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Today's News Headlines:

ATROCITIES AGAINST CHRISTIANS OCCUR DAILY IN MYANMAR, CSW SAYS VIOLENCE IN UZBEKISTAN BECOMES GROWING CONCERN FOR BELIEVERS IRAQ'S INTERIM CONSTITUTION PROVIDES UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BARS MUSLIMS FROM OPENING NEW MOSQUES RETURNING AFGHAN REFUGEES READY TO SHARE NEWFOUND FAITH ACTOR, EVANGELIST TEAM UP TO TEACH BELIEVERS HOW TO SHARE CHRIST

EDITOR'S NOTE: Yesterday's Daily Update contained a "correction" that was inserted by a staff writer without my approval. The writer stated, "A Mission Network News story in Wednesday's news update erroneously suggested that Canada is considering labeling parts of the Bible as 'hate literature.' ... The popular call that this bill could label the Bible as 'hate literature' is unfounded." The fact is that the Mission Network News story is a correct reporting of the "worst-case scenario" that would be possible if the legislation is approved as currently worded. Mission Network News based the story on three highly reliable sources and on a close reading of the proposed legislation. Our staff writer failed to check any of the original source material, failed to call Mission Network News for clarification, and reported as fact what was just the opinion of a person who is not even in Canada. These were clear violations of the most basic tenets of journalism. I deeply regret any damage this has done to the reputation of Mission Network News and its highly professional staff. I apologize for this terrible lapse on the part of my staff. --Jim Ferrier

Today's News Stories:

ATROCITIES AGAINST CHRISTIANS OCCUR DAILY IN MYANMAR, CSW SAYS Children from Christian families in Myanmar (Burma) between the ages of 5 and 10 have been lured from their homes and placed in Buddhist monasteries. Once taken in, their heads were shaved, and they are being trained as novice monks, never to see their parents again. In a visit to the Burmese Chin and Kachin refugees in India earlier this month, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) heard these accounts along with those of cultural genocide and religious persecution and discrimination. The Burmese regime's forces offer incentives to impoverished villagers to convert from Christianity to Buddhism in Chin state, an area that is 90 percent Christian. Mountaintop crosses have been destroyed and villagers forced to build Buddhist pagodas in their place, often having to contribute finances and labor. Forced labor, a serious human rights violation, reportedly occurs on a "daily basis." Torture is used regularly against political detainees. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

VIOLENCE IN UZBEKISTAN BECOMES GROWING CONCERN FOR BELIEVERS In Uzbekistan, extremists wanting an Islamic state are being blamed for suicide bombings, kidnappings and other violence. These attacks, however, aren't a surprise to Bible Mission International's Mark Reimschisel. "We know that folks in this part of the world have been stirred up by the obvious conflict in Iraq. We just know that this is a real hotspot, because it's kind of flushed some of the extremists out of the other hotspots and into this area. It's not something new, but could have serious consequences for us." While this may be a backlash to Western Christian influence, Reimschisel believes BMI's work should be fairly protected. "We've made a choice as a mission that we would not be involved there using a lot of Western people. And for that reason we did training with the nationals so that if the Westerners were expelled from the country, our work would continue." (Mission Network News)

* HCJB World Radio airs weekly Uzbek broadcasts to Uzbekistan via shortwave. An estimated 15 million Uzbek-speaking people are within range of the broadcasts. Uzbek is also one of four languages that HCJB World Radio airs to Afghanistan from an AM station outside the country.

IRAQ'S INTERIM CONSTITUTION PROVIDES UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT Iraq's interim constitution, known as the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), signed on March 8, has given unexpected encouragement to Christians and other religious minorities. The document states, "Each Iraqi has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religious belief and practice. Coercion in such matters shall be prohibited. The document also states that Islam is to be considered "a source of legislation" rather than "the source of legislation." The document also "guarantees the full religious rights of all individuals to freedom of religious belief and practice." However, these encouraging points are tempered by another statement that reads, "No law that contradicts the universally agreed tenets of Islam . . . may be enacted." Religious minorities fear this statement could be used to argue against the freedoms that apparently have been granted to non-Muslims. Some schools of Islamic law agree that an adult male Muslim who converts to another faith should be killed. This would seem to be a commonly agreed tenet of Islam contradictory to the guarantee of freedom of religious belief and practice. How these opposing statements will be reconciled remains to be seen. The TAL is expected to be in force until sometime in 2005 when it will be replaced by a permanent constitution. (Barnabas Fund)

TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BARS MUSLIMS FROM OPENING NEW MOSQUES Muslims, Turkmenistan's largest religious community, appear to have been barred from benefiting from the promised easing of the strict religion law that has prevented most of the country's religious communities from registering since 1997. "Do not build any more mosques," President Saparmurat Niyazov told officials of the government's Gengeshi (Council) for Religious Affairs on Monday, March 29, insisting that its officials must continue to appoint all mullahs and control mosque funds. More than half the 250 registered mosques were stripped of their legal status in 1997, and only 140 have registration today. Shia mosques appear likely to remain banned. Meanwhile, members of the Russian Orthodox Church, the country's only other "legal faith," hope to register new parishes following a recent presidential decree and amendments to the country's religion law that eased the restrictions. (Forum 18 News Service)

RETURNING AFGHAN REFUGEES READY TO SHARE NEWFOUND FAITH While news reports have focused on Taliban and al-Qaida infiltration along Afghanistan's frontier with Pakistan, a happier use is also being made of the porous border. The message of Jesus Christ is spreading in Afghanistan. Before the Taliban was toppled, no Afghans could confess Christ openly in that country. Today, after the return of 2 million refugees, many have found Christ while away from home in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India, Europe and America. Most of these Afghan believers first heard the gospel from courageous native missionaries in Pakistan. Some report having dreams in which Christ appeared to them and revealed Himself as the truth. It is natural for Afghans to talk about God because as strict Muslims, they are a very "God-conscious people." Thousands of Afghans who have immigrated to America often complain that they can seldom find people in the U.S. who want to talk about God. (Missions Insider)

ACTOR, EVANGELIST TEAM UP TO TEACH BELIEVERS HOW TO SHARE CHRIST A well-known actor is trying to encourage and equip Christians to share their faith effectively. Kirk Cameron starred in the hit TV series "Growing Pains" (1985-1992), a family situation comedy. More recently, Cameron has become known for his starring role in the cinematic "Left Behind" thrillers. The 33-year-old actor came to Christ when he was 18, but says he never learned the principles of biblical witnessing -- at least not until he was introduced to evangelist Ray Comfort. Now Cameron and Comfort have teamed up in an evangelism training ministry that produces a course called, The Way of the Master. This training program uses God's law to show people their need for the grace and redemption available in Christ. It helps people to see themselves as sinners in need of forgiveness and salvation. Cameron says modern Christianity often fails to place enough emphasis on the laws of God, instead allowing "seeker-sensitive" tactics to supplant the basics of Christianity. The Way of the Master ministry offers numerous evangelism and training resources through a television show and an interactive website. (Religion Today/AgapePress) * * * * * * * * * * * * * James A. Ferrier HCJB World Radio U.S. Ministries Communications Director E-mail: Phone: 1-719-590-9800 Fax: 1-719-590-9801 Web: http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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