Jesus’ birth rather one of financial excess. (Pr.1:3)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/dont.do.christmas.on.credit.debt.charity.warns/27142.htm
The organisers of a national day of prayer are mobilising churches and networks across the UK in a season of united prayer and outreach (See Prayer Alert 2410). Last weekend’s gathering at West Ham football stadium drew some 20,000 Christians. A season of 500 days of prayer was announced that will start on August 1 to run until December 31, 2011. The 500 days of prayer will mobilise churches in prayer prior to a major prayer gathering at Wembley Stadium planned for 2011 and a year of prayer scheduled for 2012 to coincide with the Olympics in London. Individual Christians are being asked to set their alarms or mobile phones to noon every day and take one minute to pray the Lord’s Prayer over the UK. Pray: that this initiative’s momentum will continue with the blessing of the Holy Spirit. (Jas.5:16) More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=32884&PN=1&TPN=1
Christians’ rights of conscience are being sacrificed on the altar of “obsessive political correctness” contrary to the values of a democratic society, two European human rights judges have claimed. They likened the treatment of a London marriage registrar, who asked not to carry out civil partnerships because of her beliefs on homosexuality, to conscientious objectors of the past who suffered “at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition or a Nazi firing squad”. The claims were contained a vocal dissenting judgment by two of the seven European Court of Human Rights judges who sat in a landmark case on religious freedom in Britain. The court in Strasbourg upheld the right of workers to wear crosses as a visible manifestation of faith – as long it does not fall foul of health and safety policies. The court also rejected challenges by two Christians who lost their jobs for taking a stand on what they saw as a matter of conscience.
Pray: for clarity in what proved to be a mixed, possibly ambiguous judgement. (1Co.2:14)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9804007/Christians-rights-trampled-on-by-obsessive-political-correctness-say-dissenting-European-judges.html
Prominent clerics, including Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, argue that supporters of homosexual rights must not be allowed to ‘coerce silence’. Their comments centre on a landmark legal challenge by a churchgoing couple who were banned by a council from becoming foster parents because they believed homosexuality was unacceptable. The bishops claim that the case will determine whether Christians can continue to express their beliefs in this country. They say that the High Court will be ruling on a ‘clash of rights’ which threatens to label religious belief as ‘problematic’ if it decides that it is acceptable to discriminate against those with traditional Christian views on homosexuality. For background information to the case see: Lord Carey said ‘So many Christians are being marginalised as a result of this hard secularism which is knocking traditional ethics’. Pray: that secularism will be checked and religious freedom of expression will be upheld. (Mk.16:15)
Christians in the UK are facing increasing marginalisation and oppression under new laws originally intended to safeguard equality, Christian leaders have warned. The frank warning was delivered to around 1,000 Evangelical Christians at the Bible by the Beach conference held in Eastbourne over last weekend. They heard how equality laws have led to the dismissal of Christians who offered to pray for clients or patients, the closure of adoption agencies that refuse to place children with same-sex couples, and charities losing funding because of their Christian ethos. The conference explored the court ruling last week involving Gary McFarlane, (See Prayer Alert item above &1810) a relationship counsellor with Relate Avon who was dismissed for telling his employers that he could not counsel same-sex couples because of his Christian beliefs. The speaker warned that Christians needed to be aware that ‘rampant, illiberal secularism’ had become the prevailing attitude in the UK.
Pray: that God would strengthen all those in the front line of attacks against their faith. (Ps.18:32)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.warned.of.increasing.marginalisation.in.the.uk/25834.htm
The head of the Christian Legal Centre has condemned the first ever TV advertisement for abortion services. Marie Stopes made TV history when it advertised its abortion services on Channel 4 on Monday. The ad asked ‘Are you late?’ referring to women who may have missed a period. It will run throughout June. It is being broadcast as part of a wider campaign by the registered charity to ‘confront the taboo of abortion.’ The plans have upset pro-life and Christian groups, who are considering legal action to halt the broadcast of the advert. While commercial abortion clinics are prohibited from advertising on TV by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, the ban does not cover not-for-profit abortion providers like Marie Stopes.
Pray: for a balanced approach to counselling rather than a direct route to abortion as seems to be promoted in the advert. (Rev.4:11b
More: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100520/christians-upset-over-uks-first-tv-abortion-ad/index.html
Churches have united in London for the historic launch of a global Christian response to corruption. EXPOSED is being led by Christian organisations including Micah Challenge, The Salvation Army, Bible Society and the World Evangelical Alliance. It is the first time that so many Christian organisations have united to stand against corruption. The campaign aims to shine a light on corruption, which they warn is a major contributing factor to global poverty. Campaign chairman and International Director of Micah Challenge, Rev Joel Edwards, said: ‘No nation is immune. This current economic crisis means that greed, the excesses of corporate cultures, dishonesty and unaccountable behaviour has touched us where it hurts. ‘EXPOSED is here to join an increasing chorus of concern, which says ‘enough is enough’. ‘It is an opportunity for the church to do what we are called to do: to raise our voice in holy outrage and provide practical offerings of hope.’
Pray: for people worldwide to commit to and promote practical steps for ethical behaviour in business, government, the church and wider society. (Ac.2:40)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/christians.unite.against.corruption/30807.htm