| Christian News 15 September 2001
* DR. JAMES DOBSON
DECRIES WORLD TRADE CENTER TRAGEDY - (Colorado Springs) Focus on the Family
President, Dr. James C. Dobson, spoke out against the recent terrorist attacks in New York
and Washington, D.C., on 11 September and called the US nation to prayer. Dobson, heard by
7.5 million listeners each week, issued the following statement: "Our hearts and
prayers are extended to the victims and the loved ones of those whose lives have been
devastated by this cowardly act. But it will not destroy us or weaken our resolve. America
has always rallied and drawn strength when it has faced tragedy and danger - and it will
do so again. We need to pull our loved ones close, and to turn to the God of our fathers
Who gave us solace and guidance in past troubling times. "Specifically, I pray that
the Lord will use this horrible experience to draw us to Himself. We have become
self-sufficient and arrogant in recent years - as though we have no need of divine help.
It is time for us to do some soul-searching, quite literally, as we reflect on this tragic
day." (11 September)
* TALIBAN ARREST 35
MORE AFGHANS IN ALLEGED MISSIONARY PROBE - (Istanbul) Taliban authorities arrested
35 more Afghan aid workers during the second weekend of September, bringing the total to
more than 50 Afghans jailed by the strict Islamist regime since early August on suspicion
of aiding covert Christian missionary work. According to international aid workers who
asked not to be identified, at least 35 Afghans employed by the recently banned
International Assistance Mission (IAM) were taken into custody at the Planning Ministry
office in Kabul when they came to get their salary payment. Quoted on 9 September by
Associated Press (AP), the sources said a state-run radio broadcast had ordered Afghan
staffers of IAM to come and collect their pay at the Planning Ministry, which coordinates
all foreign aid organizations. "When the Afghans showed up, they were arrested,"
AP reported. In a separate report from the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), an
expatriate aid worker said she knew of some 15 to 17 Afghan employees of IAM who had been
arrested by the Taliban's religious police since the Christian relief group was shut down
on August 31. As a private volunteer agency that had 117 professionals from 17 countries
working in five cities of Afghanistan, IAM had also employed some 300 Afghans in its
projects of health, economic development, education and rehabilitation. Its entire foreign
staff was expelled from the country 10 days ago. The Taliban have accused IAM and another
Christian agency, SERVE, of links with the Shelter Now relief organization, shut down in
early August for allegedly trying to convert Muslim Afghans to Christianity. (Compass News
Direct, 10 September)
* CHRISTIAN LEADERS
STATEMENTS ON TERROR ATTACK IN US - Charles Colson, President, Prison
Fellowship Ministries: "This is a national crisis of unparalleled proportions. It
is Pearl Harbor compounded; a day that will redefine infamy in the annals of American
history. I grieve the massive loss of life and pray that God will comfort the families and
friends of those who have been taken from us."
- Ken Connor, President, Family Research Council: "It
is especially at times like this that we are driven to our knees--not by the foul deeds of
killers, but in humility before the Lord. He is our Mighty Fortress. And we can never
forget that ultimately, our reliance must be in God."
- Rev. Billy Graham, President, Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association:"In times like this we realize how weak and inadequate we are, and
our greatest need is to turn in repentance and faith to the God of all mercy and the
Father of all comfort. If ever there was a time for us to turn to God and to pray as a
nation, it is now, that this evil will spread no further."
- Dr. D. James Kennedy, President, Coral Ridge Ministries: "God
is indeed a very present help in time of trouble. I urge President Bush and other elected
leaders to direct our nation to the God of the Scriptures in this terrible time. Further,
I personally urge all believers to join me in prayer for peace and mercy at this
time."
- Mrs. Beverly LaHaye, Chairman and Founder, Concerned Women for
America: "We are seeing a real example of the peril in our country when, at one
strike, thousands of people are killed and confusion is a reality. The important thing is
to be ready at all times, for we know not the exact date or the hour when the end shall
come and the Lord calls His own out of this world!"
- Dr. Pat Robertson, President, The Christian Broadcasting Network:
"We need to pray for revival in the United States, because we are vulnerable. . .
. And I'm asking this nation, the Christians of America particularly, to pray to ask God
for revival in America."
- Franklin Graham, CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association:
"These atrocities remind us how precious life is and how important it is to be
spiritually ready to stand before and give account to Almighty God. "
- Rev. Jerry Falwell, WND columnist: "My prayer is that the
people of this nation will turn their eyes and hearts to the Lord and seek His wisdom and
protection."
- Gary DeMar, author of "Last Day's Madness" and president
of American Vision: "It's interesting how many journalists are talking about God.
We never hear about God unless something like this happens." (WorldNetDaily, 12
September)
* `TALIBAN TO ENAGE IN HOLY WAR'
- SABC news has reported that Afghanistan's ruling
Taliban movement has announced a jihad, or holy war, against the United States. This is
according to a broadcast on the Taliban's Voice of Shariat radio, which was
monitored by the BBC. Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhond, the deputy chairperson of the Taliban
Council of Ministers, is reported to have said this in a speech broadcast to the country.
Akhond said it was unimaginable that the "terror attacks" against the World
Trade Centre and the Pentagon had been committed by the Taliban or by Saudi exile Osama
bin Laden. He says the US and all imperialists in the world, Jews and Christians and their
supporters are intending to destroy the "Islamic order which has been established at
the cost of your blood under this pretext," Akhond said. The United States says bin
Laden a "guest" of the Taliban for several years - is a prime suspect and has
vowed to punish those responsible and anyone who protects them. President George W. Bush
said Americans want Bin Laden "dead or alive". Mullah Omar has since warned that
the Taliban would declare a holy war against the United States if it attacked and also
against any country that helped Washington. - Reuters (18 September)
* RELIGIOUS TENSION IN
NIGERIA - Religious clashes in Nigeria's Plateau State are beginning to spill over
the borders, causing police in neighboring areas to tighten security, according to a
report in Mission Network News. The long running tensions between Muslims and Christians
ignited and led to deadly rioting in Jos. Joseph Owens of Bible League tells of the effect
the fighting has had on their work: "We had to suspend ministry just because the
streets were so dangerous. So, our teams of people who go out to do evangelistic and
discipleship training to local churches had to suspend the work up until last week
Friday...and then, this past weekend, they tried to get out a little bit." Owens says
things have settled down somewhat now, although they still need prayer for staff in the
area.(MNN, 18 September)
* SWAZI CHASTITY RITE TO
BE REVIVED - (Nhlangano) The Swaziland government has announced a five-year sex
ban for young women in a bid to combat the spread of HIV/Aids in the mountain kingdom. The
ban was announced on 16 September by the leader of Swaziland's young women, Lungile
Ndlovu, who said the elders of the nation had deemed it fitting.
"During this period you will be expected to observe a five-year
sex ban, no shaking of hands with males, no wearing of pants and you will be expected to
wear woolen tassels wherever you go for the next five years," Ndlovu said at the end
of lengthy celebrations to mark the Swazi king's 33rd birthday. Ndlovu did not specify
what age group the ban was trying to target, but said women who were in relationships and
older than 19 years would be expected to wear red with black tassels, and those still
virgins will wear blue with yellow. Her announcement was met by howls of protest. The ban
follows an announcement by King Mswati III on 14 September that Swaziland would revive the
"umchwasho" chastity rite to preserve virginity among girls and combat Aids.
Under the rite, the girls wear woolen "do not touch me" tassels of different
colours depending on their ages.
Ndlovu said the tradition of preserving maidens' chastity - known as
Imabali YeMaswati or Flower of the Nation - will be policed by traditional chiefs who
still rule over much of Swazi society. Any man who failed to observe the rules would be
fined 1 300 Emalangeni (about $152) or one cow. More than 50 000 people have died of Aids
in Swaziland, which has a population of about one million. (News24.co.za, 17 September)
* `ASMAL TARGETS PRIVATE
SCHOOLS' - According to a report in Business Day, the SA Government moved to bring
private schooling in line with "national interests" on 10 September, announcing
plans to stop recognising matric exams now offered by private schools. The announcement by
Education Minister Kader Asmal took the private education sector by surprise and drew
criticism that he was ignoring the benefits of competition in education. Asmal said the
policy, approved by the education ministry and the nine provincial education MECs, would
see matriculants sitting under a single national examination board by the end of 2005. The
move could affect as many as 5600 pupils examined under independent bodies such as the
Independent Examinations Board (IEB), Cambridge International Examinations, Movement for
Christian Education and School of Tomorrow. "I don't see any point in writing an
examination if it has no validity in inculcating SA's values of nation-building,"
Asmal said. "There are international commercial bodies who come here to make money.
Some teach outrageous subjects that still refer to the Viet Cong or Arab terrorists."
But Mark Henning, an educationalist speaking in his personal capacity, argued that private
schools deserved the right to choose their own examination methods. "Both the IEB and
the provincial examinations have standards equal to the best in the world. Choice and
essence are essential in a democracy," he said. (11 September)
* CHILD ABUSE IN SA - Every 8
minutes, a child is abused somewhere in South Africa. Every 24 minutes, a child is the
victim of rape or attempted rape. The country's child abuse rate is far higher than
previously recorded, according to the shocking latest figures released by the Ministry of
Safety and Security. New figures show that the number of reported cases nearly doubled
between 1998 and 2000 - 65017 in 2000, up from 37 352 in 1998. Yet experts believe that
more than half of all child abuse cases go unreported. The newly released police
statistics show that the conviction rate remains low. Last year, less than half the cases
were brought to court and, of these, fewer than a third resulted in convictions. Out of
the 65 017 cases, only 25 083 went to court and only 7099 resulted in convictions. (The
Star, 10 September)
* SOLTYS CHARGED WITH
MURDER OF UNBORN (California) A Ukrainian immigrant suspected of stabbing six
family members to death in a California rampage in August was charged with seven murders,
including that of his unborn child. Sacramento County District Attorney Mmr Jan Scully
said Mr Nikolay Soltys was being charged with the stabbing murders of his wife, Lyubov, an
elderly uncle and aunt, two nine-year-old cousins and his own three-year-old son. And
because Mrs Lyubov Soltys was pregnant at the time of the murder, Scully said Soltys was
also charged with killing the foetus. Officials have been unable to establish a clear
motive for the killing spree, which horrified Sacramento and its large population of
Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. (Daily News, 5 September 2001)
* MODELS SAVED FROM
PROSTITUTION RACKET - Three women were charged on 1 September in connection with
an alleged international prostitution ring suspected of trying to take 100 women from
Senegal to Libya, their lawyers said. Two young French women originally from Senegal,
twins Nancy and Leila Campbell Badiane, were charged with procuring and were also accused
of infringing United Nations conventions on trafficking in human beings, their lawyer
Boucounta Diallo said. The Senegalese designer Oumou Sy, was charged with complicity. Sy
was said to have selected the women for the two sisters who presented themselves as
"cultural promoters" for Libya. The women, who were prevented from going because
of visa irregularities, claimed during interviews with the authorities that they were
models going to take part in a cultural show.
* DUTCH LAW INITIATIVE:
"REFUSE WORK ON SUNDAY" - Report from CFT Netherlands: "An initiative
for a new law which gives freedom to individual persons to refuse work on Sundays, has
received acclaim in the Dutch parliament. A majority of parliamentarians will vote in
favour of the new law. At the moment employers can force their employees to work on
Sundays, after having consulted the employers' council. The law is proposed by Leen van
Dijke of the Christian party 'Christenunie' and Jet Bussemaker of the socialist PvdA. The
Dutch cabinet has considering the initiative not necessary, but will not oppose it. Major
opposition has come from the Liberal-conservative VVD which fears that employers will face
difficulties if their employees refuse to work on Sundays. The employers' organisation
VNO-NCW has submitted 130.000 signatures of employers who are vehemently against the new
law. In the law, everyone can refuse to work on Sundays, regardless of their motives. An
earlier proposal specifically mentioned religious reasons and conscience reasons for
refusing work on Sundays. The parliamentarians who floored the new initiative feared that
in the original proposal Christians would be placed in exemption
position and religious discrimination was around the corner. (CFT
Netherlands, 7 September) |
