Today’s Headlines:

UZBEK COURT FINES 4 U.S. ENGLISH TEACHERS FOR ‘MISSIONARY ACTIVITY’

CHANGES IN NEPAL’S POLITICAL SITUATION ENCOURAGE BELIEVERS

NORWAY CONSIDERS DROPPING LUTHERANISM AS OFFICIAL RELIGION

ANOTHER STUDY LINKS INCREASED LONGEVITY TO CHURCH ATTENDANCE

Today’s Top Stories:

UZBEK COURT FINES 4 U.S. ENGLISH TEACHERS FOR ‘MISSIONARY ACTIVITY’

Four Americans have been fined for “missionary activity” in the Central Asian republic of Uzbekistan. An Uzbek court fined the four English language teachers from the nonprofit group, Global Involvement Through Education, $400 each for “urging local students to change their traditional confession to a religion of Protestant character.” Uzbek President Islam Karimov, who has ruled the country for 17 years, tolerates no dissent and permits no religious activity, including Islam, outside of state-controlled institutions. Earlier this month police broke up meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses in seven Uzbek cities, arresting more than 100 local converts. (AgapePress/Associated Press)

CHANGES IN NEPAL’S POLITICAL SITUATION ENCOURAGE BELIEVERS

Nepal’s parliament met for the first time in four years, a testament to change and a step toward democracy. The political body’s key goal was to push for elections to a constituent assembly, a body that could redraw Nepal’s 1990 constitution and cut the powers of the king. It’s good news for those who’ve been squeezed between the rebel insurgency and government forces, says a representative of Mission to Unreached Peoples which has a team in Nepal. “We can’t travel as we need to,” she explains. “Often we’re caught at home or caught at the office and are unable to either go home or go to the office. So, there’s a lot of uncertainty when we’re trying to do our work.” The mission’s outreach involves health and community development, allowing team members to interact closely with the people they help. “We’ve seen some opportunities as well. You have some people who are feeling hopeless, and in a hopeless situation, hope shines brighter,” she says. The spokesperson urges prayer for believers who are caught in the crossfire. (Mission Network News)

Naseem Bibi, a Christian woman charged with desecrating a poster of Khana Kaba, the Muslim holy place in Saudi Arabia, was released from jail on bail Sunday, April 22, after posting surety bonds of 50,000 rupees (US$832). She and her family have taken refuge in Lahore for fear of attacks from Muslim extremists. Pakistan Christian Post reported that she was arrested on Friday, March 3, after being accused of desecrating the flyer. Bibi was quoted as saying, “On March 3 I was at my home and washing clothes. A protest march was passing in our street. My older daughter told me that Muslim protesters are making signs of the cross on the heap of garbage and hitting it with shoes. I could not control myself when I saw that Muslim protesters were desecrating the cross. I shouted and quarreled with them. They were in large numbers, and they started to beat me.” When police arrived, they freed Bibi from the protesters and sent her to jail. (Assist News Service)

NORWAY CONSIDERS DROPPING LUTHERANISM AS OFFICIAL RELIGION

Norway has opened hearings on whether to separate church and state after 469 years of Lutheranism as its official religion. Norway’s government currently funds the church and employs it bishops and clergy. But in January, the majority of a 20-member government panel recommended separation. No change could be made until at least 2014 because separating church and state would require a constitutional amendment approved by two successive parliaments. About 86 percent of Norwegians are listed as Church of Norway members, but registration is automatic at birth and many are inactive. Denmark also has a Lutheran state church. Sweden ended its Lutheran state church system in 2000. (AgapePress/Associated Press)

ANOTHER STUDY LINKS INCREASED LONGEVITY TO CHURCH ATTENDANCE

According to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, regular church attendance is an effective way to increase life expectancy. Specifically, people who attend a religious service on a weekly basis tend to prolong their life 1.8 to 3.1 years. In comparison, regular physical exercise prolongs life 3.0 to 5.1 years while proven therapeutic regimens add 2.1 to 3.7 years to a person’s life.

Since the study is a review of existing research, it doesn’t explain the link between faith and health. But Daniel Hall, leader of the study and a resident in general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, suggests that the social aspect of religion may have something to do with the results. “There is something about being knit into the type of community that religious communities embody that has a way of mediating a positive health effect,” Hall said. Therefore, being religiously active may decrease your stress level or increase your ability to cope with stress.

“Being in a religious community helps you make meaning out of your life,” he added. In addition to health data, Hall also examined the annual cost of these typical life-gaining activities. He found that people spend about $4,000 a year on physical exercise, $10,000 a year on therapy and $7,000 a year per household on contributions to religious institutions. “[Yet] there is no evidence that changing religious attendance causes a change in health outcomes,” Hall added. (AgapePress/AFA Journal)