AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* ANGER OVER FIRST BRITISH TV ABORTION ADVERTISEMENT

* FURTHER WAVE OF DEPORTATIONS HIT FOREIGN CHRISTIANS IN
MOROCCO

* INDIAN HINDUS THREATEN TO DRIVE AWAY CHRISTIANS

* SAMARITAN’S PURSE STAFF ABDUCTED IN THE SUDAN

* PREGNANT WOMAN TOLD SHE WAS CARRYING HANDICAPPTED TWINS REFUSES ABORTION

* TEXAS SCHOOL BOARD D RETURNS BALANCE TO SOCIAL STUDIES
CURRICULUM

———————————————–

ANGER OVER FIRST
BRITISH TV ABORTION ADVERTISEMENT

The head of the Christian Legal Centre (CLC) has condemned the first
ever TV advertisement for abortion services. Marie Stopes made TV
history when it advertises its abortion services on Channel 4
recently. The advert asks ‘Are you late?’, referring to women who may
have missed a period. It will run throughout June. It is being
broadcast as part of a wider campaign by the registered charity to
 ¢â‚¬Å“confront the taboo of abortion ¢â‚¬ . The plans have upset pro-life and
Christian groups, who are considering legal action to halt the
broadcast of the advert.
While commercial abortion clinics are prohibited from advertising on
TV by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), the ban
does not cover not-for-profit abortion providers like Marie Stopes.
The CLC believes the ban should be extended to Marie Stopes as it
charges for its private services and the advert refers to its
commercial 24 hour helpline. BCAP is charged with drawing up
advertising codes, which then form the basis upon which the
Advertising Standards Authority regulates advertisements.
A draft code, due to come into force in September, states:
 ¢â‚¬Å“Advertisements for commercial post-conception advice services are
not acceptable. ¢â‚¬  The CLC warned that BCAP ¢â‚¬â„¢s interpretation of
advertising codes has  ¢â‚¬Å“severely narrowed ¢â‚¬  the scope of the
prohibitions in place. CLC director Andrea Minichiello-Williams said
family planning was a multi-million pound industry that  ¢â‚¬Å“should not
be aided by TV advertising ¢â‚¬ . She said:  ¢â‚¬Å“It is entirely unsatisfactory
that these adverts take place, based on a very narrow reading of the
term  ¢â‚¬Ëœcommercial ¢â‚¬â„¢.
 ¢â‚¬Å“Members of the public will be enraged that such adverts are allowed
to be beamed into their living rooms, especially as early as 10.10pm,
when very many teenagers are around.  ¢â‚¬Å“The notion that the destruction
of human life can be advertised freely on TV as a service is
outrageous and we will do all we can to stop the advert from being
aired. ¢â‚¬  Around 200,000 abortions take place in the UK each year.
Marie Stopes earns around  £30m a year from the NHS for carrying out
abortions.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales also hit out at
the TV advert. Abortion is not a consumer service. To present it as
such erodes respect for life and is highly misleading and damaging to
women, who may feel pressured into making a quick decision, which can
never be revoked,” they said. “Moreover, to allow the broadcasting
advertising of abortion-referral services is, in effect, to allow the
exploitative promotion of these services and is not in the interests
of the health or psychological well-being of women.

Source: Christian
Today

———————————————–

FURTHER WAVE OF
DEPORTATIONS HIT FOREIGN CHRISTIANS IN MOROCCO

In a second wave of deportations from Morocco, officials of the
majority-Muslim country have expelled 26 foreign Christians in the
last 10 days. Following the expulsion of more than 40 foreign
Christians in March, the deportations were apparently the result of
Muslim hardliners pressuring the nation ¢â‚¬â„¢s royalty to show Islamic
solidarity. The latest deportations bring the number of Christians
who have had to leave Morocco to about 105 since early March.
Christians are calling it a calculated effort to purge
the country, of all Christian elements  ¢â‚¬“ both foreign and
national.
According to Moroccan law, foreigners who have lived in the country
more than 10 years cannot be deported unless they are accused of a
crime. They have the right to appeal their deportation within 48
hours. With only hours ¢â‚¬â„¢ notice and forced escort to the country ¢â‚¬â„¢s
exit ports, almost none of the deportees have been able to lodge an
appeal. Most deportations occur over the weekends, when the courts
are closed. Police arrest and intimidate suspects before manhandling
them out of the country. Many are not even able to say goodbye to
loved ones or even to pack a bag.
With the exception of three foreigners, in none of the forced
deportations did authorities produce an official deportation order.
In most cases, foreigners were presented with a document in Arabic
for them to sign that stated that they  ¢â‚¬Å“understood ¢â‚¬  that they were
being deported. One foreigner was forced to the airport, and when he
resisted he was forcibly drugged and sent to his native country. Many
of the deportees were the male breadwinners of the family so must now
work out how to reunify their family.
Deportation orders are coming from the Ministry of Interior, and
speculation on the reason for the sudden spike in expulsions has
cantered on the arrival of a new, hard-line Muslim interior director
in January. Moroccan officials have cited  ¢â‚¬Å“proselytism ¢â‚¬  as the reason
for the deportations. On April 12 local media reported that 7,000
Muslim leaders signed a document describing the work of Christians
within Morocco as  ¢â‚¬Å“religious terrorism. ¢â‚¬  The statement from the
religious leaders came amid a nationwide campaign to vilify
Christians in Morocco.
Local Christians have reported to sources outside of Morocco that
attitudes towards them, which used to be more tolerant, have also
shifted as a result of the extremist-led campaign, and some are
experiencing family and societal pressure and discrimination as well.
Moroccan friends of Christian foreigners have been asking why they
are being deported for their faith. By breaking their own laws, they
have opened the lid on the reality of the life of Christ. ¢â‚¬  There are
an estimated 1,000 Moroccan Christian converts. About 99% of
Morocco’s population is Muslim.

Source: Intercessors
Network

———————————————–

INDIAN HINDUS
THREATEN TO DRIVE AWAY CHRISTIANS

Hindu nationals have announced plans to eradicate Christianity from
Madhya Pradesh state in preparation for a reconversion event
scheduled for 2011. The goal is “to drive away Christian pastors,
evangelists and foreign aidworkers from the district.” More than 100
Hindu extremists recently gathered for a ceremony in Mandla to
announce their plan. They stated that a kumbh (a holy Hindu
assembly) would be staged in February 2011 and said they are hoping
for 2 million participants.
Previous kumbhs have resulted in attacks against Christians,
beatings, destruction of homes and churches, and even the desecration
of graveyards. The pre-kumbh meeting in May motivated at least one
assault on Believers. Hate speech and vows to “cleanse” the region of
Christians inspired an attack on Bamhni Banjar. “This is a
repercussion of the inaugural pledges revived by the Hindu
community,” one pastor said. “The mob was carrying deadly weapons
like knives and rods.” Police reportedly dispersed the group, but
there were no arrests.
Hindu extremists have repeatedly accused Christians of forcing Hindus
to convert and of paying them to follow Jesus. “How much have these
Christians paid you?” some of them have asked new Believers. “We
will pay you double the amount for returning back to Hinduism.” Local
police have refused to provide security for persecuted Believers.
“…Violence against Christians in Madhya Pradesh state signals a
major onslaught in the offing,” one of the state’s Christian leaders
warned.

Please pray for:
* the protection of our Brothers and Sisters throughout India, but
especially in Madhya Pradesh. Pray for the Lord to put a hedge
around them and guard them against every evil attack – physical and
spiritual. Pray that Believers would take refuge in the Lord, rest
in His peace, and remain faithful to Jesus Christ.
* the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of Hindus, removing the veil
of lies that keep them from knowing the Truth of Jesus Christ. Pray
for them to see the love of the Lord in the words and actions of
Christians. Pray for key leaders of the extremist groups to encounter
the Living Christ. Pray for them to be transformed and to become
witnesses who will boldly declare the Gospel.
* the planned reconversion event to be a complete failure. Pray for
a loss of interest and poor attendance. Pray for the Good News to be
proclaimed throughout India, setting the captives free to know and
love Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Pray for the Kingdom of God to
come to Madya Pradesh and spread like wildfire throughout all of
India.

Source: Windows International
Network

———————————————–

SAMARITAN’S PURSE
STAFF ABDUCTED IN THE SUDAN

Three Samaritan’s Purse staff members, two Sudanese men and a
Californian woman, were abducted in the Darfur region of Sudan on
Tuesday, May 18, 2010. The attackers were armed and apparently
ambushed the team, taking them and their vehicles into custody.
Darfur is the site of a long-running civil war that has displaced
millions and resulted in the genocide of hundreds of thousands.

Although it is an extremely dangerous area, Christian humanitarian
agencies have been providing much needed relief to those who have
been left homeless and are living in primitive refugee camps.Since
2001, Samaritan’s Purse has supplied almost $84 million in assistance
that includes medicines, clean water, food and shelter. Samaritan’s
Purse president, Franklin Graham, is asking for the “prayers of
people from around the world for a quick resolution and the safe
return” of the three staff members.
STOP PRESS: The two Sudanese male staff members have now been
released. Please continue to pray for the woman still missing.

PRAY FOR:
* the immediate and safe return of the remaining Samaritan’s Purse
team member. Pray for the Lord to give her peace and joy in the
presence of her enemies. Pray for the abductors to be convicted of
their sin by the Holy Spirit and to release their last captive. Pray
for their salvation.
* protection for other Christian agencies working in this war-torn
region. Pray for the Lord to give them wisdom, discernment and
understanding. Pray for an end to the ongoing conflict in Darfur –
forgiveness and reconciliation between people groups. Pray for the
Lord to provide for those who have been displaced, lost homes and
loved ones, and are struggling to survive in refugee camps.
* the Kingdom of God to come to Sudan, toppling the strongholds of
Islam, violence and racial hatred and introducing the righteousness,
peace and joy of the Holy Spirit.

Source: Windows International
Network

———————————————–

PREGNANT WOMAN TOLD SHE WAS CARRYING HANDICAPPTED TWINS REFUSES ABORTION

About two years ago,when doctors informed mother-to-be Bobbie
McIlwain that the twins she was carrying were handicapped, they
proceeded to encourage her to have an abortion. Bobbie and her
husband Jeff, however, refused to even consider it.”I was determined
that God had handpicked my babies for me, that these were the ones I
was meant to have,” said Bobbie. According to reports the McIlwain’s
were able to endure the dire warnings only with the help of their
faith and their family. ”
I’m not going to lie,” she said.”My decision to carry the babies was
easy, but my daily walk was not. I thought if I had to smile at just
one more person and tell them I was fine, I was going to pull my hair
out. You’ll find that everyone has an opinion, and always wants to
tell you what is best for you, and what is best for the world. I
would smile and just say thank you.” Determined to remain upbeat,
despite the increasing pressure and dire warnings from her doctors as
her due date drew closer, Bobbie said she had to deny herself any
pity parties.
“I had to remember to tell myself do not tell God how big your storm
is, but tell the storm how big your God is. Eventually Emily Grace
and Ava Marie were born. Though Emily was born with a bilateral cleft
lip and an incomplete palate, surgeries have corrected it. Ava Marie
was born perfectly healthy with no signs of Down syndrome.” Said
Bobbie “The tests were wrong, the doctors were wrong, the genetic
counsellor was wrong,” she said of her pregnancy ordeal, “but my God
was right. If I let Him lead, He would show me the way. And He did.”

Source: Newcastle (UK) News

———————————————–

TEXAS SCHOOL BOARD RETURNS BALANCE TO SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM

The Texas State Board of Education has approved new public school
curriculum standards for social studies courses that put more
emphasis on the role of Christianity in society, in government and in
history. Opponents of the proposed new textbook guidelines say the
revision is a vehicle to impose and promote political and religious
ideology upon millions of public school students. Supporters of the
new curriculum, however, say it is those opposed to Christianity who
have been trying to rewrite the history books.
 ¢â‚¬Å“The fringe left want unlimited control over what students learn, to
radically change the worldview of our next generation by
distorting history, ¢â‚¬  claimed faith-based legal group Liberty
Institute. As Texas is the second-largest textbook market in the
country, the new curriculum is expected to influence publishers and
thus the textbooks used in classrooms nationwide.

Source: The Christian
Post

Home