Today’s Headlines:

3 INDONESIAN WOMEN CONVICTED OF ‘CHRISTIANIZING MUSLIMS’

VIETNAM GRANTS AMNESTY TO IMPRISONED MENNONITE PASTOR

BROADCASTERS LAUNCH GLOBAL CHRISTIAN SATELLITE TV NETWORK

MOBS DRIVE EVANGELICALS FROM THEIR HOMES IN MEXICO’S JALISCO STATE

SURVEY: 67% OF ALABAMA RESIDENTS CALL THEMSELVES ‘BORN AGAIN’

Today’s Top Stories:

3 INDONESIAN WOMEN CONVICTED OF ‘CHRISTIANIZING MUSLIMS’

The three women charged with violating Indonesia’s 2002 Child Protection Act by “Christianizing” Muslim children were found guilty today of all charges in an Indonesian court charged with anti-Christian radicals. Jeff Hammond, director of Bless Indonesia Today, said that Rebecca Laonita, Ratna Mala Bangun and Ety Pangesti, who conducted a “Happy Week” program in their homes in early May, were found guilty of all charges and sentenced to three years in prison. Hammond said the guilty verdict was pronounced even though the children had their parents’ permission to attend, and none of them had changed their religion. He added that the verdict may have spared the three from an even worse fate as the witnesses and judges were “constantly under the threats of violence from hundreds of Islamic radicals who threatened to kill the three ladies, witnesses, pastors, missionaries — and even the judges — if the women were acquitted.” Anti-Christian radicals had arrived in nine trucks and “brought a coffin to bury the accused if they were found not guilty,” Hammond said. “Their violent threats continued in their speeches before the session began.” When the verdict was read, the crowd erupted with “Allahu akbar” (God is great). (Assist News Service)

* HCJB World Radio has worked with local partners to establish up to 10 local Christian radio stations across Indonesia since 2004. Broadcasts from HCJB World Radio-Australia’s shortwave station, “Voice of the Great Southland,” also encourage listeners nationwide. In addition, HCJB World Radio has helped with relief efforts since the Dec. 26 earthquake/tsunami and subsequent quakes that have devastated parts of Indonesia.

VIETNAM GRANTS AMNESTY TO IMPRISONED MENNONITE PASTOR

Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang, a Mennonite pastor convicted of resisting officers doing their duty, was released from prison on Tuesday, Aug. 30, as part of Vietnam’s National Day amnesty on Friday, Sept. 2. The Vietnamese Mennonite Church leader had faced severe pressure to sign an admission of guilt. Quang, convicted on Nov. 12, 2004, has been held in five different prisons. According to area Mennonites, at times he was abused by fellow prisoners who were rewarded for doing so by the authorities. At one point he was imprisoned in a large cell full of prisoners with communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS. At his last prison, his Bible was confiscated. He was not allowed to share his faith with fellow prisoners and was once disciplined for doing so. His health deteriorated considerably during hard labor at a prison in Dak Lak province, and he suffered from frequent fainting spells. Quang was one of 10,000 prisoners to be released in connection with Vietnam’s National Day amnesty. Of the five other Christians convicted with him on the same charge, only one, Pham Ngoc Thach, remains in prison. (Compass)

BROADCASTERS LAUNCH GLOBAL CHRISTIAN SATELLITE TV NETWORK

Some 16 months ago, a group of Christian broadcasting visionaries from around the world including South Korea, Russia, Australia, England, Spain, Latin America and the U.S. met in Seoul, South Korea, to explore the possibility of forming the Global Christian Network (GCN) to spread the good news around the world by satellite television. On Tuesday, Aug. 30, they gathered again in Atlanta, Ga., to celebrate not only the opening of its headquarters and studios but also the official launch of the Global Christian Network (GCN) with programming airing in the New York market via WEBR – Channel 17, reaching more than 300 cities and more than 14 million households across the U.S. via La Familia Cosmovision cable network. “GCN is a Georgia-based, not-for-profit, charitable, religious and educational organization incorporated on June 2, 2004,” explained Executive Director Nestor Colombo. “Its purpose is to produce, distribute and broadcast high-quality, international, Christian and family-value programming to local and regional affiliate stations and networks around the world, first in English and eventually in as many as five different languages. The vision of the network is to directly impact the cultural, social, and spiritual quality of life for viewing families and individuals with the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Religion Today/Assist News Service)

MOBS DRIVE EVANGELICALS FROM THEIR HOMES IN MEXICO’S JALISCO STATE

Huichol native mobs in Mexico’s Jalisco state have driven Christians from their homes and threatened to burn them to death, according to news reports. The first wave of 70 Huichol refugees from the village of Agua Fr ­a, near Mezquitic, fled on foot across the state border into Tepic, Nayarit, beginning Sunday, Aug. 14. The total number of refugees was expected to reach more than 300. Most arrived ill from the 20-hour walk. Town leaders insisted that if the Huichol Christians wish to return to Agua Fr ­a, they must renounce their faith and return to native traditions and rites — such as drinking liquor and using hallucinatory peyote — which are practiced alongside Roman Catholic customs. (Compass)

SURVEY: 67% OF ALABAMA RESIDENTS CALL THEMSELVES ‘BORN AGAIN’

A recent Barna Research Group survey finds that 67 percent of Alabamians can be classified as “born again,” making theirs the state with the highest concentration of born-again Christians in the U.S. Christian Coalition of Alabama (CCA) President John Giles said this high ranking explains many of the state’s powerful dynamics which he sees as playing a role in the defeat of the expansion of gambling, the demand for good stewardship in government spending, and increasing positive influences on the legislative agenda. “If anything good needs to happen or if anything bad needs to be blocked, Alabamians can meet that challenge,” Giles said. He also feels the Barna survey results explain why citizens of his state are so generous to the poor. In the 2004 Generosity Index published by the Catalogue for Philanthropy, Alabamians ranked 38th in personal assets but seventh in giving, resulting in an overall rating of fifth in the nation. The fact that Alabama leads the nation in Christianity is “a testament to our fine and tirelessly dedicated clergy across this state,” Giles added. (Agape Press)