Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Cannabidiol (CBD) is not marketed as medicinal cannabis. It does nott have a psychoactive element, and some studies indicate that it helps to control childhood epilepsy. Other people think it helps them too. Non-medicinal CBD is now on sale in High Street shops and chemists. Pharmacists are calling for better regulation of products supposed to contain CBD, saying that there needs to be clearer information and better checks on content. Currently, customers buying such products have no guarantees that they are safe, or even if they contain CBD oil at all. The oil is being added to water, chocolate, make-up, tea and coffee. It is illegal to print health claims on these products, but it is a grey area as to who checks the ingredients, or the amount of CBD oil actually in each item, many of which can be very expensive. UK sales are currently £300m.

A study by the British Retail Consortium predicts an additional £2billion in seasonal shopping compared to last year, and expects the average household to spend over £500 this Christmas. Becky Denharder, for Care for the Family, says that Christmas does not have to be an expensive occasion, and urges Christians not to get ‘carried away’ over the festive season. Although it is ‘fun to spend money’ on our families, it all ‘adds up’, so she encourages us to ‘work within our means.’ ‘I think sometimes parents feel pressure to buy for their kids and we feel pressure to buy for colleagues and lots of different people,’ she added. ‘There are more long-lasting ways to bless our families. We don't often remember our Christmas gifts, but we do remember the memories. We remember the traditions that we take part in, and those are the memories that stick.’

Investigative journalists who explored Russian influence on US politics say Britain’s political system is also compromised, stating that it is time our institutions and media woke up to that fact. In 2016 the UK and US were targets of Russian efforts to swing votes to weaken the alliances that had constrained Putin’s ambitions for the EU and Nato. Many believe Conservative-leaning media in the UK and US see little mileage in exposing meddling that helped their own side. The Mueller report found that Russia engaged in a sweeping and systematic campaign to elect Trump. Britain’s official response to meddling accusations was largely denial. Consumed by bitter Brexit divisions and public spending, it took longer than it should have for parliament to conduct an investigation of Russian penetration of British politics. Their findings are suppressed until after the election. Meanwhile UK media has started to look into these issues, shedding light on the actions of Russian-backed groups.

At her installation as bishop, Dr Rose Hudson-Wilkin asked the congregation to think what it might look like if we became a unifying body, focussing not on what separates us but on what we have in common. ‘What if we recognised God’s presence as we seek to ensure that the resources we have been blessed with are not for amassing personal wealth but to be shared in such a way that those in poverty are no longer in need? She added, ‘If we are going to experience that oneness of purpose that Jesus prayed for, we need to be identified more with the name of Jesus. We have kept him hidden in our beautiful churches and cathedrals that people visit on our terms.’ She challenged the congregation to think about how they might share the gospel in a natural way on social media, challenge policy-makers, and make decisions that will help their community.

From 1 to 12 December, Prayer Watch invites you to join thousands ‘decreeing God’s righteous government and governance in our land’. All those involved in this initiative believe that this is God’s appointed time for us to decree that His government is established in our nation. It is not by chance that our election date is 12/12. 12 is the Biblical number of authority and divine government. 12 tribes of Israel. 12 Apostles of Jesus. The response in prayer is 12 days of 12 decrees at 12 noon to establish God’s government in our nation through prayer. It is time for the British Isles to pray together like never before, as we arrive at our significant spiritual ‘open door’ of opportunity as a nation. For the daily decrees, click the ‘More’ button.

Father, thank You for all you have done for us throughout this year. Even when things don’t go our way, may we still rejoice in Your faithfulness and provision in our lives. We pray that You will build our government and watch over the UK. ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.’ (Psalm 127:1) Lord, we ask You to build our nation according to Your template and guard us from evil. Father, thank You for being our defender and ever-present help in our times of need. We ask You to protect Your children involved in election campaigning in the coming week, keeping them safe from those who would wish to harm them. ‘Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures for ever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and for evermore.’ (Psalm 125:1)

There have been calls for protection of churches in Northern Ireland after figures showed almost 450 attacks in three years. For example, Saintfield Road Presbyterian Church suffered two arson attacks in July 2016, while the Sacred Heart Church in Ballyclare was attacked with paint on Easter Sunday 2019. In Belfast, both the synagogue and the Islamic centre have been damaged in the last ten years. Christian Access Research and Education (Care NI) has written to the leaders of all the political parties asking for more support to be made available for religious buildings, and urged them to set up an initiative like the Place Of Worship fund which helps protect religious buildings in England and Wales.

On 29 November, Usman Khan injured three and killed two people in a knife rampage. Attending a conference on prisoner rehabilitation, he suddenly threatened to blow up the building. Wearing a fake suicide vest, he was tackled by members of the public before being shot dead by police on London Bridge. Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark, said it is hard to come to terms with the fact that there has been another terror attack on the community. ‘It felt as though time had shifted as I was faced again with people running away from the direction of the cathedral. I got into it just as a lock-down was being put in place. A visiting organist played gentle and calming music. I led prayers with all those there, seeking to reassure them without really knowing what was happening.’ He added that acts of terror can never defeat acts of love. Justin Welby tweeted, ‘What a privilege to live in a country where passersby are so astonishingly brave.’ See

We are living in an age of unprecedented sexual revolution. Very quickly we have moved from acceptance and toleration of LGBT lifestyles to an active promotion of LGBT ideology by government agencies, schools, corporations, and even churches. Similarly, pornography has gone from being an underground sexual fetish to being publicised and even praised by mainstream media. But it remains an unseen and under-discussed root of the sexual revolution, damaging lives and relationships and creating addicts who feel trapped and unable to break free. There are porn addicts in most churches, if not in every church, as well as in schools, workplaces, and communities. At a conference on 29 - 30 January 2020, Christian Concern plan to discuss the roots of the sexual revolution and hear from speakers who have broken free from sex addictions or helped others to break free. If you wish to attend, or for more information, click the ‘More’ button. See also the next article, ‘Teenage morality’.

The relationships and sex education teaching in this country is lacking. The level of STDs amongst teenagers is at epidemic level, with the highest rate of infections amongst the 15-24 age group. We have the highest teenage pregnancy and abortion rates in western Europe, and a 4,500% increase in the number of children seeking gender reassignment treatment over the last few years. 80% are girls. Research published this year by YouGov states 16% of UK teenagers now identify as bisexual. In 2015 the number was 2%. Stonewall said it is great to see the increase in numbers since 2015, adding, ‘There’s still a lot to be done’. These statistics are the result of policies once designed to ‘protect’ children. Yet now, statements by the DfE and even its recently reissued FAQs show that the overriding aim is not protection, but the promotion and normalisation of LGBT behaviours and lifestyle choices.