AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* CHINESE AUTHORITIES IGNORE PRO CHRISTIAN REPORT AND TURN TO PERSECUTION

* BRITAIN HAS 85 SHARIA COURTS AS ISLAMIC JUSTICE SPREADS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

* UYGHUR CHRISTIANS CAUGHT IN CHINA CONFLICT

* INDIAN GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO REPEAL ANTI-CONVERSION LEGISLATION

* ACID ATTACKS SCAR CHRISTIANS AS 600 MUSLIMS FIREBOMB VILLAGE

* COURT HALVES MAN'S JAIL TERM FOR HONOUR KILLING

CHINESE AUTHORITIES IGNORE PRO CHRISTIAN REPORT AND TURN TO PERSECUTION

A prominent Chinese scholar has suggested the government offer legal standing to house church Christians, but authorities have reacted with raids, arrests, forced church closures and a ban on the Chinese Federation of Christian House Churches. Scholar Yu Jianrong and others have concluded that house churches are a positive influence on society, but the government is wary of such influence. The government-commissioned study by Yu and associates suggested that officials should seek to integrate house churches and no longer regard them as enemies of the state.

Yu’s research estimated the total number of Protestant house church Christians at between 45 and 60 million, with another 18 to 30 million attending government-approved churches – potentially putting the number of Protestant Christians at 100 million, higher than that of Communist Party members, which number around 74 million. Yu, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Rural Development Institute, claimed that some official churches under-reported attendance to deflect government scrutiny.

Yu examined the rapid growth of house churches and concluded that love and concern for fellow believers and the evangelistic nature of Christianity were key factors driving the growth of the church. Though not a Christian himself, Yu attended some house church meetings and was impressed by the religious devotion of church members. He also noted that the focus was not on democracy or human rights but rather on spiritual life and community. Yu said “I think we have reason to use Christianity to advance the democratization of China,”

A summary of Yu’s findings was presented at a government seminar, the first of its kind organized by the government, which encouraged some house church leaders. But shortly afterwards, a new crackdown on house churches began. Raids have continued to occur over the past month. On June 24, police detained house church leaders in Shaanxi province for 10 days for engaging in “illegal religious activities.” Earlier, on June 5, authorities had declared the church closed after Christians advocated for justice on behalf of peasants in the village.

On June 14, officials forcibly interrupted services of the Rock house church. Officials occupied all the rooms and took video footage and photos of those present, before detaining six Christians, including pastor Dou Shaowen and his wife. Church members insisted on finishing their worship service even after officials cut off the electricity supply. Officials then sealed off the building and declared the Rock church abolished.

On June 21, as church members gathered for a conference in a nearby hotel, police officers entered the building and called the meeting to a halt. They then read out a statement declaring Autumn Rain Church to be an “unregistered social organization.” Autumn Rain church has decided to continue holding services, appeal the imposed penalties and publicly apply to register the church in the hope that this may resolve ongoing difficulties with local authorities.

Source: Intercessors Network

BRITAIN HAS 85 SHARIA COURTS AS ISLAMIC JUSTICE SPREADS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

At least 85 Islamic sharia courts are operating in Britain, a study has found. The figure is 17 times higher than previously accepted. The tribunals, working mainly from mosques, settle financial and family disputes according to religious principles. They lay down judgments which can be given full legal status if approved in national law courts. However, they operate behind doors that are closed to independent observers and their decisions are likely to be unfair to women and backed by intimidation, a report by independent think-tank Civitas said.

The spread of sharia law has become controversial since its role was backed last year by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams and Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice who stepped down last October. Dr Williams said a recognised role for sharia law seemed 'unavoidable' and Lord Phillips said there was no reason why decisions made on sharia principles should not be recognised by the national courts. But the Civitas report said the principles on which sharia courts work are indicated by the religious decrees set out on the websites of British mosques.

The report said that some of the rulings made by the Sharia tribunals were illegal under British law and others transgressed human rights standards as applied by British courts. Examples set out in the study include a ruling that no Muslim woman may marry a non-Muslim man unless he converts to Islam and that any children of a woman who does should be taken from her until she marries a Muslim. Further rulings, according to the report, approve polygamous marriage and enforce a woman's duty to have sex with her husband on his demand.

The report added: 'The fact that so many sharia rulings in Britain relate to cases concerning divorce and custody of children is of particular concern, as women are not equal in sharia law, and sharia contains no specific commitment to the best interests of the child that is fundamental to family law in the UK. 'Under sharia, a male child belongs to the father after the age of seven, regardless of circumstances.' It said: 'Sharia courts operating in Britain may be handing down rulings that are seriously out of step with trends in Western legislation.'

The Civitas study said the Islamic courts should no longer be recognised under British law. Its director Dr David Green said: 'The reality is that for many Muslims, sharia courts are, in practice, part of an institutionalised atmosphere of intimidation, backed by the ultimate sanction of a death threat.' Patrick Mercer, Tory MP for Newark and chairman of the Commons counter-terrorism sub- committee, said: 'We have an established law of the land and a judiciary. Anything that operates outside that system must be viewed with great caution.

'If crimes are going unreported to police, this will erode the authority of those who have to enforce our law. In a sovereign state there must be one law, and one law only.' Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, said: 'Everyone should be deeply concerned about these courts. They entrench division in society, and do nothing to encourage integration or community cohesion. There should be one law, and that should be British law. We can't have a situation where people can choose which system of law they follow and which they do not."

Source: Daily Mail

UYGHUR CHRISTIANS CAUGHT IN CHINA CONFLICT

156 people are dead and 800 people have been injured in a massive protest in China’s Autonomous Region of Xinjiang Uyghur. The Muslim-minority Uygurs claim that a peaceful protest in the city of Urumqi turned violent when police tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas and fire hoses. The police however say that more than 1,000 protesters wielding knives, bricks and batons vandalized public property and caused disorder. Reports estimate that several hundred were arrested from the street protest.

The rally was in response to an ethnic clash between the Uyghurs and the Han majority in southern Guangdong Province. Two Uyghurs died, and more than 100 were injured after a man alleged online that six young men from Xinjiang had raped two girls. After the riots, police searched houses of the Uyghurs and arrested more than 1400 men. Uyghur women started protesting their husbands’ arrests. Although they did that peacefully, police fired on them. According to official reports, more than 150 people have now been killed and hundreds have been wounded.

Christians are caught in the middle of what is largely an ethnic clash, says Jerry Dykstra of Open Doors USA. The small Christian Uyghur community is under intense pressure for three reasons: “They are a national minority; many of them are Muslim-background believers from their Islamic environment; and they are Christians in a communist country” There are intense tensions between the Uyghur and the Han Chinese whilst China is wary of Islamic fundamentalist influences in this region and is making great efforts to fight religious extremism.

Dykstra says despite the current problems, Uyghur evangelism has seen some fruit. “We know that many of them have come to Christ in the last few years, and some of the Christians are being held by the government there, also.” Dykstra says the situation doesn’t look good. “This is just another example of China wanting to extend their control of a minority people.”

Please pray for an end to the violence in Xinjiang and for justice to be done to all parties. Pray especially for the protection of the Uyghur Christian community in this tense situation.

Source: Intercessors Network

INDIAN GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO REPEAL ANTI-CONVERSION LEGISLATION

The newly elected Indian government, is taking a strong stand against anti-conversion legislation that has restricted religious freedom in the nation. They plan to block bills introduced in a number of states by the militantly Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Dr. K.P. Yohannan, president of Gospel for Asia, welcomed the news of the government’s stand. “It’s encouraging to see the government upholding the constitution and its values of freedom of choice and liberty for the people,” he said. “Pray the Government will continue to protect the rights of the minorities.”

The controversial anti-conversion laws, ironically called the “Freedom of Religion” acts, are currently active in five states. Two more states have passed anti-conversion legislation but not yet put it into practice. Anti-conversion legislation has also been introduced in the state of Karnataka. In Rajasthan, an anti-conversion law had been passed but had not yet been implemented. With the consent of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the Indian government plans to nullify it there.

Where enacted, the anti-conversion laws have held strict penalties for anyone declared guilty of either converting someone or of changing their religion without first informing the government 30 days beforehand. Depending on the state, this could mean two years in prison, a heavy fine, or even both. While the laws were reportedly introduced to check religious conversions made by “force, fraud or allurement,” Christians say they have been misused to attack and arrest pastors on made-up charges.

Source: Gospel for Asia

ACID ATTACKS SCAR CHRISTIANS AS 600 MUSLIMS FIREBOMB VILLAGE

Some 600 Muslims have used petrol bombs to attack Christian homes in a village in Punjab, Pakistan. 117 houses were vandalised and 48 properties damaged by fire in the attack. Water pumps were sabotaged and Christians returned home the following day to find they had no electricity. The violence was caused by an incident in which a Christian man driving a tractor requested that a Muslim man riding a motorcycle allow him to pass. The request was refused and a disagreement ensued. News of this was spread along with allegations of blasphemy against Islam.

Pakistani Muslims are very sensitive to the issue of blasphemy with the law on blasphemy carrying a death sentence for defiling the name of Muhammad. In the next few hours a mob of about 600 Muslims began to attack the Christians living there. Vehicles were burnt or stolen, jewellery and cash stolen and a boycott declared against many of the Christian businesses. Acid was also thrown at Christians as they fled. At least nine women and four children were injured.

Please Pray:

* This attack may focus attention upon the persecution that Christians suffer in Pakistan and prompt action from national and local government authorities that leads to justice.

* Those who have been displaced can find solace in the welcome they have received from fellow believers and be strengthened as they stand together.

* For those who have been injured by the throwing of acid can recover their confidence as well as their health.

Source: Intercessors Network

COURT HALVES MAN'S JAIL TERM FOR HONOUR KILLING

A Jordanian court has halved the jail term of a 29-year-old Jordanian man who shot his raped sister 12 times "in the name of honour". The criminal court initially sentenced the man to 15 years with hard labour for killing his sister but immediately reduced it to seven-and-a-half years. The woman disappeared after she was raped last year. Police kept the woman in custody for her protection but later handed her over to the family. The brother shot her 12 times in different parts of her body once she arrived home, killing her immediately."

Murder is punishable by the death penalty in Jordan, but in the case of so-called "honour killings", a court usually commutes or reduces sentences, particularly if the victim's family urges leniency. Between 15 and 20 women are murdered each year in Jordan in the name of "honour". Last year, around 17 such killings were recorded. Parliament has refused to reform the penal code to ensure harsher penalties.

Source: Intercessors Network

Australian Prayer Network July 13, 2009