Unmarried parents and broken homes
Nearly half of the children born today will be living in broken homes by the age of 16. The sharp increase in unmarried couples having children is to blame for the rise in parental separation rates, a study from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) claimed. The report calls for a major shift in policy to reassert the ‘vital’ importance of marriage as a more stable form of commitment than cohabitation. It followed concerns from Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, that society pays a 'heavy price' for separation, in terms of the cost of crimes committed by children from broken homes, lost taxes and rising benefit bills. In 1980 there were one million single parents, but this has now doubled. Mr Duncan Smith, who founded the CSJ, has suggested that the true cost of family breakdown to the UK economy, including benefits, lost taxes and crime, was up to £100 billion a year.
Pray: that the nation reasserts the bedrock of family to be in Christian marriage. (Job 21:19)
UK considering ban on US pastor
The American preacher who had planned a mass burning of the Koran on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks could be banned from entering Britain under incitement and national security laws. Theresa May, Home Office minister, said that she is ‘actively looking’ at the case. A previously obscure preacher, Jones gained infamy through his effort, later cancelled, to burn the Koran. Anti-racism campaigners deplore the idea of such a visit and say it will only breed hatred and violence. The US pastor said that he had been invited to address a rally in February in Luton, which has a significant Muslim minority, being organised by English Defence League (EDL), a far-right group, about ‘the evils and destructiveness of Islam’. The EDL has emerged in the past couple of years to oppose what it calls the spread of Islam, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in England. Its opponents say the group is racist and stages violent protests.
Pray: for wise counsels, inspired by the Lord, to prevail in this case. (Job 12:13)
More: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/12/20101212224043670608.html
Intolerance against Christians highlighted by report
A major new report into the increasing levels of discrimination faced by Christians in Europe has been launched in Vienna. The report, produced by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe highlights the growing trend towards marginalising Christians from the public square. The paper gives examples of attacks on freedom of religion and freedom of conscience, including moves in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to force doctors to perform abortions against their conscience. The launch coincided with a conference sponsored by The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on freedom of conscience and religion. The document also refers to attacks on freedom of expression, such as the Spanish Government imposing a €100,000 fine on a Christian TV network for running a series of advertisements in favour of the family and opposing the homosexual lifestyle.
Pray: that this report's findings will lead to understanding and acceptance of Christian values. (Ps.147:5)
Intolerance against Christians highlighted by report
A major new report into the increasing levels of discrimination faced by Christians in Europe has been launched in Vienna. The report, produced by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe highlights the growing trend towards marginalising Christians from the public square. The paper gives examples of attacks on freedom of religion and freedom of conscience, including moves in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to force doctors to perform abortions against their conscience. The launch coincided with a conference sponsored by The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on freedom of conscience and religion. The document also refers to attacks on freedom of expression, such as the Spanish Government imposing a €100,000 fine on a Christian TV network for running a series of advertisements in favour of the family and opposing the homosexual lifestyle.
Pray: that this report's findings will lead to understanding and acceptance of Christian values. (Ps.147:5)
