Zprávy HCJB 26.6.2007

	Na shromáždění pronásledovaných křesťanů v Indii zazněla výzva o pomoc.
	Přestože teď během monzunu v Indii silně prší, v Bangalore se v pátek 22. června uskutečnilo setkání obětí pronásledování křesťanů, také pěti vdov po lidech „umučených pro křesťanskou víru.“ Podle Světové rady indických křesťanů (GCIC) bylo setkání výrazem protestu proti „rostoucímu počtu útoků na křesťanskou komunitu v Indii.“ GCIC má zdokumentováno 329 případů pronásledování za posledních 15 měsíců. Účastníci shromáždění vyjadřovali „bolest a zármutek“ nad popisovaným týráním ze strany násilnických skupin. Shromáždění také přijalo „Výzvu prezidentovi Indie“ žádající „nezávislé systematické vyšetřování výskytu nepřátelských činů ze strany některých skupin indické společnosti.“ Skupina také vyzvala indického prezidenta Abdula Kalama, aby zajistil rovnocenné podmínky pro vzdělání a pracovní příležitosti pro křesťany – Dality, stejné. jaké mají Dalité z jiných náboženských skupin. Zdroj: BosNewsLife *Rozhlasové pořady v 17 jazycích vysílá do Indie HCJB Global Voice – Australia na krátkých vlnách z vysílače Kununurra. Programy vyrábí misijní studia v Dillí v Indii.
	Všechny zprávy v angličtině.
	UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST MARKS 50 YEARS AMID DRASTIC DECLINE Source: Christian Newswire The 1.2 million-member United Church of Christ (UCC) is celebrating its 50th anniversary at a general synod gathering in Hartford, Conn., this weekend (June 30-July 1). Featured speakers will include church members such as Sen. Barak Obama and actress Lynn Redgrave. Having lost 1 million members in the last 40 years (40,000 in the last year alone), the UCC is one of the fastest declining -- and most liberal -- of denominations in the U.S. In 2005 the UCC became the first major denomination in the U.S. to endorse same-sex marriage. Since then more than 200 congregations have decided to leave the denomination. Mark Tooley, director of the United Methodist watchdog publication, UMAction, commented, “The UCC embodies the dysfunction of declining, old-line Protestantism in America. Its elites, unaware or uninterested in the beliefs of average local church members, devote themselves to radical political causes instead of the traditional gospel. The inevitable result has been a massive hemorrhage in membership, finances and overall cultural influence.” PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS APPEAL FOR HELP AT GATHERING IN INDIA Source: BosNewsLife Despite heavy rains associated with India’s annual monsoons, Christian victims of persecution and five widows of persons “martyred for their Christian faith” gathered Friday, June 22, in Bangalore to protest the “great increase in attacks against the Christian community in India,” reported the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC). Organizers described the event as the “largest gathering of victims of religious persecution” in recent years. GCIC has documented 329 cases of persecution in the past 15 months. Meeting participants shared their “grief and agony” about the mistreatment they allegedly suffered at the hands of violent mobs. The group also issued a “Memorandum to the President of India” requesting an “independent enquiry into the countrywide incidence of violence against Christians by sections of Indian society.” The group also urged Indian President Abdul Kalam to grant the same education and employment rights to Dalit Christians as those enjoyed by other religious groups. * Radio programs in 17 languages air to India from HCJB Global Voice-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra. The programs are produced at the ministry’s studios in New Delhi, India. CHURCH LEADERS: IRAQI GOVERNMENT FAILING NATION’S CHRISTIANS Source: Assist News Service Five London-based Iraqi church leaders have denounced the “reprehensible failure” of the Iraqi government to protect Christians from persecution, journalist Simon Caldwell has reported in a story posted on the Catholic News Service website. The letter was signed by Syrian Orthodox Bishop Toma Dawod, Father Stephen Turkhan of the Assyrian Church of the East, Father Habib Jajou al-Noufaly of the Chaldean Catholic Mission, Rev. Khoshaba Georges of the Ancient Church of the East, and Father Nizar Semaan of the Syrian Catholic Mission. It was dated June 6 but was made public June 20 by Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic charity. The letter stated that since the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, there had been “thousands of attacks” on the country’s Christian minority. It also said Christians in Baghdad were being made to choose between converting to Islam, paying high taxes or leaving their homes. The letter stated, “We ask the United Nations, all peace-loving governments, human rights organizations and individuals to help the Christians of Iraq.” Jajou told the charity that Christians were fleeing Iraq at the rate of 50,000 a month. “At this rate there will be no Christians at all in Baghdad, Mosul or Basra a decade from now,” he said. Caldwell added, “Figures from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees revealed last year that about 44 percent of Iraqi refugees are Christian, although Christians account for just 4 percent of the total population of Iraq.” MALAYSIAN AUTHORITIES DESTROY TRIBE’S CHRISTIAN CHURCH Source: Voice of the Martyrs Government authorities in Malaysia demolished a church belonging to the Orang Asli tribe of indigenous Christians in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, June 8. Authorities claimed that the church was built without state permission. However, according to a local church leader, the land is owned by the village head and the church was given the lawful right to use it for their own purposes. Local Christians have rejected the district office’s suggestion to rebuild a community center at another site and intend to rebuild the church at its original location. Only about 9 percent of Malaysia’s almost 25 million people are Christians. SURVEY: EVANGELICALS’ ADDICTION TO INTERNET PORN ON THE RISE Source: OneNewsNow.com A new survey conducted by the online Christian Internet community, Christa.Net, shows that five of 10 Christian men in the U.S. -- and two of 10 Christian women -- are addicted to pornography. Cooper, president of ChristiaNet.com, says there is an escalation in Internet pornography addiction among evangelicals. The survey found that 50 percent of men who regularly attend church are addicted to pornography, and 20 percent of female churchgoers are also addicted. “I think as parents, as church leaders, we need to put precautions out there,” he said. Cooper has a couple of suggestions -- computers should be placed in open areas, and filtering software should be installed on the systems. The survey also found that 40 percent of women admitted to being involved in sexual sin in the past year. In addition, 60 percent of women who answered the survey admitted to having significant struggles with lust. “Most of us don’t typically think of women as having sexual problems,” he shares. “We typically think of men as the ones who are into pornography or the ones who are lusting or maybe having affairs. But that’s the part [about the survey] that really surprised us the most.” © Copyright 2007 - HCJB Global - Colorado Springs, CO USA

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