Judges have been accused of diluting the rights of Christians after a key judgement on whether they can refuse to work on Sundays. A new ruling by a High Court judge - the first on the issue in nearly a decade - says that Christians have no right to decline working on Sunday as it is not a “core component” of their beliefs. The judgement - which upholds an earlier decision - means that individual Christians do not have any protection from being fired for not working on Sundays. Campaigners said the decision puts Christians at a disadvantage to other religions such as Muslims, Jews and Sikhs. and means the judiciary are deciding what the core beliefs of Christians can be, which they say is an interference in the right to practise religion. They pointed to cases where the courts offered protection to other religions even when only a minority of adherents were affected.

Pray: for all Christians around the world who find that secular requirements contradict their practice of faith. (Ex.20:8 and Mk.2:27)

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9770825/Christians-have-no-right-to-refuse-to-work-on-Sundays-rules-judge.html

Christians in the UK are turning increasingly to social media sites like Facebook to share their faith, new research has found. In a survey on attitudes to online mission by Christian Vision and Premier Christian Media, 64% said they were using social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to share their faith in an intentional way. Of the 700 Christians surveyed, 84% agreed that the online space was a huge mission field. More than two-thirds (71%) said they post links to Christian sites or content with missional values, while 73% said they intentionally post or link to content in order to share their faith. Interestingly, the study found that interaction with social media was prolific across the age spectrum, rather than just among young people.

Pray: that the Church will grasp hold of the new technologies to share our faith. (1Cor.9:23)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.harnessing.facebook.to.share.faith/29753.htm

Christians feel that they are being forced to hide their religion because of “silly” interpretations of equality laws, a senior MP has said. Sir Alan Beith, chair of the Commons Justice Select Committee, has likened the misunderstandings to those surrounding health and safety regulation, where the rules can be over zealously applied for the wrong reasons. Referring to recent high profile cases involving people being told not to wear religious symbols in the workplace, Sir Alan said that many Christians feel that they have to keep their faith “under wraps”. But rather than being an issue of the law, the 70-year-old MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed said that an ill-informed sense of what it means for the state to be secular often led officials to try and hide anything relating to religious views while in “civil society”. “You get silly things happening, which were not the intention of any legislative change.”

Pray: for a clearer understanding of the law and of the freedoms of speech and religious faith by all quarters of our society. (Jn.14:27)

More: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/christians-forced-to-hide-their-faith-by-equality-laws-says-senior-liberal-democrat-mp-8817694.html

Britain's most senior policeman has been urged to issue guidelines to his officers to protect Christians’ rights to free speech, amid claims they are suffering intimidation and discrimination from police. Christian activists have called on Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to inform all his officers that it is legal to cite traditional Bible teaching which describes homosexuality as a sin when speaking in public. The campaigners say free speech is under threat after a series of cases in which street preachers were arrested for delivering sermons which referred to the traditional Christian view of homosexuality. Andrea Williams, the director of the CLC, has written to Sir Bernard insisting that human rights laws allow Christians to express their genuinely-held views without fear of arrest, providing they do not incite a breach of the peace. Mrs Williams suggested Christians were becoming “fearful” of expressing their lawful views because of the police’s “intimidatory tactics”.

Pray: for the police in their difficult role but that they will recognise the legality of free speech in these matters. (Dt.32:1)

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10206335/Christians-demand-free-speech-guidance-from-Scotland-Yard-chief.html

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has told a group of Christians in Bath not to make any claims which state or imply that, by receiving their prayer, people could be physically healed, reports Christian Concern for our Nation. A registered Christian trust, the ‘Healing on the Streets – Bath’ (HOTS) team, comprised of Christians from many different churches, have been praying for the public outside Bath Abbey for three years and regularly offer to pray for people who are sick to receive healing. But atheist Hayley Stevens took offence to the group’s adverts, complaining to the ASA that the claims by the Christians could 'not be substantiated'. Her complaint was upheld and the ASA have now ordered the group to stop stating on their website or in literature that God can heal. Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said: ‘This decision strikes at the heart of freedom of belief in the UK.’

Pray: that the ASA ruling will not limit the work of the HOTS team but that God will use them more powerfully.. (Jn.16:33)

 More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue15373.html

The Association of Christian Financial Advisers (ACFA) has come out in support of calls for a mandatory code of conduct for the banking industry. The ACFA said it wants to see ethics put back at the centre of banking and a return to the founding Quaker principles of ‘honesty, integrity and plain dealing’. Arwyn Bailey, of the ACFA, welcomed the accountability shown in Mr Diamond's resignation. ‘In falling on his sword and resigning Bob Diamond has done the honourable and probably inevitable thing. The pressure must have been intolerable, for both him and his family,’ he said. Barclays chairman Marcus Agius, who announced his resignation one day before, will now become full-time chairman and oversee the process to appoint Mr Diamond's successor. ‘Without question Mr Diamond is the man who carries the can, but given such pressure for him to resign, who would be willing to step into his shoes?’

Pray: for much higher standards of moral integrity in international banking and commerce. (De.8:18)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.back.call.for.banking.code.of.conduct/30187.htm

Five Christians have been arrested for successfully blockading the Custom House entrance in London at an arms fair supplying weapons to repressive regimes. For over forty minutes the group, associated with the activist organisation Christianity Uncut and supported by a range of other NGOs including Christian CND, sat and lay down at the entrance of the Defence and Security Exhibition International (DSEi), which is backed by the UK government and has as its guests a range of dictators and autocrats, including the armers of President Assad in Syria. The protesters recited the Lord's Prayer, and one of the people arrested also announced the 23rd Psalm boldly while being dragged away by police. Superglue was used to secure the gate by the anti-arms activists. The first two people arrested included a trainee Methodist minister and the third was Quaker activist Chris Wood. Two others were removed. All were driven away to be charged.

Pray: for those protesting in this controversial area and give the authorities discernment and wisdom. (Is.2:4)

More: http://christianityuncut.wordpress.com/news/

Christians are ‘evil’ if they resist the redefinition of marriage to allow for same-sex marriage, the Head of Research and Development at Tesco.com has said. The company has already faced criticism for dumping its support for the Cancer Research ‘Race for Life’ and sponsoring London’s gay pride festival. The ‘evil Christians’ comment was made by Nick Lansley, Head of Research and Development for the Tesco website. He wrote: ‘I’m also campaigning against evil Christians (that’s not all Christians, just bad ones) who think that gay people should not lead happy lives and get married to their same-sex partners.’ Director of The Christian Institute, Colin Hart, said: ‘I won’t be shopping at Tesco this Christmas, and I am repeatedly hearing from other Christians who have already come to the same conclusion. ‘Mr Lansley is entitled to his opinions, and Christians are entitled to choose not to shop at Tesco.

Pray: for a more balanced view by Tesco to respect and not alienate the Christian community. (Dt.13:3-4)

More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/christians-are-evil-for-backing-marriage-says-tesco-rd-boss/