INTERNATIONAL NEWS 21st August 2006

AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* WORLDWIDE PRAYER ALERT ISSUED FOR 22nd AUGUST

* AFGHANISTAN COULD APPROVE RETURN OF THE RELIGIOUS TALIBAN

* CHRISTIANS ANGER AT NEW CONVERSION LAW IN INDIA

* PAPUA NEW GUINEA SEEKS TO HEAL THE PAST

* MORE THAN 25,000 AMERICAN TEENAGERS RALLY AGAINST POP CULTURE

* HUGE CHILD PORN MARKET VICTIMISES YOUNGER CHILDREN

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WORLDWIDE PRAYER ALERT ISSUED FOR 22nd AUGUST

It is widely accepted that Iran encouraged the recent Middle-East conflict as a means, at least in part, of diverting the world’s attention away from its development of nuclear weapons. Commentators generally agree that Iran encouraged Hezbollah to attack Israel by kidnapping the two soldiers thus focusing the world’s attention on Israel and Lebanon and away from Iran. Iranian President Ahmadinejab is a man, strongly influenced by his deeply held Islamic convictions regarding “end time” revelations which is believed to be driving his policies and statements in relation to the destruction of Israel and America. Ultimately, Iran wants to rule the world and in the process destroy all that opposes Islam. In a recent Wall Street Journal editorial, Princeton’s Bernard Lewis wrote: “There is a radical difference between Iran and other governments with nuclear weapons. This difference is the apocalyptic worldview of Iran’s present rulers.” “In Islam, as in Judaism and Christianity, there are certain beliefs concerning the cosmic struggle at the end of time–Gog and Magog, anti-Christ, Armageddon; and for Shiite Muslims, the long awaited return of the Hidden Imam, ending in the final victory of the forces of good over evil, however these may be defined.” “President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his followers, clearly believe that this time is now, and that the terminal struggle has already begun and is indeed well advanced. It may even have a date, indicated by several references by the Iranian president to giving his final answer to the US about nuclear development by August 22, ‘which this year corresponds’ to the 27th day ofthe month of Rajab of the year 1427. This, by tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to ‘the farthest mosque,’ usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to Heaven and back (c.f., Koran XVII.1).” “This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel, and if necessary, of the world. It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for August 22, but it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind.” In explaining further the beliefs of the Iranian President, William Wagner, a professor at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, says, “A majority of Muslims believe the “12th Iman” or Mahdi, an Islamic messianic figure, was placed in hiding until the day of judgment. There is much dissent among Muslim factions as to where and when he will return. However, almost all Muslims agree that in order for this day to arrive, Israel must be destroyed. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been cited by various news sources as saying that not only does he believe in the eventual return of the Mahdi, but that the return is near and that it is the responsibility of the Iranian government to prepare the country for his return. To this end, Ahmadinejad has vowed to destroy Israel and to rid Iran of Christianity and all other offensive non-Islamic influences and practices. Persecution against Christians has increased under his direction. Without wanting to cause alarm, we must be prepared to counter, through prayer, any plans that may be in train for any events of this nature. Prayer Movements around the world have been placed on alert to ask members to pray leading up to that day, and on the day itself, and indeed in the days after, that any plans that Ahmadinejab or others may have to cause calamities in any part of the world would be brought to nought. It is possible that the recently discovered terrorist threat to blow up planes travelling between London and America could have been planned to take place on this day as part of this offensive. Source: International Prayer Movement

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AFGHANISTAN COULD APPROVE RETURN OF THE RELIGIOUS TALIBAN

Urgent prayer is needed for Afghanistan after Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his cabinet recently approved the possible return of Taliban’s religious police, which threatens women and Christians.

The government has announced plans to re-establish the notorious Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The Afghan Parliament, which has 351 members, including 68 women, will consider the proposal, which came from the country’s council of Muslim clerics, when it reconvenes later this summer. Until the Taliban’s five-year rule was ended by the U.S.-led coalition in late 2001, the virtue and vice ministry enforced numerous restrictions based on the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia law. Men were instructed to grow beards and women were forced to wear all-covering burqas, while girls’ schools, television and gambling were banned. Even kite-flying was considered a crime. Those who had violated the rules faced imprisonment and public beatings. Women were particularly affected by the religious police as they were publicly beaten for such arbitrary offences as wearing white shoes, showing their wrists or ankles or going outside their home without a male relative. Additionally, women were prevented from attending school, working, or being seen by a male physician, while women doctors and nurses were banned from working. During the Taliban era, women were also obliged to keep their faces covered. It is not clear what powers the proposed Vice and Virtue Department would have. The Minister for Haj and Religious Affairs, Nematullah Shahrani denied that the new department would have police powers, instead claiming that its duty would be to “tell people what is allowable and what is forbidden in Islam; through radio, television and special gatherings.” This proposal comes at an especially critical time for Afghan women and girls as the burning and bombing of girls’ schools has reached crisis proportions. Ahmed Rashid, an expert on the Taliban, recently wrote in the Washington Post that “…every single day somewhere in Afghanistan a girls’ school is burned down or a female teacher killed by the Taliban.” Many Afghan districts have closed all of their schools according to a recent Human Rights Watch Report. Analysts believe that President Karzai’s cabinet approved the proposal after facing considerable pressure from the country’s religious scholars, former mujahideen commanders and other extremist groups who hold strong positions in government. In a country that is almost totally Muslim, proselytism by other religions is considered to be against Islam, which the constitution defines as being the state religion. It states that “believers from other religions are free to profess and practice their faith within the limits established by the law.” The Catholic chapel inside the Italian Embassy in Kabul however is still the only non-Islamic place of worship officially recognized in the whole country. Please pray for: * the thwarting of a resurgence of the Taliban and the defeat of any proposal for the return of “religious police” that may be presented to the Afghan Parliament. * the handful of Christians in Afghanistan that they be able to worship without threats and for them to experience the truth of Jesus Christ’s words: “I will be with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). * Afghan women and girls to be protected from the Taliban and for the brutal attacks on them to stop immediately. * millions of Afghan Muslims to receive a life-transforming revelation of Jesus Christ and for them to have the freedom to worship God according to their conscience, not by a dictatorial government sponsored “Police” department. * thousands of house churches to be planted throughout Afghanistan over the next twelve months. Source: Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission

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CHRISTIANS ANGER AT NEW CONVERSION LAW IN INDIA

Christian groups have reacted strongly to a new law passed by the Indian state of Chhattisgarh which requires official approval of any religious conversion. They said they were prepared to take the case to India’s Supreme Court. The General Secretary of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, Arun Pannalal, said they hoped to persuade the governor to withhold assent. Mr Pannalal said the law contravened the fundamental rights of a citizen to freedom of thought and conscience.Speaking from Raipur, he told this reporter that Christian groups had employed a similar strategy in Rajasthan which led to the governor refusing to give his assent to a similar conversion bill. Chhattisgarh’s Christian population has remained less than 2% since the early 1960s. The bill has been amended to say that “returning to one’s forefather’s religion or his original religion will not be treated as conversion”. Many see this as a means to allow the continuance of programmes promoted by right-wing Hindu organisations to reconvert Christians to Hinduism. Source: Intercessors Network

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA SEEKS TO HEAL THE PAST

On 24th August 2006 a reconciliation event of special significance to the people of Papua New Guinea will occur on Mailu Island, in Amazon Bay east of Port Moresby. It will be held on the 400th anniversary of a massacre and kidnapping of people of that island by seamen under the command of Spanish explorer Torres. In 1606 the Spanish explorers de Quiros and Torres made an historic voyage across the Pacific Ocean. After discovering and naming Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu, de Quiros became separated from his other ships, leaving Torres to continue with the royal commission to find the fabulous southern continent that de Quiros had prematurely named in Vanuatu, “La Austrialia de L’Espiritu Santo”. Before he discovered the strait named after him Torres spent time exploring and charting the south-east coast of Papua New Guinea. As part of those activities a massacre of some of the local Magi people occurred on Mailu Island, and the Spaniards kidnapped 14 local children between the ages of 4 and 10 years to “Christianise” them. The current local Magi people are organising the reconciliation event and have invited the Spanish Ambassador in Canberra, the Prime Minister of PNG, and other dignitaries including bishops and church leaders to attend. Two women intercessors to represent Spain in identificational repentance are prepared to come (Maria from Spain, and Deborah from Sydney), as are people from the Cook Islands. Let us pray that the Lord would oversee all arrangements, so that the necessary cleansing of the land and reconciliation may occur through the name and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Source: Australian Indigenous Prayer Network

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MORE THAN 25,000 AMERICAN TEENAGERS RALLY AGAINST POP CULTURE

American teenagers are once again challenging societal norms. Only this time, the young rebels are “sick and tired of pop culture telling us it’s cool to sleep around, dress like tramps, get high on drugs and alcohol, and behave badly,” said 18-year-old Amanda Hughey. “Life is not MTV.” MTV is profoundly influential in the lives of its young fans by glamorizing drug and alcohol use, sexual promiscuity, and violent behaviour; 80% of 15 to 17-year-olds in America have had multiple hard-core porn exposures; 8,000 teenagers contract an STD every day. “Teenagers have had enough!” said Ron Luce, founder of Teen Mania, which is advancing the BattleCry message – a national movement of hundreds of thousands of teenagers who, fuelled by their Christian faith, are taking a stand against pop-culture. BattleCry believes culture is contributing to the spread of STDs, drug abuse, violence, and suicide among teens. Integrating high-voltage live stadium events (produced primarily by teens), interactive teen-inspired Web technology, and a powerful coalition of youth and adults, BattleCry is inspiring, empowering, and equipping teens to value godly character over culture. Source: Religion Today

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HUGE CHILD PORN MARKET VICTIMISES YOUNGER CHILDREN

The “shockingly huge consumer market” for child pornography is increasingly cantered around very young children, some as young as 18 months old, according to the chairman of a group dedicated to preventing the exploitation of children. During a news conference in Washington, D.C., Baron Daniel Cardon de Lichtbuer, chairman of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) said there are currently only five countries on earth that sufficiently outlaw child pornography — Australia, Belgium, France, South Africa and the United States. ICMEC states that 95 countries have no laws against child pornography and another 63 have inadequate laws to combat child porn. Ernie Allen, president and CEO of the ICMEC pointed to the use of home computer technology as having revolutionized the distribution of these images by increasing the ease of dissemination and decreasing the cost of production and distribution, especially across international borders,” According to ICMEC, child pornography has become a multi-billion dollar industry, and is among the fastest growing businesses on the Internet. There is a growing phenomenon, in which the victims of child pornographers are younger and younger. “It is no longer the case of a 14 year old girl, or a 6 year old boy, but of an 18 month old baby,” he said. According to ICMEC, 83 percent of individuals arrested for possessing child pornography had images of children six to 12 years old, 39 percent had images of children three to five years old and 19 percent had images of infants and toddlers under the age of three.

Source: CNSNews.com

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