NIGERIA: Islamic and secular laws clash in Senate
Many Nigerians are enraged, wondering how a senator notorious for marrying a 14-year-old girl can use Shariah law as an excuse to filibuster a constitutional amendment that has sparked a debate on the age of consent for girls. Since the country's secular and Islamic laws clashed in the upper house of Parliament last week, concerned citizens are using petitions, protests and social networks to demand the Senate revisit the issue. ‘Every Nigerian should bow his or her head in shame because instead of crushing the head of the lustful beast that seeks to fornicate with our children, to steal their virtues and to destroy their future, what the Senate did the other day was to compromise with and cater for the filthy appetites and godless fantasies of a bunch of child molesters and sexual predators,’ Femi Fani-Kayode (a traditional chief and former Cabinet minister) fumed in a letter to The Vanguard newspaper on Monday.
Pray: for the age of consent to remain at 18 in Nigeria and an end to the practice of forcing underage girls into marriage. (Jer.22:16-17)
More: http://www.kwqc.com/story/22902103/islamic-and-secular-laws-clash-in-nigerias-senate
USA: Mainline churches no longer support Israel
At a conference in Washington where thousands of Christians met to Support Israel Texas Senator Ted Cruz said he and other Christians need to do a better job of explaining why support for Israel helps protect the USA and if the U.S. won't stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons Israel will. He added that the U.S. should support Israel unequivocally and Christians should pray that the Palestinians would renounce violence. New York Rabbi Shlomo Riskin referred to Jews and Christians as God's children and grandchildren and thanked the thousands of mostly evangelical Christians attending the summit for demonstrating God's love. Executive director of Christians United for Israel, lamented that America's mainline churches no longer support Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the group on Wednesday by satellite.
Pray: that more people would recognise the danger for Israel as the winds of war blow across the Middle East. (Jer.31:9-11)
More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/Religion-Roundup/#1
World: How some financiers view the British Isles
Some excerpts from an American Financial Report - ‘In 2005 we began warning about Britain’s dangerous debt burden. The Financial Times and Daily Mail couldn't refute our research but they weren't ready to accept the enormity of its conclusions.’ And ‘Despite David Cameron’s talk of austerity he’s going to add an estimated £700 billion to the national debt in five years. That’s more than Tony Blair and Gordon Brown added to the national debt in eleven years.’ Looking at UK finances as a whole the Coalition isn’t cutting anything. State spending, national debt and interest payments are all going up. By 2015 UK national debt is estimated to be almost £1.4 trillion.’ Wednesday 24th July’s Guardian reported, ‘the debt to GDP ratio in the Eurozone has reached a new record of 92.2% as high unemployment, tumbling trade flows and a prolonged recession in the single currency bloc take their toll. - The UK's ratio is the seventh largest in the EU, at 88.2%, level-pegging with Spain.’ Source: ukpublicspending.co.uk
Pray: for the UK’s bankers, financiers, commerce and industry leaders humbly to know God’s way forward and wisely and honestly to appraise 2013’s financial challenges. (2Ch.7:14)
Central Africa Republic: Seleka v Christians
CAR is 76% Christian. The Seleka rebels who seized power in an orgy of violence earlier this year are Arabic-speaking Muslims. Their victims are Christian. Despite their poverty the rebels wear brand new military uniforms, drive new pickups and brandish new weapons. Amongst their number are janjaweed from Darfur, Sudan, and jihadis from Mali and Northern Nigeria. The following are extracts from a recent letter Bangui Blog. ‘Since the ‘Seleka’ coalition took power our country has regressed by a century. Everything has been destroyed, devastated and plundered. Total insecurity rules. We don't sleep at night because of sporadic shooting. They are everywhere in the town and drive at great speed with heavy weapons in their vehicles. Their number is estimated to be 20,000 men. Can you imagine? It is total anarchy and hysteria.’ Christian organisations looted by rebels are attempting to provide help, See: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bible.society.office.ransacked.in.central.african.republic/33282.htm
Pray: for governments to step into this humanitarian emergency and for NGO’s to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Pray that the rights and needs of the poor will be met. (Prov.31:8-9 & Mat.25:45) More:
http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/central-african-republic-car-churches.html
