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Fears about restrictions for Christian campaigning have not been eased by Government changes to the controversial Lobbying Bill, critics have warned. The Electoral Commission, the body that will have to enforce the new rules, said that a key Government amendment ‘does not materially reduce the scope of what is covered by the Bill’. Ros Baston, a solicitor specialising in election law, said the Bill still catches issues-based campaigning and some of the amendments actually result in ‘new uncertainties’. Several faith groups, including the Evangelical Alliance, World Jewish Relief, Muslim Council of Britain and others, have raised fears that the Bill could have 'unintended consequences'. An open letter to David Cameron and Nick Clegg warns that the Bill will ‘curtail’ legitimate campaigns. It said: ‘We are concerned that this Bill does not adequately safeguard the activities of religious organisations and that there is a very real risk that non-biased political activity will be captured by the resultant Act.'
Pray: that the concerns shared following the changes to the Bill will be listened to and safeguards accepted. (Pr.12:15)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/christian-campaigners-still-in-danger-from-lobbying-bill/
A Christian movement to end poverty has spoken out against tax evasion by wealthy people.The group Micah Challenge is calling upon church leaders to hold the super-rich to account after a report by the Tax Justice Network suggested that up to $20trillion was being siphoned off by the world's wealthiest people into tax havens. The movement says that Jesus would have hit out at such excessive greed, especially at a time when millions remain in extreme poverty and without access to basic health care. The campaigners are urging churches the world over to raise their concerns with politicians. ‘Once again
the poor are paying the price of the greed of the wealthiest,’ said Head of Campaigns Amanda Jackson. ‘The money being siphoned off to tax havens is more than the American and Japanese GDPs put together. Yet millions of the world's poorest are suffering. It is so wrong.’
Pray: that greed will not govern the hearts of men and for the poor to be treated fairly. (LK.12:15)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christian.campaigners.hit.out.tax.evasion/30336.htm
Susanne Wilkinson told the two men that it went against her religious convictions to let them share a double room at the guest house where she lives with her family. She was reported to police but no charges were brought. However, she has now been told that Michael Black and John Morgan plan to sue her for discrimination. A letter before action sent by Liberty’s legal director this week claims: ‘Your unlawful treatment of my clients resulted in considerable embarrassment and humiliation to them both and they seek compensation from you for the injury to their feelings.’ Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute said ‘It does seem extraordinary that Liberty is invoking the power of the state to try to force this couple to act against their conscience in their own home.’ Mrs Wilkinson is likely to invoke the Human Rights Act in her defence, on the grounds that Christians should be allowed to hold the traditional belief that sex outside marriage is wrong.
Pray: for Susanne and others like her who seek to defend their right to follow Biblical teaching. (Ep.3:16)
The annual fundraising event Christian Aid Week has got off to a ‘tremendous start’, say supporters in churches and communities across the country. Christian Aid is a UK-based churches' international relief, development and advocacy agency. It acts on behalf of over 40 denominations and church bodies - but its ethos is to carry out anti-poverty work alongside partners of all faiths and none, in many parts of the world. Its emphasis is on ground-up solutions. In 2011, Christian Aid Week is aiming to raise more than £13 million for poor communities across the globe. Around 200,000 people are expected to take part all over Britain, going door-to-door collecting, joining in with sponsored events, holding novel fundraisers or simply donating online. Many Christian Aid supporters also try to raise awareness as well as funds - though in an economically constrained environment, bringing money to the cause obviously remains vital. For information and resources follow link: See Pray: that people would be generous in proportion to their resources. (Pro.22:9)
Christian Aid Week (12-18 May 2013) Britain’s longest running door-to-door fundraising week, will this year be urging the British public to "bite back at hunger" and ask why, in a world where there is a enough food for everyone, one in eight people go to bed hungry every night. Hunger is the world’s biggest health risk. It kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. In developing countries, a third of all child deaths are linked to hunger. But tackling hunger with sustainable solutions has long-term benefits. Paul Langley, Head of Inspiring Participation at Christian Aid, said: ‘With one in eight people in the world going to bed hungry every night, Christian Aid Week offers the British public the opportunity to bite back at hunger. The money raised will help poor communities around the world grow more food by adapting to climate change and securing land rights, so they can meet their immediate food needs.
Pray: for all those working for Christian Aid week and for a massive public response to the appeal. (Pr.14:31)
More: http: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/18355
A Christian worker has launched a landmark legal action after she lost her job when she blew the whistle on what she says was a campaign of ‘race hate’ by fundamentalist Muslims. Nohad Halawi, who worked at Heathrow Airport, is suing her former employers for unfair dismissal, claiming that she and other Christian staff at the airport were victims of systematic
harassment because of their religion. She claims that she was told that she would go to Hell for her religion, that Jews were responsible for the September 11th terror attacks and that a friend was reduced to tears having been bullied for wearing a cross. Mrs Halawi worked in the duty-free section as a perfume saleswoman of the airport for 13 years but was dismissed in July. Her case is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, who say it raises important legal issues and also questions over whether Muslims and Christians are treated differently by employers.
Pray: for Mrs Halawi and for her case when it comes before the tribunal. (Ps.11:7)
An annual National Day of Prayer about abortion is to be held on October 27th. In the last 44 years over seven million babies have been aborted in the UK. It is hoped many will take a stand on the abortion issue next Thursday and pray that our nation would understand the horror of these statistics. Having a disabled child is often a difficult burden to undertake.We can pray for parents who have to make the choice between bringing up a disabled child or ending its life. Pray that the parents of disabled children will receive the support that they need, and thank God for the many people with physical or mental disability who live happy and fulfilled lives. Also on the 27th there will be a rally outside parliament between 1pm and 2 pm, with the intention of putting abortion back in the news and back on the agenda for public debate.
Pray: for those considering an abortion to receive advice independent of those who carry out abortions; and for many to
work and pray towards making abortion history in the U.K. (Ps.139:13)
A 57-year-old children's worker who was forced to resign over her desire not to work on Sundays appeared before an employment tribunal on Monday. Celestina Mba worked for over three years at the Brightwell Children's Home in Morden, a respite home for children with disabilities. She was forced to resign in 2010 after her employer chose to no longer accommodate her Christian beliefs. Her beliefs were initially respected by her employer, the London Borough of Merton, who were informed before she started the job that she would have difficulties working on a Sunday. But the Council later changed its mind and she was forced to choose between her job or her faith. Andrea Williams, Director of the Christian
Legal Centre said: ‘This is another case where we see intolerance towards the Christian faith and a lack of willingness to make accommodation for it.’
Pray: that the ruling by the employment tribunal will be reversed and justice would prevail. (Job.9:19)
In May 2010 the Government announced that it would end the immigration detention of children, but it is failing to do so say the Children's Society. Between May and the end of August 2011,in agregate 697 children were held at Greater London and South East ports. Almost one third were unaccompanied children. This could mean as many as 2,000 children could be detained each year. Shockingly the Home Office is not collecting information on the length of detention or reasons why the children have been detained. In December 2010 the Government published details of its new policy to end the detention of children; within this, the Government retained the right to only hold a few dozen families each year in border cases. The Children’s Society welcomed the progress made by the Government in response to the ‘Outcry!’ campaign; a joint initiative between The Children’s Society and Bail for Immigration Detainees to end the immigration detention of children.
Pray: that the authorities will stand by their promises. (Ps.36:3)
For the first time, the Children’s Commissioner for England has found a clear link between exposure to extreme images at a young age and a rise in “risky behaviours”. It emerged that children who regularly viewed pornography were more likely to have underage sex, develop “casual and hedonistic” attitudes, experiment with drink and drugs and indulge in sexting. Boys were much more likely to be exposed to porn than girls, it was revealed, resulting in “beliefs that women are sex objects”. The study – based on a large-scale review of international evidence – also found some evidence of a relationship between explicit images and a rise in sexual aggression and harassment of the opposite sex. Maggie Atkinson, the Children’s Commissioner, warned that “violent and sadistic imagery” was readily available among “very young children” because of easy access to the internet on home computers, tablets and mobile phones.
Pray: for a more serious response to address these issues by government, schools, parents, Internet providers and the media. (Col.3:23)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10076263/Childrens-Commissioner-pupils-raised-on-a-diet-of-porn.html