26/1/2009 * CRACKDOWN ON CHURCHES IN RANGOON * BRITISH ATHEISTS LAUNCH BUS ADVERTISEMENT SAYING 'THERE IS PROBABLY NO GOD'. * WORSHIP AND PRAYER COMES BEFORE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION * CLAIRVOYANTS WELL OFF THE MARK * MASS ARRESTS OF CHRISTIANS IN ERITREA * THE VATICAN WILL NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY ADOPT ITALIAN LAWS ----------------------------------------------- CRACKDOWN ON CHURCHES IN RANGOON A serious crackdown on churches in Rangoon, the former capital of Burma, is taking place with local authorities in the city ordering at least 100 churches to stop holding worship services. The order could affect as many as 80 per cent of churches in the city, and at least 50 pastors were forced to sign at least five documents promising to cease church services. The pastors were reportedly warned they could be jailed if they disobeyed the order. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports: "The campaign appears to be particularly targeted at churches meeting in apartment buildings, rather than churches that own their own building and land." It adds: "According to a report by the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), officials from the local branch of the Ministry of Religious Affairs summoned the owners of buildings in which churches were meeting, and issued them with an order prohibiting the use of private property for religious purposes." Christians are worried that they will not be allowed to worship anymore, even in their own house. Several churches have now been locked and sealed, including three churches in South Dagon Township. An eyewitness to this procedure said that in one church, the pastor presented his Legal Registration Certificate provided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to the authorities when they came to inform him of the new order. In response, officials told him his registration certificate had been withdrawn. "Some Christians believe that the cause of the crackdown is church involvement in providing relief for victims of Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the area in May 2008." According to Shwekey Hoipang, a Chin pastor from Burma living in exile, the regime does not like the fact that Buddhists have been receiving help from churches, and fears this may possibly result in conversions. "It does not want Christianity to grow in Burma,” said Hoipang. "Ultimately, the regime seeks the destruction of Christianity. Burma is categorized as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ by the US State Department, for its violations of religious freedom. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has instigated a program to destroy the Christian religion in Burma. Benedict Rogers, East Asia Team Leader at CSW said: "There is no doubt that the regime is hostile to minority religions in Burma, particularly Christianity and Islam, and seeks to restrict and suppress them." Source: ASSIST News Service ----------------------------------------------- BRITISH ATHEISTS LAUNCH BUS ADVERTISEMENT SAYING 'THERE IS PROBABLY NO GOD'. Atheists in Britain have launched a series of advertisements on London buses, which at least one faith-based think tank says will only get people thinking more about God rather than less. The British Humanist Association’s adverts carry the slogan “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”, and will appear on 600 buses across the country, as well as London tube stations. The posters are the atheist answer to a number of high profile Christian advertising campaigns on London buses and billboards, notably the Alpha Course. The advertisements have been publicly endorsed and partially financed by prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins, who told the BBC that the ad campaign was designed to make people think, an action he said was ‘anathema to religion.’ “The public theology think tank Theos has welcomed the campaign, saying it will encourage more people to think about the existence of God”. "We think that the campaign is a great way to get people thinking about God", said Theos Director Paul Woolley. The slogan itself is a great discussion starter. Telling someone “there’s probably no God” is a bit like telling them that they’ve probably remembered to lock their front door. It creates the doubt that they might not have done so.” Mr. Woolley said that a new Theos research study due to be published next month had revealed that there were as many people finding God in Britain today as there were losing people losing their faith. “So this campaign is speaking into a very live debate,” he said. Mackay added that Mike Elms, a fellow of The Marketing Society and former chief executive of ad agencies Ogilvy & Mather and Tempus/CIA, said that the campaign could play a role in the revival of Christianity. “For too long, the British public has been able to dodge the ‘God choice’ - is there or isn’t there? - by scribbling ‘C of E’ on their hospital admission form,” he said. “But now atheists are challenging us to make that choice one way or another. The atheist campaign opens the door toward a very public debate on the existence and nature of God.” The head of the Church Army, Mark Russell, has also previously expressed his support for the adverts. “I love that the advert says ‘probably’,” he said, “so it seems the atheists are not sure if there is a God or not!! I hope people will take time out from the busyness of their everyday lives and think openly about the issues.” Source: Christianity Today ----------------------------------------------- WORSHIP AND PRAYER COMES BEFORE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION (Editors note: It is difficult to find an angle associated with the Presidential Inauguration that has not been widely covered by the media however we believe this story may be one significant event that went largely unnoticed.) On the morning of taking their oaths of office as President and Vice-president of the United States, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, along with their wives, worshipped at St. John's Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square across from the White House. The prayers at St. John's represented a significant beginning to the historic day. The Obamas emerged from their temporary residence at Blair House at 8:47 a.m. to take the two-minute drive to the 193-year-old church in a black armoured limousine. The Bidens were waiting for them at St. John's. The 2009 Presidential Inauguration Committee did not immediately issue an official news release about the 70-minute service but various media outlets have reported the highlights. The Obamas sat in the centre of a front-row pew with the Bidens. Bishop T.D. Jakes preached during the service. Jakes is the founder of The Potter's House, a non-denominational, multi-ethnic Dallas, Texas, church which claims a membership of 28,000. "In times of crisis, good men must stand up," Jakes said. "God always sends the best men into the worst times." He also told the worshipers, "This is not a time for politeness or correctness; this is a time for people to confront issues and bring about change. . . . You cannot enjoy the light without enduring the heat." Looking directly at Obama, Jakes said "the problems are mighty and the solutions are not simple, and everywhere you turn there will be a critic waiting to attack every decision that you make." "But you are all fired up, sir, and you are ready to go. And this nation goes with you. God goes with you." Source: Episcopal News Service ----------------------------------------------- CLAIRVOYANTS WELL OFF THE MARK Clairvoyants and astrologers have again missed the mark in their predictions for 2008. An analysis conducted by the German Society for Scientific Research into Para-Sciences yielded "catastrophic" results. According to a press release published in Rossdorf hardly any prediction came true. There was, for example, no fatal attempt on US-President George W. Bush's life, as the Austrian clairvoyant Rosalinde Haller and her Canadian counterpart Nikki Pezaro had predicted. She also envisioned a giant rabbit to surface in county Surrey, England. The Australian medium Blossom Goodchild had foreseen that aliens would visit the earth on October 14. Wishful thinking led several German astrologers to predict that the national soccer team would win the European Cup. In fact the side lost to Spain in the final. Clairvoyants also foresaw a number of natural disasters. These "classics" are based on common knowledge says mathematician Martin Kunkel, who regularly analyses astrological predictions. Floods are regular incidents in parts of Asia during monsoon times, as are earth tremors in Japan or fires in California. Predictions of such disasters make as much sense as a forecast of threatening darkness in the late hours of the day, says Kunkel. Source: ASSIST News Service ----------------------------------------------- MASS ARRESTS OF CHRISTIANS IN ERITREA Mass arrests of Christians in Eritrea are raising concerns for the welfare of the church. Glenn Penner with Voice of the Martyrs Canada notes: “Eritrea is probably the most-closed country in Africa today.” Arrests began in November, but by the end of 2008 “the detention spread northwards, and approximately 100 Christians have been detained, transferred to a military facility, and some were reportedly severely mistreated. There were reports that an unspecified number may have died due to untreated injuries sustained whilst held in detention.” Officials worked off of a list of names provided by informants around the country. The Voice of the Martyrs Canada team is trying to encourage believers because “the Gospel is continuing to go forward,” says Penner. “The Eritrean Christians are continuing to start churches and to do evangelistic work, but certainly, they do so at a great risk. Undoubtedly, there are those who are fearing for their lives and fleeing the country, but the Gospel is continuing to go forward.” Source: Intercessors Network ----------------------------------------------- THE VATICAN WILL NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY ADOPT ITALIAN LAWS The Vatican has announced it will no longer automatically adopt laws passed by the Italian Parliament, something it has been doing for 80 years. The Papal office said there were too many laws in the Italian civil and criminal codes and that many of them conflicted with the Church’s principles, so now they will consider laws passed by parliament on an individual basis before adopting them as their own. The decision also applies to international treaties and follows the Vatican's recent refusal to approve a UN declaration advocating the decriminalization of homosexuality. Source: Christianity Today
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