Displaying items by tag: Culture

Friday, 28 February 2020 03:34

India: Organised religious violence in Delhi

Unrelenting violence consumes northeast Delhi as roving mobs with iron rods, sledgehammers and guns rampaged through the streets, committing arson, vandalism and terrifying residents since 22 February. On 27 February police said that WhatsApp was used by the gangs who indiscriminately injured children and the elderly. They vandalised and burnt schools, homes, cars and businesses leaving 35+ dead and 200+ injured because a new citizenship law allows 'persecuted minorities’ (Muslims Christians, Parsees, Sikhs, Buddhist etc.) citizenship status after six years of residency. From the start Hindus were considered ‘natural citizens’ of India and reject the new law. Police seized 50 mobile phones used by rioters to organise themselves by directing hired thugs from Uttar Pradesh and whipping up frenzied violence. Delhi Police and the Home Ministry said that the situation is under control, but the violence has not abated and the death toll has climbed steadily since the first day.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 06 February 2020 22:53

Two new Christian MPs share their faith

Newly-elected Conservative MP Stuart Anderson explained in his first Commons speech how going to church and finding faith helped him ‘see light out of the darkness’. He said he considered taking his own life after he was left ‘broken’ by his time serving as a rifleman for the Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Kosovo. He finished his compassionate speech by saying, ‘When I was trying to do something right by my family, I found faith. For the first time in many years, I could see hope and a future.’ Danny Kruger, in his maiden speech, told listeners, ‘Look to Britain’s Christian past to address future problems. We are children of God, fallen but redeemed, capable of great wrong but also of great virtue.’ See

Published in Praise Reports
Thursday, 06 February 2020 22:31

You never stop grieving

Jack’s law gives working parents who suffer the loss of a child two weeks of paid leave. But while it offers a cushion for the immediate loss, many believe it is not long enough and might even backfire. Carrie, who lost her baby to brain cancer, said, ‘I had to put on a false face, which was exhausting. All sorts of things triggered my grief during the day. As a parent who has lost a child, you never stop grieving. I am concerned that these two weeks will be seen as the official and “correct” amount of time that people need to get over their loss. Nobody can complete grieving within two weeks. Parents will still be arranging a funeral. It is only after that they can begin to grieve. While I appreciate the cost of providing any leave, further support needs to be available once parents return to work, much as it is on return from illness.’

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 06 February 2020 22:26

Malta: a wake-up call to church

A float depicting Archbishop Charles J Scicluna will take part in Valletta’s carnival parade, despite criticism. Rayvin Galea, the artist behind the float’s design, hopes to get across various issues which he feels have not properly been addressed by the Church. They include its opposition to same-sex marriage, depicted on his float through a figurine of a gay couple on top of a wedding cake, while the Church’s opposition to IVF takes the form of two horned cherubs. Scicluna will wear a military uniform, which represents the Church’s conservative stance on many social issues. Missing will be the words ‘St Joseph’s Home’ above the Scicluna effigy, which would have been a reference to the sexual abuse of children in the late 80s at the church orphanage. The float also features Lady Justice with a blindfold, a balance, and a sword, showcasing the lack of justice received by the victims of the abuse.

Published in Europe
Thursday, 09 January 2020 23:31

Transforming Lives for Good

TLG is a Christian charity that helps churches to bring hope and a future for struggling children. From school exclusion, to poverty and holiday hunger, there are children across the UK facing some of the toughest starts in life. TLG believes change is possible through early intervention: one coach per child, one hour a week, for children struggling in school because of bullying, bereavement, family breakdown, poverty, or being in the care system. These all have a huge impact on a child's education. Some children may be struggling with a lack of confidence, have no positive role models, or just need an adult to talk to. TLG Early Intervention gives the church a practical solution to support children, families and schools in their community. The programme enables trained volunteers to become coaches and work on a one-to-one basis with a child, improving their behaviour and in turn raising their levels of learning. 

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 09 January 2020 23:25

FA urged to reconsider deal with betting firm

Culture secretary Nicky Morgan has said that she hopes the Football Association will ‘reconsider’ after it allowed a betting company to broadcast FA Cup matches, more than two years after it had said it would end such partnerships. Bet365, which allows fans to watch play if they place a bet via their app, has been showing matches since the start of last season. The partnership drew criticism from viewers and campaigners last weekend, when all matches were delayed by a minute to promote the Duke of Cambridge’s mental health charity.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 03 January 2020 09:54

Personal debt crisis

Britain's personal debt mountain is growing. Households borrowed an extra £20bn on credit cards and have £45bn more personal debt than they did a decade ago – an increase of 25%. In 2019, total unsecured debt (credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts) was £225bn. A decade ago Britain was near the peak of cheap credit-fuelled debt binges. Many hoped that personal debt would be reined in. This has not happened. Borrowing increased as wages failed to keep pace with inflation. These statistics do not include secured borrowing such as mortgage debt or student loans, which increases the figure substantially. Experts believe the personal debt surge is due to credit becoming cheaper towards the end of the decade. StepChange, a debt charity, recently estimated that across Britain, over three million people fell behind on an essential household bill in the last 12 months.

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 14 November 2019 23:15

Free Bibles to Kanye West fans

Kanye West's Jesus is King album has prompted the American Bible Society to offer 1,000 free Bibles. ABS said that curiosity about Christianity has soared since the US rapper released his first Christian album: ‘When we saw an influential cultural figure like Kanye inspiring young people to seek out answers to their faith questions, that was an opportunity to provide God's word and point people to it as a source for their questions about faith.’ Up to 1,000 copies of the Good News translation are available to fans who apply on the ABS website. According to Google Trends, online searches for ‘Jesus’ and ‘Christianity’ shot up significantly in the USA after West released his album on 25 October.

Published in Praise Reports
Thursday, 07 November 2019 22:56

Syriac Christian community

In the northeast of Syria, in a number of cities and their surrounding villages, a renaissance is under way in the area’s beleaguered Syriac Christian community, which is attempting to revive the Syriac language and culture after decades of neglect and oppression. The Christian community as a whole has suffered immensely during the ongoing eight-year conflict, and this minority is no exception. The conflict has, however, also brought about social changes that previously would have been thought impossible, particularly in areas under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Escalating its threat to invade the area despite the presence of American, British, and French troops, Turkey could reverse these changes and even jeopardise the continued existence of the Christian community there. These Christians have preserved their unique languages and cultures in the face of decades of Arabisation. Syriac Christians will teach their children their ancestral language, derived from Aramaic, the native tongue of Jerusalem, where the church was born.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 07 November 2019 21:52

USA: corporations blamed for anti-Muslim violence

The ‘Fanning the Flames’ report published on 31 October said that corporations with global reach in the tech, finance, and media sectors have resourced anti-Muslim individuals and groups both domestically and internationally to create the infrastructure for biased messages and bigotry to spread and thrive. It added that Google, Amazon and Fidelity will promote white supremacy and anti-Muslim bigotry as long as they can make money out of it. Researchers found tech platforms have provided a space for unsafe actors, and their search and recommendation algorithms enabled white supremacist and bigoted propaganda to spread further. The report said, ‘It is concerning that these tech platforms have not created strategies to eliminate anti-Muslim bigotry from their sites.’ Also, Wall Street businesses have provided financial infrastructure and political cover to organisations promoting anti-Muslim prejudice, and financial institutions are investing hundreds of millions in gun manufacturers.

Published in Worldwide