HCJB World Radio spolu s Back of the Bible vysílají křesťanské programy v turkmenštině. Vysílání bylo zahájeno v roce 2001 a od roku 2003 se vysílá denně.

Baptists in the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan continue to face pressure from authorities. On Saturday, Dec. 17, officials with the Ministry of State Security (secret police) entered a meeting of the Turkmen-speaking registered Baptist church in Deynau in the northeastern Lebap region. Seven church members were holding a house group meeting when a police officer, a public prosecutor and a local imam raided the house of a recent convert to Christianity. During the raid, the secret police officer and prosecutor started shouting and threatening the Christians and began searching the house (without a search warrant) for religious literature. Two Christians had their personal Bibles confiscated. Later the seven congregants were taken to the public prosecutor’s office where they were again threatened and insulted. Officials told the Baptists that local authorities should hold public meetings in villages to name Christians and denounce them as traitors. The officials also threatened one woman with expulsion from her rented apartment. The detainees were forced to justify their actions in writing before being released. (Forum 18 News Service)

* HCJB World Radio works in partnership with Back to the Bible to air Christian programs in the Turkmen language. Broadcasts began in 2001 and have been aired daily since 2003.

SWEDEN’S HIGHEST COURT ACQUITS PASTOR OF HATE SPEECH

The Swedish Supreme Court, in a unanimous, precedent-setting decision, Tuesday, Nov. 29, acquitted Pastor Ake Green of charges of “hate speech” arising from a sermon he preached in July 2003 denouncing homosexual behaviors, reported the Lawyers Christian Fellowship in London. Green was initially convicted under Sweden’s hate crimes law, enacted in 2003, which makes illegal any expressions of “disrespect” or “incitement towards a group of people,” including groups with “sexual inclinations.” Green had been convicted and sentenced by a lower court in 2004. In a 16-page ruling, the Supreme Court said his sermon was protected by freedom of speech and religion under the European Convention on Human Rights. “We believe that it is probable that a conviction against Pastor Green would not hold up in the European Court of Justice,” said Supreme Court Justice Johan Munck. The Lawyers Christian Fellowship said the decision to acquit Green is “very positive, setting a standard for the right to religious freedom and right to freedom of expression.” (Assist News Service)

UPDATE: CONVICTED PASTOR, RELATIVES GRANTED SECOND TRIAL IN CHINA

Pastor Cai Zhuohua and two other Christian relatives who were found guilty in a Chinese court Tuesday, Nov. 8, of “illegal business practices” were summoned to appear at a second trial on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Reasons for granting the second trial are still obscure. A fourth member of the family, Hu Jinyun, was also asked to appear, although she escaped sentencing in the first trial. A new verdict is expected on Tuesday, Dec. 20, reported the China Aid Association (CAA). Charges against Cai, his wife, Xiao Yunfei, and her brother, Xiao Gaowen, were filed after public security officials raided a warehouse containing more than 237,000 copies of the Bible and other religious publications in September 2004. During the first trial, defense lawyers argued that the books were printed for free distribution throughout house church networks and should not be considered a “profit-making” venture as alleged by the government. The judge rejected these arguments and sentenced Cai to three years in prison, his wife to two years and her brother to 18 months. A key source told CAA that members of the State Security Bureau and Public Security Bureau interrogated Cai almost 90 times from September 2004 to October 2005. These interrogation sessions were often held at midnight. (Compass)

CHRISTIANS IN NEPAL FACE ONGOING DANGER IN SPITE OF CEASE-FIRE

Maoist rebels have extended a unilateral cease-fire in Nepal, hoping this will allow for negotiations in the 10-year-old conflict in the Himalayan nation. Despite the cease-fire, government forces have continued to fight, causing problems for national Christians, says Rody Rodeheaver of IN Network. “Many of our people are right in the middle of where the government and Maoist guerrillas are engaged,” he said. “So it’s been a very difficult time for them. It’s curtailed a lot of their movements.” Rodeheaver says some Christians have been accused of being spies and have been killed by both sides. Despite the violence, the Christians are focused. “In the midst of all of this they are working diligently to share the gospel in any way they can,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity because in times like this people ask the hard questions that are answered by the truth of the gospel and so our people are willing to be there and share.” (Mission Network News)

SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO LAUNCHES CHRISTIAN TALK CHANNEL

A new Christian Talk channel featuring FamilyNet programming has been launched. FamilyNet, the broadcast arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, and SIRIUS Satellite announced that they have launched Christian Talk exclusively on SIRIUS. The new channel airs FamilyNet’s most popular programs, including preaching from some of the nation’s top pastors, innovative radio-specific programs, and leading evangelical talk personalities. Christian Talk is the companion to SIRIUS’ Christian music programming. “It is a goal for SIRIUS to offer the most comprehensive Christian programming,” said Scott Greenstein, president of SIRIUS Entertainment and Sports. “We welcome FamilyNet’s popular talk programming as the perfect complement to our Christian music offerings.” (Assist News Service)

© Copyright 2005 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, USA

The government of Kyrgyzstan is tightening its grip on religious freedom since a successful coup in March, and Bridge International reports that Christians are ready for the change. “There is a lot of pressure on the Christian leaders,” said Bridge spokesperson R.K. Ulrich. “There is a risk by a large group, by the Muslims [and even the] Orthodox Church to see that the evangelical church is muzzled.” Ulrich recently returned from the region, and she says the church is ready. “They are not at all discouraged. They’re just bracing for the fact that, yes, it’s going to be tougher. They’re training their people for the fact that they’re going to have to stand up and be counted.” Ulrich says if pressure is put on the church, it will only grow. “You’ve seen that historically that when there is a lot of pressure coming from the outside coming on the church, it will grow.” (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio is bringing words of hope and encouragement to people across Central Asia via radio. Together with partners, Christian broadcasts go out in languages such as Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek, Southern Uzbek and Urdu.

INDONESIAN OFFICIALS TO REVISE LAW REGULATING PLACES OF WORSHIP

Following the closure of scores of churches in the past two years, the Indonesian government is revising a controversial law that regulates places of worship. But Christian leaders fear the changes would do little to keep Muslim communities from blocking or shutting down churches. The original 1969 decree requires all religious groups to apply for permits before setting up a place of worship. Neighbors in the immediate vicinity of a proposed church, mosque or Hindu temple must give their consent before a permit is granted. Under proposed revisions, community members would be given even greater power to determine whether a church could be established as an “inter-faith forum,” mirroring the religious make-up of the village and province, before it could get approval to apply for a permit. “If it comes down to a vote, Muslim leaders will influence others to vote against churches,” warned Father Antonius Benny Susetyo, a spokesman for the Indonesian Bishops’ Council. (Compass)

* HCJB World Radio has worked with local partners to establish more than 12 local Christian radio stations across Indonesia since 2004. Broadcasts from HCJB World Radio-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra also encourage listeners nationwide. In addition, HCJB World Radio has helped with relief efforts since the Dec. 26 earthquake/tsunami and subsequent quakes that have devastated parts of Indonesia.

POLICE IN INDONESIA URGE CHURCHES TO PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS ATTACKS

Police have urged churches in and around the Indonesian city of Solo to dig holes for disposing of suspicious objects that might be bombs, an officer said amid fears of Christmas-related attacks. Police across the world’s most populous Muslim country have been stepping up security measures ahead of the yearend holidays to avoid a repeat of 2000 Christmas Eve bombings of churches in several Indonesian cities which killed 19 people. “I urged churches, especially those in villages, to dig holes to throw away suspicious objects that might be bombs,” Solo Police Chief Abdul Madjid told Reuters. For inner city churches with nowhere to dig, “I order them to make bomb baskets,” he said, referring to large metal drums the police bomb squad uses for defusing explosives. “This is an anticipatory act. Who knows; there might be a pack of bombs,” Madjid said. Officers had been assigned to guard more than 60 churches in the city, and priests were asked to tell congregations to bring only “essential items” to Christmas events such as Bibles and hymnbooks, and not carry backpacks, he said. (WorldWide Religious News/Reuters)

FIRST CHRISTIAN JOURNALISM COURSE OF ITS KIND LAUNCHED IN U.K.

With the aim to equip Christian believers to make an impact in the secular media, the first Christian journalism course of its kind in the U.K. has been launched. Set up by Cleland Thom Journalism Training Services, the coursework is done online with full tutorial support and carries with it the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ qualification. The course leads to the National Council for the Training of Journalists qualifications and will enable those who take the course to follow God’s call into a career in journalism. “That could be on a local paper, or even a national one. Or you could end up working on a magazine, radio station or a website. Or working for yourself as a freelance, or for the Christian press,” said Thom in a website report. The course usually takes about one year to complete. Cleland Thom has been a journalist for more than 30 years and is a member of the Society of Editors. He trains staff at The Manchester Evening News, The Liverpool Post and Echo, The Birmingham Post and Mail, and many other media outlets. (Assist News Service)

PAKISTANI BELIEVERS HOLD DAY TO PROTEST ATTACK BY MUSLIM MOB

Pakistani believers are observing a day of “Protest, Prayers and Fasting” today, signifying the completion of 40 days of mourning for the recent tragedies in the Punjabi town of Sangla Hill when announcements were made in mosques urging Muslims to attack Christians.

“This day [is being] observed to condemn the lawlessness and intolerance in the name of religion and the callous attitude of authorities for not arresting the real culprits, “ said Shahbaz Bhatti, chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance in a news release.

The incidents revolved around a Christian man, Yousaf Masih, who was falsely accused of desecrating the Koran. Following the urging of local Islamic leaders, a mob of approximately 5,000 Muslims attacked Christians with weapons, gasoline, flammable chemicals, sticks and batons.

At the insistence of a variety of Sangla Hill’s community leaders, an official finally visited the site of the incident six days after it occurred. He promised to launch an immediate official inquiry into what happened.

Christians living in Sangla Hill are concerned because of the ongoing atmosphere of fear and insecurity. “Discriminatory laws such as blasphemy laws, a major tool for creating disharmony should be repealed, and reconciliation efforts between people of different faith should be made to eliminate violence in the name of religion,” Bhatti said. (Religion Today/Assist News Service)

© Copyright 2005 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, CO USA

Unknown attackers set fire to the Beth Eden Protestant Church in Manado, Indonesia, on the night of Thursday, Dec. 8. There were no injuries even though Pastor Stephen Liow and his family were living in the building which received extensive damage. Liow told Asia News that he had been receiving anonymous calls in the past few months from people threatening to burn down the church building. The Christmas season in Indonesia has often been a time of suffering for Christians who are targeted by Islamic militants. Due to the heightened threat of terrorism, thousands of police officers have been put on alert. A police spokesman said, “Churches and other worship buildings have become our top security priority along with entertainment centers and shopping compounds.” (Voice of the Martyrs)

MILITANTS THREATEN TO ERADICATE CHRISTIANITY IN VILLAGE OF INDIA

Tensions remained high Tuesday, Dec. 20, in a village of western India’s Maharashtra state where an angry mob attacked Christian converts in a campaign to “eradicate Christianity,” investigators said. The Washington, D.C.-based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC), reported that an attack in the village of Bivsi Dabhadi Saturday, Dec. 10, was the second in as many months. “The village head [wants] to eradicate Christianity from the village,” ICC said. In the latest violence, four villagers, including the village head, tried to attack a convert identified as Dhakya Laksya Bhavar. “The attackers came with sticks, stones and sickles to beat the convert, but he managed to escape.” Although Bhavar “promptly lodged a police complaint,” the police had not arrested any of the attackers. (Religion Today/BosNewsLife)

INDIA’S LOWEST CLASS HELPS SPREAD GOSPEL TO THE HIGHEST CLASS

Bibles for the World is reaching India’s leaders with the gospel through the countries most oppressed class. The majority of people coming to Christ in India are from the Dalit caste, the lowest caste of society. The country’s 300 million Dalits are often known as “untouchables.” Bibles for the World is mailing Bibles that are going into the homes of doctors, lawyers and business people that missionaries can’t reach. The blessing is that new Dalit believers are doing the work. “Our native evangelists and pastors are making disciples of these new believers,” said Mawii Pudaite of Bibles for the World. “When we bring them together they also have the opportunity to have an hour or more as needed to teach them the Word of God. And then, they in turn go home and tell their families and start a little house church. . . . Isn’t it interesting the untouchable outcasts, whom they can’t even employ inside their homes are now wrapping these Bibles for the elite.” (Mission Network News)

* Radio programs in 12 languages (English, Urdu, Hindi, Nepali, Chattisgarhi, Bangla, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telegu, Marwari, Marathi and Santhali) air to India from HCJB World Radio-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra. The programs are produced at the ministry’s studios in New Delhi, India.

BELIEVERS URGED TO KEEP PRAYING AS PERSECUTION INCREASES WORLDWIDE

Open Doors USA is celebrating 50 years of ministry by encouraging believers to acknowledge the persecution of brothers and sisters who are being tortured, imprisoned and even killed for their belief in Jesus Christ as well as those who are suffering from natural disasters.

The ministry has launched an ongoing Prayer Campaign for North Korea as a result of the estimated 400,000 Christians in North Korea facing daily persecution, including torture in prison camps which put the country at the top of Open Doors’ 2005 World Watch List of countries where persecution is most severe for the third consecutive year.

In Indonesia, Christians were killed and churches burned. Three Christian women (Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti and Ratna Bangun) were arrested for running a “Happy Sunday” program for children. Muslim fundamentalists protested that they were proselytizing Muslim children and as a result the three were convicted and sentenced to three years in prison.

In the East African country of Eritrea, 26 pastors and 1,700 evangelical church members are imprisoned and some have been tortured by government military forces. That’s double the total imprisoned from a year ago. Open Doors responded to the increased persecution by launching an E-Petition Campaign for Eritrea which urges the U.S. Congress and the Department of State to work to put a stop to the persecution.

In response to the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami in Southeast Asia, Open Doors launched a $2-million relief campaign called “Wave of Hope” to support and strengthen partner churches in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. In the past year Open Doors brought hope in the midst of suffering by providing shelter, rebuilding churches, trauma counseling, funding livelihood projects and replacing lost Bibles and study materials. The ministry also sent emergency aid to Pakistan which suffered from a devastating earthquake on Oct. 8. (Assist News Service)

STUDY: FAITH-BASED PROGRAMS REDUCE INMATE VIOLENCE IN U.S.

And independent study of inmates at Mississippi State Penitentiary concludes that religion can reduce the incidence of antisocial behavior in prison, making faith-based programs an attractive alternative to expensive correctional treatment. The study, published in the Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion, reports that believing in a higher power, attending worship services regularly and participating in faith-based prison programs directly reduces inmate arguments that typically result in fights. Studies have also shown that treatment programs focusing on literacy, general equivalency diplomas and college training, and recovery from substance abuse are promising, but are expensive in comparison to faith-based programs. (Religion Today/Washington Times)

© Copyright 2005 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, CO USA

The father of a Pakistani Christian tortured to death by Muslim seminary students in 2004 has requested police protection after receiving death threats for refusing to drop charges against his son’s attackers. Pervez Masih and his lawyer appealed to Judge Mohammed Javed Iqbal for protection from radical Muslim clerics at a hearing Thursday, Dec. 15, in the Punjabi town of Toba Tek Singh. Islamists have stepped up pressure on Masih since the re-arrest last month of Maulvi Ghulam Rasool, charged with torturing Javed Anjum to death for refusing to convert to Islam. Members of a radical Islamic group have targeted Masih and his lawyer three times in the past three weeks. On each occasion small crowds of 50 clerics armed with pistols gathered outside the courtroom, yelling that they would not “spare the lives of liars,” and jostling the plaintiff as he exited trial hearings. (Compass)

GROWTH OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES IN MEXICO DRAWS BACKLASH

While freedom of religion is guaranteed by Mexico’s constitution, the steady growth of evangelical congregations has produced a backlash among the country’s Catholic majority. Some Catholic lay leaders are using their control of local communal assemblies to enforce religious traditions. In San Nicolas, angry Catholics recently used a backhoe to cut off Nicolasa Vargas’ water after she and her husband were absent from the fiesta honoring the village’s patron saint. In Chiapas, evangelical leaders say Mayan Catholics have forced thousands of families from their homes. Guillermo Cano wouldn’t help pay for music at the San Nicolas fiesta or partake of the food or drink, saying all that was against his religion. When he and other Pentecostal Christians bought land for a new church, local Catholic leaders blocked the road to the property with a bulldozer. Catholicism has defined life for centuries in countless villages across Mexico. Nine out of 10 Mexicans are Catholic, but the number of non-Catholics has increased in every census since 1970. (Religion Today/Los Angeles Times)

RENEWED RELIGIOUS REPRESSION IN RUSSIA REMINISCENT OF EARLIER ERA

Russia is experiencing a resurgence of religious repression similar to that of an earlier period in the country’s history, said Isabel Du Toit, head of the prayer ministry of TBN and the Association of Christian Churches in Russia, in an e-mail report. “Our country, Russia, is experiencing a very difficult time now,” she wrote. “In many respects it is very similar to the 1920-1930 period in Russian history. During that time the [secret police] were trying to destroy churches in Russia. Their main tactic was to divide churches through special agents inside the churches and to slander leaders of the churches. Today we face a new wave of slander against Christian leaders in Russia. . . . There are waves of gossip to discredit Russia’s main Christian leaders.” In a resolution, the U.S. Congress recently urged the Russian Federation to ensure full protection of freedoms for all religious communities without distinction and end the harassment of unregistered religious groups by the security apparatus and other governmental agencies. (Assist News Service)

MINISTRY TO HAND OUT 10,000 BIBLES ON RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS

Churches in North America are partnering with churches in the former Soviet Union to reach out to children on the Russian Orthodox Church Christmas which it will celebrate on Sunday, Jan. 7, based on the old Julian calendar. Joel Griffith of the Slavic Gospel Association says the ministry will hold its Immanuel’s Child program. “This year it is going to be taking place in 10 locations in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan,” he said. “We’re also going to be having an Immanuel Child outreach in the city of Beslan, Russia.” Churches in North America raised money, enabling local churches to hand out presents, candy and God’s Word to nearly 10,000 children. Griffith says government approval for this kind of work will vary. “For instance, Ukraine is probably one of the freest places for ministry for evangelical churches, but then you go to a place like Turkmenistan, heavily Muslim in nature, and it’s very, very, very difficult to work there.” (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio reaches across Russia with a variety of radio ministries. The mission began sending gospel broadcasts across the country via shortwave in 1941, first from Quito, Ecuador, and in recent years from the U.K. In the early 1990s the ministry began “planting” local radio ministries in Russia and now works with partners nationwide. In 2000 HCJB World Radio helped launch New Life Radio, the first Christian Russian satellite radio network. More than 63 downlinks have been placed in more than 42 cities across Russia and neighboring countries.

U.K. DIOCESE DISTRIBUTES 65,000 ‘PROVOCATIVE’ CHRISTMAS POSTERS

In an approach to Christmas that is far from being “politically correct,” posters showing the baby Jesus wearing a yellow armband with the words, “Make Christmas His Story,” are being distributed in the U.K. The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that more than 65,000 posters have been distributed by a Midlands Church of England diocese which says it is fighting back against the “politically correct” approach to Christmas with a new poster campaign. Rev. Jonathan Gledhill, the bishop of Lichfield, said the posters were made to be provocative, and the armbands were designed to reflect the Make Poverty History campaign. “There have been reports from across the country about local authorities, businesses, retail centers and even central government trying to take the Christ out of Christmas, claiming Christmas is offensive,” the bishop said. “They seem to want to make Christmas history. The diocese of Lichfield wants to make Christmas His story.” (Assist News Service)

© Copyright 2005 - HCJB World Radio - Colorado Springs, CO USA

Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse which distributed more than 4 million shoebox gifts in Russia alone in the last five years, won’t be able to do the same this year.

Mark Schroeder, international field ministries manager for Operation Christmas Child, said Russia’s Humanitarian Aid Committee refused to exonerate 400,000 shoebox gifts that the ministry had planned to hand out to needy children in Russia. “They would be viewed as commercial goods and would be taxable,” he said. “As a result, we have reallocated the shoeboxes to other countries.”

Operation Christmas Child has worked with Russian Ministries to help with the distribution in the past. However, Russian Ministries Vice President Sergey Rakhuba said the organization will still help out some of the poorest children with its own Russian-based program called Box of Hope.

The ministry is raising funds to provide 5,000 boxes for orphans this Christmas. “We decided to encourage Russian Christians to help pack these boxes” he said. “We’ll simply go ahead and buy these gifts in Russia.”

Rakhuba said the shoebox gifts have been the ministry’s most effective child evangelism tool. “They build relationships,” he said. “They help open the doors to families that were not open to Christianity before. Thousands of those children who received boxes [in previous years] made decisions for Christ. Tens of thousands . . . came to Sunday school, and many came to summer camps where they heard more about Jesus.” (Samaritan’s Purse/Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio reaches across Russia with a variety of radio ministries. The mission began sending gospel broadcasts across the country via shortwave in 1941, first from Quito, Ecuador, and in recent years from the U.K. In the early 1990s the ministry began “planting” local radio ministries in Russia and now works with partners nationwide. In 2000 HCJB World Radio helped launch New Life Radio, the first Christian Russian satellite radio network. More than 63 downlinks have been placed in more than 42 cities across Russia and neighboring countries.

TURKEY’S BID TO JOIN EUROPEAN UNION BOOSTS RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS

Turkey’s desire to join the European Union is allowing evangelical Christians a bit more freedom, says IN Network’s Rody Rodeheaver. “Because of Turkey’s interest in being a part of the EU, it’s opening up to religious diversity . . . because they’re under the microscope of the European Union. So this has helped the church. It gives an opportunity for Christians to take a stand, to begin to put into place ministry projects and to work with people in a way that I believe will give a new birth to the land of Turkey.” That doesn’t mean there aren’t threats to the believers’ efforts. Rodeheaver adds, “The dangers in Turkey, at this point, are more from the hard-line fundamentalists. Many of them are in opposition to their government’s desire to be more of a secular Western nation.” An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 evangelicals live in Turkey. (Mission Network News)

WORLD VISION NAMED TOP PROVIDER OF EMERGENCY RELIEF AFTER TSUNAMI

World Vision has been named as the top provider of emergency aid in Indonesia following the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean Dec. 26, 2004, according to a recent study done by Fritz Institute. World Vision was also one of the top aid providers in India. The study showed that the recipients of aid considered international relief organizations to be superior to government and local relief groups. (Mission Network News)

SURVEY: ONE-THIRD OF SCOTTISH CLERGY BELIEVE IN LITERAL HELL

Even though the concept of hell as a literal place has declined in an increasingly secular world, more than a third of Scotland’s clergy still believe in the existence of hell as a literal place. This was one result of a recent survey conducted by Dr. Eric Stoddart of St. Andrews University. A former Baptist minister, Stoddart says he no longer believes in hell in the sense of a future destination. He canvassed 750 clergy from a wide variety of denominations to find out what they thought constituted a modern hell. The survey showed belief in hell appears to follow geographical boundaries. Social commentators said the continuing strength of the literal belief among ministers in modern Scotland reflected the rise of religious fundamentalism across the world. Stoddart commented on his findings, “I can understand that after death there might be some who think there are others who won’t get into heaven. They just won’t exist. But for others to think there is really mental and physical torment came as a shock to me.” (Religion Today/The Scotsman)

AMERICANS OVERCOME ‘COMPASSION EXHAUSTION,’ CONTINUE TO GIVE

Americans are generous people when it comes to donating money and time following crises. Donations to survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the 9/11 attacks and last year’s tsunami have reached almost $6 billion. Despite the talk of “compassion exhaustion,” Americans from all walks of life continue to donate, even well into the holiday season. Helping to feed the fire of giving is a new breed of philanthropists -- Generation Y. They have grown up appreciating their good fortune in a world they see vividly each day where television and Internet images convey a sense of urgency which often translates into rapid donations. “We have every reason to believe that the percentage of change in charitable giving will outpace that of the gross domestic product, yielding a positive environment for capital campaigns to begin and to continue,” said Richard Blackmon, president of RSI Institutional Services Group. In 2004 about 83 percent of U.S adults donated to one or more nonprofit organizations, but the average pretax contribution of 3.2 percent of income shows that Americans could give much more. Americans, for example, spend $23.5 billion a year on candy and gum and $40 billion a year on weight loss. (Religion Today/Religion News Service)

Copyright ăHCJB World Radio 2005