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31 December 1999 * DAGGA ENDANGERS SOUTH AFRICANS - Apart from tobacco and alcohol, dagga remains a favourite drug. From January to June 1999 Sanab (South African Narcotics Bureau) arrested 3411 people for possession and trade in dagga. About 310 900 kg dagga was confiscated. Between 3 October and 17 December 360,59 ha dagga plantations were destroyed. Earlier research showed that 25-30% of university students and 50-60% of the black population in South Africa smoke dagga. According to Sanra there is no scientific proof that dagga use would decline if it is legalised. The health risk for the individual and community is just too big to even make it available for medical use. In the cases where it could be of medical use, it would only serve to treat symptoms and make patients feel better, and at the same time affect the central nerve system negatively. Mr F. van Rooyen, therapist at Sanra, says "...apart from the harmful effect dagga has on the body, it also negatively influences the spirit". (Beeld, 23 December) * ABSTINENCE TAUGHT IN US SCHOOLS - In one school out of three, American teenagers are not just encouraged to abstain from sex, they are taught that abstinence is the only appropriate option, according to two surveys recently released. These "abstinence-only" policies teach pupils that they should wait until marriage, or at least until they are older, to have sex. The policies leave out any discussion of birth control to prevent pregnancy or transmission of HIV and other diseases - except to talk about the shortcomings of such approaches (The Natal Witness, 15 December) * AIDS TO HAVE SLAIN 4 MILLION SOUTH AFRICANS BY 2008 - By 2010 the average life expectancy of South Africans would have dropped from the present 68 years to only 48 years, due to HIV/Aids. By 2007,500 000 South Africans would be dying annually because of the disease, according to Fast Facts, magazine of SA Institute for Race Relations. 5,6 million South Africans would be HIV-positive by 2005, that would be 18% of the labour force. By 2008 4 million South Africans would have died of the disease. (Beeld, 18 December) * PRIEST SOUGHT FOR MOLESTATION - A visiting Indian high priest fled SA hours after he had allegedly sexually molested a seven-year-old child at a crisis care centre in Pinetown on Christmas Day. The priest, Acharya Ramdas Sonu Shirsagar had gone to the centre with other volunteers to render assistance to flood victims. He was left with the child, the daughter of one of the volunteers. The priest, who was living with a family in Sydenham, Durban, recently attended the Parliament of the World Religions conference in Cape Town and gave lectures at several temples in the country. The Child Protection Unit is to obtain a warrant of arrest and might call in Interpol's assistance to arrest him. (The Daily News, 29 December) * "AND THERE CAME WISE MEN FROM THE EAST..." - Christians on camels with full costumes will recreate the trip of the Magi in 2000. The Holy Land Trust, a humanitarian organization endorsed by the Middle East Council of Churches, will sponsor a 99-day pilgrimage through four countries and the Palestine Autonomous territories. Fifty Christian pilgrims of many races and denominations are scheduled to arrive in Bethlehem on Dec. 25, 2000. They will travel through Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and into the Palestinian-ruled town of Bethlehem. In the predominantly Muslim countries they will highlight the need for religious tolerance and cooperation, leader Robin Wainright said. The trust plans to build a planetarium in Bethlehem to attract tourists, create jobs, and provide an educational benefit to schools, he said....The procession will be televised as it moves through Iraq. "There is going to be a big celebration," Wainright said. "American viewers will see thousands of people on the streets cheering as the camels and the Magi pass through." One reason for the trip is to interest American Christians in the church in the Middle East. (Religion Today, 29 December) * FREEDOM OF SPEECH? - (Florida) After Sheriff Cal Henderson suspended Beverly Zebrowski without pay for telling people under her care that if they turned to Jesus he would help them solve their problems, the Florida corrections officer is having second thoughts about how best to express her religious convictions. (DayWatch, 22 December) * SANCTITY LIFE SUNDAY - 30 JANUARY 2000 - The first of February will mark the third anniversary of the legalisation of abortion on demand in SA. Since 1 February 1997 over 100 000 babies have been killed in South Africa by abortion - legally. Most of the medical personnel and most mothers in South Africa are church members, and most voters claim to be Christians. If Christians in South Africa could stop and look at the abortion holocaust in the light of Scripture, we could understand something of the heart of God on this disgraceful abomination - then we would be roused to action. If most of the 16 million church members and adherents in SA could understand what the Bible teaches about when life begins, the sanctity of human life and our Christian responsibility to stand up for the right to life of pre-born babies - then thousands of lives could be saved. Thus all churches and ministers are encouraged to observe Sanctity Life Sunday (30 January) in prayer and study of what God's Word says about the matter. A special package with info on Sanctity Life Sunday can be ordered from Africa Christian Action , PO Box 36129 Glosderry 7702; Fax (021) 685-5884 (ACA, December) * PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTIONS ON HOLD - A federal judge in Kansas City barred Missouri from enforcing its new "infanticide" law until next March when a hearing will be heard on the merits of the latest legislative efforts to stop mid and late-term abortions. Missouri joins 20 other states where measures to criminalize late-term procedures that opponents refer to as "partial birth abortions," have been put on hold while federal courts weigh their constitutionality. (VIW, December) [Ed: If late-term or partial-birth abortions do not involve the brutal death of an innocent human being, no other form of a death-dealing act does.] * MILLENNIUM TURNS THE WHEEL FOR CULTS - A counselling center for ex-cultists is expecting a lot of business in 2000. "It could be an interesting year," Paul Martin, a psychologist and former cult member, said. He is the founder of Wellspring Retreat and Life Center, a counselling centre for those who have left cults. The centre, located in Albany, Ohio, is seeing an increase in business already, with 25 more patients scheduled for treatment this year than last year, the Associated Press said. Cult members may begin to question their leaders and even leave if millennium prophecies fail to come to pass, Martin said. Others on the staff believe millennium cult-related tragedies will cause many to leave cults. The number of patients at the centre increased slightly after the Heaven's Gate suicides, Wellspring workers said. The centre has treated more than 500 patients in 14 years, and only five have returned to cults, Martin said. (Religion Today, 30 December) * US POP CULTURE TO BLAME FOR COLUMBINE MASSACRE - (The following article is an excerpt from Chuck Colson's newsletter, Breakpoint) Videos featuring the perpetrators of the Columbine massacre explaining why they were going to kill as many of their schoolmates as they could, reveal more than the twisted minds of these young murderers may have realized. They also gave us a glimpse of the corrosive effects of American popular culture. What's clear is that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold didn't act out of an uncontrollable rage. On the contrary, they had thought through what they were going to do down to the last detail. So much so that Harris stopped taking his medication so that he would be in the proper emotional state when the time came to pull the trigger... No one can seriously doubt, after seeing these tapes, the extent to which the hyper-violent world of film and video games helped shape the worldview of these young men. In fact, Harris and Klebold went to great lengths to let us know that they were not merely imitating other school shootings. But what was really striking about their comments was how much the attitudes and ideas expressed on the tapes owe to the nineteenth-century philosopher Frederic Nietzsche. These boys did not deny that there is a difference between right and wrong, they just believed they were above such things - beyond good and evil. Remember, Nietzsche believed God is dead and that we are all moved by the will to power. This is the thinking that moved Adolf Hitler... But how, you might ask, could these two have come under the sway of a German philosopher who died a century ago? The answer is that they absorbed Nietzsche, second-hand, through American pop-culture. Over the past twenty-five years, movies and television have becoming increasingly nihilistic. As a result, what our kids are seeing depicted is a world where justice is elusive and where life is meaningless. If we really want to protect our kids, we need to see that simply improving school security isn't the answer. The answer lies in confronting a culture that spiritually impoverishes our kids. (Breakpoint, 16 December) * INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS ATTACKED - An unidentified mob armed with machetes, sickles, and liquid fuel, killed a Christian seminary student and wounded at least 22 others in an attack that destroyed a Christian center in Jakarta, Indonesia on 15 December, according to the director. (Daywatch) * ADMIRATION FOR BILLY GRAHAM - Billy Graham is bucking a trend. Americans hold public figures in lower esteem than they once did, but the silver-haired evangelist is moving in the other direction. Graham this week was named on the Gallup Poll's list of the world's most admired men for the 36th consecutive time. He was nominated by 7% of Americans polled as most admired, up from 5% a year ago, and second only to President Clinton. Pope John Paul II is next on the list, which includes three former presidents -- Reagan, Carter, and Bush. Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, and Colin Powell also make repeat appearances, and 13 men from a variety of occupations are tied for 10th place, mentioned by 1% each. Clinton was the first or second choice of 10% of Americans polled, down from 18% in 1998. (Religion Today) * MUSLIMS ATTACK CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA - Reuters reports that Muslim youth gangs destroyed 14 Christian churches in Nigeria. Hundreds of rioters attacked churches in Ilorin in the central part of the country on 18 and 19 December. The region lies between the mainly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south. The country's 108 million people are evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. "I was inside the church with two other people when at 11 p.m. we suddenly heard them shouting," said pastor Shola Kolapo of the United Missionary Church of Africa. "Before we knew what was happening, they had started breaking the gate with different kinds of weapons. We had to run away and jump over the fence to take refuge." No deaths or injuries were reported to authorities. (Reuters) * LOS ANGELES -- When told by a mother to cuddle her crying toddler, a shopping mall Santa was pushed over the edge last Wednesday. Upon his refusal, the mother said she would file a complaint. According to the mother, the Santa then got really angry and ripped off his beard, belt and Santa costume. Some parents covered their children's eyes as Santa was led away by security guards. (CNN) CFT and CHRISTIAN NEWS PRAYS THAT YOU WILL HAVE A CHRIST-FILLED NEW YEAR! |
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