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Today's Headlines:

SWEDISH PASTOR IMPRISONED FOR 'OFFENDING HOMOSEXUALS' IN SERMON CHRISTIANS IN RURAL AREA OF ETHIOPIA FACE INCREASING PERSECUTION DEAN THREATENS TO EXPEL UZBEK STUDENTS FOR TIES TO 'BANNED SECT' WORLD VISION TO PLAY KEY ROLE AT INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE PROPOSED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM LAW IN U.S. GETS DIVERSE SUPPORT ARTIST SPONSORS FIRST NATIONAL CHRISTIAN ART COMPETITION IN U.S.

Today's News Stories:

SWEDISH PASTOR IMPRISONED FOR 'OFFENDING HOMOSEXUALS' IN SERMON A Swedish court has sentenced Pentecostal pastor Ake Green to a month in prison after he was found guilty of "offending homosexuals" in a 2003 sermon. Green had described homosexuality as "abnormal, a horrible cancerous tumor in the body of society." Responding to the sentence, Soren Andersson, president of the Swedish federation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, said that religious freedom could never be used as a reason to offend people. "Therefore," he told journalists, "I cannot regard the sentence as an act of interference with freedom of religion." Sweden passed a constitutional amendment in 2002, including sexual orientation in a list of groups protected against "unfavorable speech." A similar law (Bill C-250) was passed recently in Canada. While opinions based on a religious text were excluded from the Canadian law, many advocates fear that this clause may prove insufficient to protect Canadian clergy from similar action. (Voice of the Martyrs/Ecumenical News International)

CHRISTIANS IN RURAL AREA OF ETHIOPIA FACE INCREASING PERSECUTION A number of Christians in Ethiopia have been imprisoned or remain in hiding because of their faith in Christ, said a member of Voice of the Martyrs who recently visited the town of Alaba, 200 miles southeast of the capital of Addis Ababa. During his visit to the predominantly Muslim area, he met with various persecuted Christians. Two months ago five church leaders were imprisoned by local authorities, accused of speaking against Islam, the Koran and the religious leader of Alaba. Mohamed, a convert to Christianity, has been held in prison for a year without any formal charges. Another believer, Ajee Sheka Osman, remains in hiding. He is being chased by his sons who have been promised money and a trip to Mecca by Muslim leaders if they kill their father. Church leaders are helping hide Osman to protect his life. Muslim leaders in Alaba are working to eradicate Christianity in the community, which they consider to be a holy place. Christian youths are regularly harangued as Muslim scholars engage them in conversations, deliberately intending to confuse them and turn them from their faith. (Voice of the Martyrs)

* Staff members at HCJB World Radio-Australia's studios record Oromo language programs that air to 28 million speakers in Ethiopia and Kenya via FEBA Radio's shortwave facilities.

DEAN THREATENS TO EXPEL UZBEK STUDENTS FOR TIES TO 'BANNED SECT' Protestant students continue to face pressure in the town of Nukus, capital of the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan in northwestern Uzbekistan. In June, Dina Mamyrbayeva, dean of the Romance and Germanic literature faculty at Karakalpak University, summoned three Protestant students and told them she had received a letter from the country's National Security Service (NSS), identifying the students as members of a "banned Protestant sect." She threatened them with expulsion if they didn't stop visiting "sect members." University Rector Kuanyshbai Niyazov refused to confirm or deny the threats, but no students have yet been expelled. On June 5 police officers raided the home of another Nukus Protestant, Miyrasa Uralbayeva, warning that if she didn't stop preaching Christianity she would have drugs planted on her and be put in prison for years. (Forum 18 News Service)

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

WORLD VISION TO PLAY KEY ROLE AT INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE World Vision, one of the world's largest Christian humanitarian organizations, will play a key role in the 15th annual International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, July 11-16. World Vision staff members were on the planning committee -- some are plenary speakers while others are chairing workshops. This will be the first time that faith-based organizations will be featured at the conference. Many such groups attending the conference two years ago faced hostility, and there is concern that this could happen again. Asia has become a major battleground for AIDS. Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand have been fighting the epidemic for more than a decade with mixed success. (Mission Network News)

PROPOSED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM LAW IN U.S. GETS DIVERSE SUPPORT A proposed law could make it easier for employees to express their religious beliefs at work. The Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2003 (Senate Bill 893) is expected to get plenty of attention in the U.S. Congress this year -- and that's just fine with Nathan Diament who directs the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America. "It will encourage, not mandate, employers to allow employees to have flexible scheduling so they can observe religious holy days, to wear religious clothing to the workplace, and to observe other religious practices, provided they don't compromise the workers' abilities to perform the essential functions of their job," he explains. Diament says the legislation is being supported by a diverse coalition of religious groups ranging from Southern Baptists to Orthodox Jews. (Religion Today/Agape Press)

ARTIST SPONSORS FIRST NATIONAL CHRISTIAN ART COMPETITION IN U.S. Kentucky artist Stephen Sawyer is sponsoring the first National Christian Art Competition in an effort to encourage artists of all ages to "use and showcase their gifts for God's glory." Sawyer, perhaps best known for his paintings of Christ as part of his "Art for God" series, says Christian artists have a huge responsibility. "What we can accomplish in serving the kingdom through art is phenomenal -- and the responsibility that goes with talent, I think, is commensurate with that." Sawyer is looking for the creators of "contemporary, radical and compassionate Christian art." He adds that the competition is the "first to honor and award schools, churches and teachers as well as the artists." Sawyer and his wife, Cindy, fellow artist and co-owner of Art for God, will judge the entries. More than $8,000 in cash awards will be handed out. Deadline for entries is Oct. 15. For details visit http://www.art4god.com. (Religion Today/Agape Press) * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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://http://www.hcjb.org http://www.beyondthecall.org * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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