15 August 2001

"Keep God out of public schools"
Church leaders review co-habitation and marriage
Scientific evidence disregarded in SA prostitution legislation
SA conference on sex education
Death penatly of pakistan Christian confirmed
'Koran schools breeding ground for radical muslims'
Churches see Islam as growing threat in Africa
Wal-Mart in Germany bans sex mags
Bush letter in New York Times re: stem cells
Human cloners call Pope and vatican "criminal
`Tobacco industry still targeting youth despite pledge
Big Brothers promoting homosexual men as guardians for young boys
'Son of atheist icon speaks out for Christian cause'
Conference of "Christians for Truth" in September

* "KEEP GOD OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS" - "Thou shalt not use public schools to preach about any particular faith, but rather about respect and the need for celebrating South Africa's diversity as a nation", was the message of the Deputy Minister of Education, Mosibudi Mangena, to the Students Christian Union annual conference in Klerkdorp in North West province. He told students that public schools were responsible for teaching about religion in a manner that is in tune with democratic values, and in ways that are different from the religious instruction provided by the home, family and religious community... "We are also mindful that the public education system is home to learners from a range of beliefs and is thus constitutionally charged to respect these various beliefs. The public schooling system cannot promote one belief at the expense of any other. It needs to ensure that knowledge and understanding of the various beliefs is shared with the learners... Religion education is a learning programme for teaching and learning about religions and religious diversity in this country and the world. Learning about religions and religious diversity serves important educational outcomes identified in Curriculum 2005". Mangena said that although over 60% of the population are Christians, "South Africa is a country that embraces all the major world religions". A Department of Education policy document on religion is expected to be released before the end of the year. (The Teacher/M&Media, August 2001)

* CHURCH LEADERS REVIEW CO-HABITATION AND MARRIAGE - At a discussion on marriage and sexuality in a postmodern society, prof. Theuns Dreyer, head of the Reformed Theological College at the University of Pretoria said that church members are in opposition to the legal institution of marriage, not against the Bible's meaning of it. From the discussion it appeared that many ministers meet up with the situation in their congregations where active church members live together without being married. Rev. Dries Beukes from Swartkop said that such church members only get estranged if they are given a condemning message. He says their staying together is not a sign of rejection of Church policy, but because of other factors, like knowing hurt and wanting to be careful by first laying a few bricks before formally entering marriage. Prof. Johan Buitendag of the University of Pretoria requested that the Church focuses on mutual security in a relationship. Dreyer asked whether the Biblical intention of marriage (as he understands it) should not be separated from the legal institution of marriage. (Beeld, 10 Augustus)

* SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE DISREGARDED IN SA PROSTITUTION LEGISLATION - In a press statement on 3 August, Doctors for Life (DFL) expressed their dismay that sound scientific evidence against the legalisation/decriminalisation of prostitution has been disregarded by the Pretoria High Court in their ruling on 2 August. DFL has done considerable research into prostitution, and the health and social effects of various levels of its decriminalisation or legalisation. It is found that decriminalisation of prostitution exacerbates, rather than solves, problems such as an increase in the number of prostitutes as a direct result of normalising it as a profession, with many prostitutes not working within the legal guidelines. "There is a resultant increase in sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS, family breakdown and psychological trauma in those involved with prostitution. Violence suffered by prostitutes has not been shown to be decreased by any laws regarding prostitution..." says DFL. Prostitution is strongly associated with illicit drug use and dealing. DFL has urged the authorities to re-examine the evidence...(DFL, 3 August) Africa Christian Action said the following about the matter: "With 75% of prostitutes having attempted suicide at least once, it is deplorable that the South African High Court has ruled that prostitution is no longer illegal in South Africa. It is a lie that prostitution can be a "normal service industry"." (ACA, 2 August)

* SA CONFERENCE ON SEX EDUCATION - Education minister Kader Asmal has said that if teenage pregnancy and premature sexual relationships among the youth were to be curbed, the discussion of sex should no longer be limited to biology classes. This was said during his Department's briefing on sexuality education at a press conference on 14 August. Delegates at a conference on sex education, taking place from Sunday in Midrand, are planning to develop sex education guidelines for schools, according to The Star. Asmal said the conference was necessitated by the high percentage of sexually active pupils, some as young as 10. According to the Star the department would conduct a survey among parents and religious representatives to get their opinions. (The Star, 15 August)

* DEATH PENALTY OF PAKISTAN CHRISTIAN CONFIRMED - The death penalty due to an "insult" against the prophet Mohammed, which had been pronounced against the Christian Ayub Masih in Lahore on 27 April 1998, was confimed on 25 July by the supreme court. This has been revealed by Joseph Francis of the Pakistan Human rights organisation CLAAS. His advocate Zaidi can now only appeal to the Supreme High Court. A request for grace from the head of state, general Musharraf, is also a possibility. Since the law on blasphemy (artikel 295-C) was tightened in 1991, many Christians in Pakistan have been condemned to death due to "insults" against Mohammed, reports Open Doors. This has however been the first time that the penalty was confirmed in high court. Pakistan judges are placed under extreme pressure to give offenders of this law the death penalty. Justice Iqbal Bhatti who acquitted the Christians Salamat and Rehmat Masih in 1995 was murdered in October 1997. (Open Doors, 7 August; Idea)

* 'KORAN SCHOOLS BREEDING GROUND FOR RADICAL MUSLIMS' - The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) is worried about a "Talibanization" of Pakistan, reports Idea. According to the ISHR, Koran schools in Pakistan are a breeding ground for the radical Islamic Taliban militia who are rulers in much of neighboring Afghanistan. The Taliban have arrested 24 employees of the German aid organization "Shelter Now" for allegedly spreading the Christian message. 16 Afghan nationals are threatened with the death penalty, while four Germans, two Australians and two US-citizens are likely to be deported after they have been brought to court. According to Times Newspapers, Taliban officials snubbed Western diplomats seeking permission to see eight aid workers jailed on charges of spreading Christianity. The diplomats waited in vain all day at the United Nations guest house in Kabul, the Afghan capital, to hear from Taliban officials as the stand-off over the fate of the aid workers continued. The ISHR warns that the Taliban may also try to establish a radical Islamic theocracy in Pakistan. In a declaration issued August 14, Pakistan's national holiday, the human rights organization called on President Pervez Musharraf to put the promised religious equality into practice. According to ISHR, the islamization of Pakistan has been growing since the military dictatorship of Zia ul-Haq in the eighties. One result was the so-called blasphemy law, which demands capital punishment for alleged insults to the Koran or the prophet Muhammad. (Idea, 14 August)

* CHURCHES SEE ISLAM AS GROWING THREAT IN AFRICA - Rev. Mitre Djakouti believes that there are many in Togo (West Africa) who are unable to openly declare themselves Christians, for fear of persecution. "I know of eight who, since they have been reading the Bible (when no one else is there), have 'peace in their hearts.'" One of his church members, a chemist, lost his wife when he became a Christian - her Muslim family came and forcibly took her. "There is a sort of quiet, constant opposition to Christians. Nothing obvious. For example, when we want to start a new church, we cannot get the necessary permissions, or the Muslim community will lodge formal complaints about the singing or praying 'noise.' They try to stop us meeting," Djakouti said. "At the moment only widows and outcasts are allowed to become Christians." Another problem Christians face is the increased level of community aid sponsored by Muslims, thanks to financial support of Saudi Arabia and others. "The Muslims are after our young people. We have our teams of evangelists ... but we wish we could offer them more than just the gospel message - they have many needs. Islam is gaining ground because we are not in a position to offer people physical help," Djakouti continued. (Compass Direct, 15 August)

* WAL-MART IN GERMANY BANS SEX MAGS - The Christian Media Association KEP (conference of Evangelical publishers) in Germany is full of praise for Wal-Mart. The supermarket chain has banned all sex magazines like "Playboy" and "Penthouse" from the shelves of its 94 German outlets. KEP's executive director Wolfgang Baake welcomes this "good and courageous" decision. Wal-Mart has proved those wrong who think that only "sex sells". The internationally successful company has set a positive example, Baake says. And the managers show special concern for children. In other German stores and gas stations they are regularly exposed to the display of nudity on magazine racks. "While in the past Christians have boycotted certain companies because they hurt their religious feelings, this is the chance to turn the tables. I, for myself, have decided to support Wal-Mart by shopping there," Baake concludes. KEP, Wetzlar, is a media watchdog organization for the 1.3 million Christians of the German Evangelical Alliance. (IDEA, 10 August)

* BUSH LETTER IN NEW YORK TIMES RE: STEM CELLS - In a letter published in the New York Times on 12 August, President George Bush explained his decision on stem cell research, claiming, "There are, however, two ways for the federal government to aggressively promote stem cell research without inviting ethical abuses." The first with adult cells not from embryos and the second, contends Bush, is from existing stem cell lines created albeit by the previous destruction of human embryos. "While it is unethical to end life in medical research, it is ethical to benefit from research where life and death decisions have already been made" wrote Bush. The president claimed a precedent to this line of thinking. "The only licensed live chickenpox vaccine used in the United States was developed, in part, from cells derived from research involving human embryos. Researchers first grew the virus in embryonic lung cells, which were later cloned and grown in two previously existing cell lines. Many ethical and religious leaders agree that even if the history of this vaccine raises ethical questions, its current use does not." (Lifesite, 14 Aug)

* HUMAN CLONERS CALL POPE AND VATICAN "CRIMINAL"- Dr. Severino Antinori, one of the pro-cloning participants in a cloning debate on 7 August before a panel of the National Academy of Sciences, has called Pope John Paul "criminal" for his opposition to human cloning. One of the witnesses at the cloning debate called the meeting a "circus" after the media followed Antinori's every move. Also present was cloning advocate Brigitte Boisselier, a former chemistry professor who is attempting to clone humans for a Canadian-based cult called the Raelians. The cult claims humans were genetically manufactured by aliens... Boisselier claimed her group had carried out the first stage of human cloning - transferring human genetic material into an empty ovum and allowing it to develop into an early embryo. During his post-lavatory press conference Antinori said if a "law against cloning is approved, it would be a return to the Dark Ages." In a tirade against his chosen enemies he said: "The Pope is screaming at me. He wants to avoid the condom and IVF. Nobody announced the criminal when President Bush met... the Pope. Vatican is behind the Bush, Vatican is criminal." (Lifesite, 8 August)

* `TOBACCO INDUSTRY STILL TARGETING YOUTH DESPITE PLEDGE - California's top law enforcement officer is accusing the biggest tobacco companies of failing to live up to a pledge made three years ago to stop advertising in magazines with large numbers of young readers, according to a report from AgapePress. In 1998, as part of a settlement with 46 states, the four biggest tobacco companies made the pledge to pull ads from magazines read by youth. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer participated in the settlement and says that according to his research, three of the four biggest tobacco companies - R.J. Reynolds, Brown & Williamson, and Lorillard - continue to appear in magazines such as Rolling Stone, People, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, and TV Guide. The largest tobacco company, Philip Morris, has stopped advertising in 50 magazines with young readers. The three who continue such advertising says they do so because the limits they agreed to in 1998 were only guidelines, not laws. Lockyer said that based on his research, Americans age 12-17 will be exposed to at least 50 cigarette ads in magazines each year. According to Lockyer, tobacco companies have one compelling reason to violate the 1998 settlement. "They kill their customers every year," he says, "and they need to recruit new ones." (Worthynews, 15 August)

* BIG BROTHERS PROMOTING HOMOSEXUAL MEN AS GUARDIANS FOR YOUNG BOYS -

Big Brothers of Toronto, an organization which encourages men to become temporary guardians for boys, has named a homosexual man its Big Brother of the Year, for the second year in a row. A June article in Fab magazine reports that pro-homosexual activism is not new to the Toronto organization with a mission to take care of young boys. Walter Dimini, the open homosexual who won the award, said that Big Brothers had a booth at the Gay Pride event in Toronto last year. In July, LifeSite reported that in response to a request from a homosexual activist group the Big Brothers organization dropped a question on sexual orientation from their questionnaire for prospective guardians. Moreover, a follow-up in the monthly update of the homosexual activist group notes that the national Big Brothers association agreed to include a workshop on homosexual issues at their next National Annual Convention. The monthly update from EGALE notes that Big Brothers is "willing to discuss ways in which Big Brothers can be more proactive in ensuring that their local chapters do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation." (http://bigbrothers.com, 3 August)

* 'SON OF ATHEIST ICON SPEAKS OUT FOR CHRISTIAN CAUSE' - He was 14 when his atheist mother went to court to stop the daily classroom prayers at his junior high school in Baltimore. He was 34 when he converted to Christianity and now, at 55, William Murray tells his story, and that of his mother, Madalyn Murray O'Hair. O'Hair's lawsuit caused the U.S. Supreme Court to ban publicly-led prayer in public schools, and also launched the atheist movement in America, with her as its leader. Murray went on to become a speaker, author and lobbyist for evangelical Christian causes. As chairman of the Religious Freedom Coalition in Washington, Murray recently spoke with The Charlotte Observer. Among other topics, he mentioned that Americans have made "special allowances for other religions and peoples at the expense of the underlying culture. Example: In Brooklyn this year, during Ramadan, they set up mosques in the cafeteria for the Muslim kids. But if a Christian kindergartner wants his show-and-tell to be something he did in Sunday school, it's taken away and thrown in the trash by the teacher... This outward hostility toward the Judeo-Christian part of our nation has to stop. We're a nation of immigrants, but that does not mean that the latest immigrants get to force their beliefs down the majority's throat," said Murray. ( Charlotte Observer - Crosswalk.com)

* CONFERENCE OF "CHRISTIANS FOR TRUTH" IN SEPTEMBER - The international organisation Christians for Truth (CFT) are to have their annual Conference from 31 August to 2 September. The theme of the conference is "THE LORD HAS NEED OF YOU". The focus will be on how the Lord uses individual Christians there where they are. Conference organisers want to encourage all Christians to remember that it is not only big organisations with tens of thousands of members which can make a difference, but it is the individual who matters most. CFT is an international, interdenominational Christian organisation, upholding and promoting Christian values and principles in all spheres of society. All CFT members are welcome. (For more information contact Janetta at (032) 481-5512 or fax (032) 481-5507 or email mail@cft.org.za)