Zprávy HCJB 28.10.2007 - 31.10.2007

	Jediná křesťanská televizní stanice na území Izraele končí provoz
	Zrození, jediná křesťanská televizní stanice na území Izraele, koncem měsíce končí provoz kvůli vražedným výhrůžkám, problémům s palestinskými úřady a nepřekonatelnému finančnímu deficitu. Stanice přitom vysílá v Betlémě od roku 1996. „Křesťanům nikdy nebylo povolováno mnoho prostoru v médiích v arabském světě – na sdělovací prostředky je zde pohlíženo jako na islámský prostor,“ vysvětluje mezinárodní ředitel Arab Vision. „Je velmi smutné, že jediný jasný hlas evangelia na televizním vysílání v palestinských teritoriích byl umlčen.“ Stanice vysílá bohoslužby a další křesťanské služby, modlitby, týdenní křesťanské pořady, zprávy a zábavu. Bylo populární zejména během obléhání Chámu Narození Páně v roce 2002, protože událost monitorovalo 24 hodin denně celých šest dní. Samir Qumsieh, ředitel a vlastník stanice řekl, že ztráty za jediný rok dosáhly 63 000 dolarů, a že stanice není finančně udržitelná. Podle zpráv také Qumsieh dostává výhrůžky smrtí a je zastrašován už celý rok. Ztráta stanice vystupňovala obavy o dlouhodobé přežití křesťanství v oblasti. Tyto obavy sdílí i Arab Vision, která produkci programů pro tuto oblast neustále rozšiřuje, aby pomohla kompenzovat uzavírání místních stanic. „Je skutečností, že křesťané v arabském světě budou vždy závislí na satelitní televizi, která vysílá ze zahraničí.,“ dává mezinárodní ředitel Arab Vision. „Velmi chceme i nadále umožňovat křesťanům v arabském světě dívat se na křesťanské pořady po celý den. Ale je reálnou ztrátou, jestliže je jsou ve svých vlastních zemích dále vytlačováni ze sdělovacích prostředků.“ Zdroj: Arab Vision
	Irácké vedení vyzývá k ochraně křesťanské menšiny
	Irácký ministerský předseda v sobotu 27. října vyzval k ochraně a podpoře místní křesťanské menšiny, jejíž příslušníci uprostřed zmatků a sektářského násilí nyní raději volí emigraci z Iráku. Je obtížné říci, kolik iráckých křesťanů ve svých starých domovech ještě bydlí, ale v roce 2003 před pádem Saddáma Husseina jich bylo 550 000. Později situace donutila mnoho Iráčanů, křesťanů i muslimů, svou zemi opustit. Církevní představitelé v Iráku střízlivě odhadují, že mimo Irák nyní takto žije 75 000 křesťanů v Sýrii, Jordánsku a na Západě, dalších 75 000 uprchlo do severního Iráku a na místě zůstalo asi 400 000 křesťanů. Tom Dykystra z Open Doors USA řekl, že doufá, že výzva iráckého premiéra pomůže zastavit odliv křesťanů z Iráku. „Křesťané potřebují nejen svůj hlas v budoucí vládě, ale také misijní práci, a k tomu je třeba, aby tu zůstali,“ řekl Dykystra. Zdroj: Mission Network News
	Obřad při snímání americké vlajky zakázán, protože zmiňuje Boha
	Podle Family News in Focus na 125 státních hřbitovech již nebudou smět být uctívány rodiny vojenských veteránů recitačním obřadem při snímání vlajky, protože jedna osoba si stěžovala, že se zmiňuje o Bohu. Tisíce rodin vojáků si přitom tento obřad věnovaný jejich zesnulým blízkým přejí. Je považován za neoficiální, ale významný způsob, jak před rodinami vyjádřit úctu padlým vojákům. Ale recitace byla až do odvolání Správou Veteránů zakázána, protože, jak řekl Rees Lloyd z Obrany Památky Veteránů Americké Legie, „jeden zklamaný narcista způsobil úplný zákaz, který postihl 300 milionů Američanů, kteří chtějí poctít naše padlé … Myslíme si, že je to urážka a budeme proti tomuto rozhodnutí bojovat.“ Zdroj: Religion Today, Christian Newswire. Pozn. překl: Zákaz byl dnes zrušen: www.citizenlink.org
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	ISRAEL’S ONLY CHRISTIAN TV STATION FORCED TO SHUT DOWN Source: Arab Vision The Nativity, the only Christian TV station in Israel, will stop broadcasting at the end of this month because of reported death threats, trouble with the Palestinian authorities and insurmountable financial debts. The station has been broadcasting from Bethlehem since 1996. “Christians have never been allowed much space in the public media of the Arab World -- public space is seen as space for Islam,” explained the international director of Arab Vision. “It is very sad that the one clear voice for the gospel on TV in the Palestinian territories is now silenced.” The station has been broadcasting masses and other Christian services, prayers, a weekly Christian program, news and entertainment. It was particularly popular during the siege of the Church of the Nativity in 2002 as it covered the event 24 hours a day for six weeks. Samir Qumsieh, director and owner of the station, said that with a reported annual debt of $63,000, the operation is no longer financially viable. There are also reports that Qumsieh has been receiving death threats and intimidation for more than a year. The loss of the station has raised serious concerns about the long-term survival of Christianity in the region. These concerns are shared by Arab Vision as it expands its TV production work in the region to help compensate for the closures of local stations. “The reality is that Christians in the Arab World are evermore dependent on satellite TV where Christian programs are beamed from the outside,” added Arab Vision’s international director. “We are eager to continue giving the Christians of the Arab world opportunity to watch Christian programs throughout the day. But the real loss is that we are pushed out of the public space in our own lands.” PASTOR STABBED TO DEATH BY UNKNOWN ASSAILANT IN PHILIPPINES Source: Assist News Service Pastor Martin Ambong, 48, of Jesus is Lord Ministries was murdered by an unidentified assailant Friday, Oct. 26, in Kidapawan City, Philippines, reported Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service. His body, riddled with 16 stab wounds and a blow to his face, was discovered by villagers early Friday morning near his church. Police are investigating. “Pastor Martin was murdered, probably after midnight,” police told SVM. When Ambong was murdered, members of his family were at their house in Barangay Poblacion. Ambong was staying at the mission house where he spent much of his time. “Pastor Martin Ambong has no known enemies. (He was) such a good and humble man,” villagers told SVM. CHRISTIAN POLICEMAN KILLED IN CLASH ON COLLEGE CAMPUS IN INDIA Source: Assist News Service A Christian police officer was beaten to death while trying to stop clashes on a college campus between Marxists and Hindu students. The incident occurred on Friday, Oct. 26, as two activist student groups, the Students Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students Union (ABVP), scuffled on the NSS College Campus in southwestern India’s Kerala state. Salem Voice Ministries News Service reported that M.C. Elias, 46, a police officer in Changanassery, died after being hit on the head with a rod. Other officers injured in the incident were also hospitalized. “Elias was trying to restore peace at campus where activists from SFI and ABVP were demonstrating against the union elections earlier this month,” police said. SFI is the students’ wing of the ruling Marxist Communist Party of India, and ABVP is a student-led Hindu group. Police took 12 ABVP members into custody in connection with the incident. Police also surrounded the college, believing that four people involved with the clash were hiding inside the building. * Radio programs in 17 languages air to Asia and Southeast Asia from HCJB Global-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra. Most of the programs are produced at the ministry’s studios in New Delhi, India. EVANGELICALS IN BELARUS POINT TO INCREASING PERSECUTION Source: BosNewsLife Russian Ministries reported that government of the Eastern European country of Belarus is involved in a fresh crackdown on evangelical believers. Pastor Gennady Kernozhitsky of the Minsk-based God’s Church of the Christians, a congregation in the Evangelical Faith group, has been threatened with imprisonment after applying for permission from the country’s Department of Religious Affairs to build a church. In a separate incident in Gomel, Pastor Dmitry Podlobko of the Living Faith Church reportedly received a warning from authorities to end his “illegal religious activities.” On Sunday, Sept. 30, several minutes before the worship service began, three local authorities, including one police officer, entered the church and demanded that Podlobko sign a document accusing him of “illegal religious activities.” He refused to sign the document, citing the Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations which he said provides freedom of religion. FEBC PRESIDENT GREG HARRIS NAMED CHAIRMAN OF ‘WORLD BY RADIO’ Source: Mission Network News, HCJB Global Far East Broadcasting Co. (FEBC) President Greg Harris took on the new role of chairman of the executive committee of “World by Radio,” a joint effort to help make gospel broadcasts available in all of the world’s major languages. “The collective outreach of the ministries involved in this venture is staggering,” said Harris. “It is an honor to serve the members of World by Radio.” Harris will serve in the position for three years. “By harnessing our collective efforts, we can achieve even greater impact for the kingdom,” he added. “I am very excited to see the spirit of openness and cooperation that exists among the partners of World by Radio.” Harris replaces Sunne Elofson of IBRA Radio in Sweden. World by Radio involves a consortium of international radio broadcasting partners, including HCJB Global, FEBC, Trans World Radio, FEBA Radio, IBRA Radio, SIM, Words of Hope and others. It originally began as “World by 2000” in 1985. © Copyright 2007 - HCJB Global - Colorado Springs, CO USA
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	IRAQI LEADERSHIP PLEDGES CHRISTIAN MINORITY PROTECTION Source: Mission Network News Iraq’s prime minister pledged Saturday, Oct. 27, to protect and support the Christian minority that has been fleeing the chaos and sectarian violence in the country. Although it is difficult to say how many Iraqi Christians still live in their homes, the number in 2003, prior to the fall of Sadam Hussein, was around 550,000. The recent situation caused many Iraqi people, both Muslim and Christian, to leave the country. Church leaders in Iraq conservatively estimate that almost 75,000 Christians live outside Iraq in places such as Syria, Jordan and the West, and another 75,000 have fled to northern Iraq, leaving some 400,000 Christians in mainland Iraq. Tom Dykstra of Open Doors USA said he hopes the prime minister’s pledge will help stem the tide of Christians leaving Iraq. “Christians need to have a voice not only in the emerging government, but for ministry to go on, we need the Christians to stay there,” he said. PASTOR THREATENED, NEW BUILDING CLOSED IN ARGENTINA Source: Compass Direct News A pastor in Argentina has received threatening letters and had posters of his face plastered in the city of Quilmes (near Buenos Aires) after the city’s mayor closed down the congregation’s newly constructed ministry center. Rev. Raul David Caballero said the closure for alleged building code violations in March was part of a harassment campaign mounted against him for exposing corruption in the administration of Mayor Sergio Villordo. The pastor of the 1,200-member Church of the Encounter is also editor-in-chief of Perspectiva Sur which has published articles critical of Villordo. Church of the Encounter has appealed the closure decision, but Caballero said a prompt resolution is unlikely as Villordo controls the municipal court. “Several times posters of my face have appeared in the streets, saying bad things about me,” Caballero reported. “I have received threatening letters. They’ve thrown stones at my office building and spray painted the front walls. I’m being sued for half a million pesos [US$159,000] for inflicting ‘spiritual and moral damage and pain.’” * ALAS, HCJB Global Voice’s Latin American satellite radio network, provides Christian Spanish programming to 89 outlets in 17 countries. These include radio outlets in three cities of Argentina: Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Jujuy. 20 INJURED IN EGYPTIAN MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN LAND DISPUTE Sources: WorldWide Religious News, Associated Press Muslims and Coptic Christians clashed after prayers on Friday, Oct. 26, regarding a land dispute, leaving 20 injured, security officials said. Police arrested 50 people following the clash in Minya province, about 130 miles south of Cairo, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The clashes began after prayers when Muslim villagers in Izbat el-Abid protested against the extension of a monastery in a nearby village, claiming the construction was on state property, the officials said. Police had to ask for reinforcements from throughout the province to control the clash, the officials added. Coptic Christians make up an estimated 10 percent of Egypt’s 76.5 million people. They generally live in peace with the Muslim majority, though occasional clashes occur. DOBSON’S FOCUS RETURNS TO PARENTING INSTEAD OF POLITICS Source: Religion Today Focus on the Family’s number of donors has declined, and those who grew up with James Dobson are now empty-nesters, according to a story in The Rocky Mountain News in Denver. As a result, Focus is embarking on a new challenge to engage the young family. Out of public view, a new generation of executives is laying the groundwork for sustaining the conservative Christian group as a cultural and political force once the 71-year-old Dobson has left the scene. Most of their efforts are concentrated not in the political realm, but in finding new ways to deliver marriage and parenting advice to a younger generation of families, many of whom distrust institutions or dislike evangelical engagement in politics. Jim Daly, Focus’ 46-year-old president and chief executive officer, shares Dobson’s conservative beliefs, but is more likely to talk or blog about his troubled childhood or the challenges of raising his own children than stage voter registration rallies. “With (Dobson’s) interest in public policy, we have quite a strong bicep in that arena,” Daly said. “But 94 percent of our budget goes to marriage and parenting, the bread-and-butter stuff.” DIVERSE RELIGIONS TO SIGN ‘PROCLAMATION FOR ANIMAL COMPASSION’ Source: Religion Press Release Services Leaders of Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and other faith traditions will gather in Washington D.C., on Wednesday, Nov. 7, to sign a historic “Proclamation for Animal Compassion.” The document represents a rare occasion when diverse religious leaders will join together to support a single concept -- kindness to animals -- and urge leaders of the world’s religions to unite in this movement for compassion and mercy to all living things. A 2006 poll commissioned by Best Friends Animal Society revealed that 89 percent of Americans agree that “we have a moral obligation to protect the animals in our care.” On the basis of that poll, Best Friends convened a group of leaders who produced the proclamation which took shape during the height of the Michael Vick animal cruelty case. “It seems that most of the conflicts in the world today have to do with religious differences” said Paul Berry, chief executive officer of the society which is sponsoring the signing ceremony. “But this diverse group of religious leaders came together, worked through their differences and forged an unprecedented commitment to animal compassion,” he said. © Copyright 2007 - HCJB Global - Colorado Springs, CO USA
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	HISTORIC REFORMED CHURCH MERGER UNITES 80 MILLION CHRISTIANS Source: Religion Today The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) agreed Monday, Oct. 22, to unite with the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) to create a new global Reformed body representing more than 80 million Reformed Christians worldwide. Leaders made the historic decision while attending the WARC’s executive committee meeting in Trinidad and Tobago after two days of in-depth discussions. “This is truly, truly [an] important moment,” said WARC President Clifton Kirkpatrick after the vote was taken. The global church head invited participants of the meeting to join together in singing the doxology after the vote. His counterpart, REC President Douwe Visser, also recognized the significance of the time saying it was a “great moment. I hope we can combine the efforts of these two organizations and have an even broader outreach than WARC and REC have at the moment. I have a feeling this new body will be the voice of the Reformed world.” UPDATE: RAPID RESPONSE MINIMIZED DAMAGE OF ARSON ATTACK Source: Compass Direct News Rapid police and fire department response to a blaze in a Baptist church in western Jerusalem averted extensive damage from an act police suspect is arson. The arson attack on Narkis Street Baptist Church at approximately 10:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, destroyed 60 chairs and caused smoke and water damage. The arsonist (or arsonists) forced entrance through a side door and used flammable material to kindle flames at three places in the sanctuary. Pastor Charles Kopp of the English-speaking, international congregation said the alertness of the building’s caretaker prompted the speedy response. “They kept [the fire] from going big, destroying the piano or the pulpit or platform,” he said. Throughout the week four congregations meet for services in the building. Kopp’s congregation, which gathers Saturday mornings, is attended by local Christians and visited by numerous tourists. A Russian Messianic Jewish congregation, a Hebrew-speaking Messianic congregation and an English-speaking American Baptist congregation also meet in the building. Because the alarm system was switched off the church’s insurance company may not cover the damages. In 1982 ultra right-wing Jewish arsonists set a fire that razed a church that had stood on the same property. * HCJB Global Voice has worked with local partners in recent years to provide technical equipment for partner radio stations in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel. JAILED CUBAN RECEIVES U.S. PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM Source: BosNewsLife U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday, Oct. 29, named one of Cuba’s leading Christian dissidents, Oscar Elías Biscet, as among those receiving this year’s Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian award. Biscet, a Christian pro-life activist and medical doctor who opposes abortion, the death penalty and Cuba’s communist leadership, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on April 7, 2003, in a massive crackdown on human rights activists across the island. In a letter earlier this year, Biscet said had been forced to watch abuses that “threaten the decorous behavior of a civilized society” but stressed he trusts God to one day end his “unjust sentence.” Bush announced on Monday, Oct. 29, that the 46-year-old Biscet was honored for championing “the fight against tyranny and oppression” in Cuba despite being persecuted and imprisoned for his beliefs, the White House reported. The Medal of Freedom was established by President Harry Truman in 1945 to recognize civilians for their efforts during World War II and is now given to those who have made remarkable contributions to the security or national interests of the U.S., world peace, culture “or other private or public endeavors.” * HCJB Global Voice continues to air Spanish programs to Cuba via shortwave from South America. Hundreds of listeners have enrolled in the ministry’s Bible Institute of the Air, a Spanish correspondence program incorporating radio broadcasts. In addition, numerous pastors’ workshops held in conjunction with Leadership Resources International have been held in Cuba since the mid-1990s. VIDEO OF FESTIVAL SKIT TAKES YOUTUBE, GODTUBE BY STORM Sources: Evangelical News, Faith News Network A skit performed at the 2006 annual Smoky Mountain Winterfest event held every year near Gatlinburg, Tenn., has taken the video websites YouTube and GodTube by storm. The skit depicts a soul straying and desperately returning to Christ after being caught up by the sins of sexual impurity, the party lifestyle, bulimia, self-mutilation and deception that leads toward suicide. Christ, with loving power, fights the darkness and rescues the young woman out of her bondage. Written by mission director Tim Houston from Baltimore, Md., the video communicates the message that we don’t have to be lost without hope in our sins, separated from Christ. The authenticity of that hope has drawn more than 3 million views of the video on GodTube and more than 1 million on YouTube. Winterfest staff has received e-mails reporting people receiving Christ and healing as a result of watching the video. Youth leaders nationwide have requested copies of the DVD in order to teach the skit to their drama teams to use in other ministry venues. To view the video, log onto www.youtube.com and search “Lifehouse skit.” The video may also be viewed on www.GodTube.com. U.S. FLAG FOLDING CEREMONY BANNED FOR REFERENCE TO GOD Sources: Religion Today, Christian Newswire According to Family News in Focus, 125 national cemeteries can no longer honor military veterans families with a flag-folding recitation ceremony because one person complained that the ritual mentions God. Thousands of military families request the recitation ceremony for deceased loved ones. It’s considered an unofficial but meaningful way for families to honor a soldier’s sacrifice. But the recitations were banned by the Veteran’s Administration until further notice because, as Rees Lloyd with the Defense of Veterans Memorials Project of the American Legion puts it, “One disgruntled narcissist has caused a complete ban affecting 300 million Americans who want to honor our war-dead. . . . We think it’s an outrage, and we intend to fight it.” © Copyright 2007 - HCJB Global - Colorado Springs, CO USA

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