31 May 2001

* Garlic helps South African children with HIV

* 'Don't let sex tourism rape the Cape'

* A bar-church

* Judge removes kids over too much `churchgoing'

* Possible "parents' licence" for Austrian parents

* 'Drugs during pregnancy equals homicide'

* Prayer-free graduation

* 200 million Christians deprived of basic human rights

* 'Islamic regimes' threat in Central Asia

* Taliban marking non-muslims

* German doctors reject human embryo research

* Pro-homosexual researcher attacked for study showing gays can change

* New research: Abortion link to Suicide

* "You be Jesus"

* GARLIC HELPS SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDREN WITH HIV - It's pungent and cheap, but garlic is proving a prize warrior in the battle of HIV-positive children against opportunistic infections, according to The Star. The availability of the herb means it could become an important weapon in Africa's fight against HIV and Aids. Allacin, an extract of garlic, is being used with excellent results at the Red Cross Children's Hospital to treat patients with drug-resistant infections of candida in their mouths and throats. Peter de Wet, head of research technology at the paediatric surgery department at the Red Cross Children's Hospital, said that allacin had been used only in "problem cases" when conventional drugs had failed, and it had healed almost all these children. "We have used garlic to treat 50 patients with candida in their mouths and throats who were not responding to conventional antibiotics. It took between two and five days for the infection to vanish," said De Wet. He had also isolated 77 samples of the fungus that proved resistant to conventional drugs, and these had been killed off by allacin. (Star, 27 May 2001)

* 'DON'T LET SEX TOURISM RAPE THE CAPE' - Christians are very concerned about a media discussion on the creation of a "red light district" in Cape Town. Africa Christian Action (ACA) said: "We oppose any such legitimatisation of immorality because: Prostitution breaks down God's design for sex and the family, to the detriment of our society. Immorality brings God's wrath on those societies that allow it. Prostitution spreads disease, including deadly HIV. Drugs, racketeering, crime and violence are inseparably linked to prostitution." The Cape Town Unicity Council is dominated by the DA, which contains both conservative and liberal elements. The liberals, who currently dominate the caucus, would have no problem with a red-light district, says ACA. Ivann Kirsten, a Christian councillor, has proposed a motion for the 30 May Council meeting, asking the Council to: 1. Dissociate themselves from sex tourism 2. Dissociate themselves from any attempt at a red light district 3. Promote the family, rather than alternative lifestyles. (For a copy of the full motion or details of the ACA protest action on 30 May, contact ACA (021) 689-4481, acaction@intekom.co.za) (ACA)

* A BAR-CHURCH - A barman-turned-pastor has set up a church in a pub where worshippers are free to drink and smoke throughout the sermon. Paul Holgate, a trained pastor in the Association of Vineyard Churches of South Africa, preaches from his "pulpit" in a popular pub in Tableview, Cape Town, every Sunday evening. About 40 followers flock to the Whammy Bar. The venue is open to churchgoers only on Sunday nights. After preaching, Holgate and his wife join the crowd for a drink, a smoke and a game of pool. Musicians, who vary from Christian to contemporary, provide the backdrop to Holgate's sermon and worshippers are free to sing along or soak up the atmosphere. A barman keeps the drinks flowing and once worshipping is over, socialising begins. Holgate says "We want people to use the time to feel connected to God, but we don't prescribe to them how they should do it. We want them to feel comfortable". (Sunday Times, 13 May)

ED: An intoxicated gospel?

* JUDGE REMOVES KIDS OVER TOO MUCH `CHURCHGOING' -

A Las Vegas, Nevada county judge has awarded custody of twin boys to a man described in court documents as a "sexual deviant" after determining that the boys' mother attended religious services too frequently. "I was thrown out of my house and had my kids taken away because of excessive church involvement," Lina Elbrader told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on 7 May. The decision by Clark County Family Judge Robert Lueck to remove Mrs. Elbrader's two 6-year-olds and award them to her estranged husband Michael has some people crying religious discrimination - especially since the court psychologist who made the recommendation admitted that Mr. Elbrader "has a history of sexually deviant behaviors... " Mr. Elbrader had been arrested, prosecuted and acquitted on sexual abuse charges. But the court deemed that less potentially damaging to the young twins than the fact that Mrs. Elbrader, an Apostolic Pentecostal, took her boys to church three times a week. "To me, it is bordering on religious discrimination," said Tom Pedigo, director of the National Alliance Against Christian Discrimination. (newsmax.com, 7 May)

* POSSIBLE "PARENTS' LICENCE" FOR AUSTRIAN PARENTS - Austrian parents may soon find themselves sent back to school to learn how to raise children after growing complaints about child discipline. Every Austrian parent would be asked to apply for a 'Parents' Licence', which would include all aspects of child rearing. The scheme is being put forward by the general-secretary of the ruling conservative People's Party, Maria Rauch-Kallat, who says :"One can be trained for almost everything in life, you even need a license to drive a car, but for the most important task in life - bringing up children - there is no adequate training... We could have a Parents' School series where parents would be taught skills such as how to set limits of what is acceptable and tell a child what they can and cannot do..." The courses would be taught like an Open University scheme with lessons given by lecturers on TV or in evenings at local colleges. Under the scheme, parents refusing to take part would lose out on all sorts of benefits... It is not the first time that Ms Rauch-Kallat has put forward the idea but it is the first time that her party has the political power to get their own way. (Ananova.com, 28 May)

* 'DRUGS DURING PREGNANCY EQUALS HOMICIDE' - (Conway, South Carolina) For the first time, a woman in the United States has been found guilty of homicide for taking drugs during pregnancy, an advocate for the defendant claimed. Regina McKnight, 24, was convicted on 16 May and sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing her unborn child by using crack cocaine during her pregnancy, the Associated Press reported. The case could allow prosecutors to charge women with neglect under other conditions, such as smoking during pregnancy, contended Wyndi Anderson, executive director of the South Carolina Advocates for Pregnant Women. The state Supreme Court ruled in 1996 that a viable fetus is considered a child and mothers can be charged with abuse if they took drugs after their unborn child was able to live outside the womb. McKnight´s baby was stillborn in 1999 at 35 weeks. (Zenit.org, 17 May)

* PRAYER-FREE GRADUATION - (Washington, Illinois) The class valedictorian was booed and another student was applauded for holding a moment of silence after a judge barred prayer at Washington Community High School's graduation. A federal judge issued a restraining order days before the ceremony on 20 May blocking any student-led prayer. It was the first time in the 80-year history of the school in this Peoria suburb that no graduation prayers were said. Valedictorian Natasha Appenheimer was booed when she received her diploma. Her family, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, had filed the lawsuit that led to the restraining order. Meanwhile, some stood and applauded class speaker Ryan Brown when he bowed his head for a moment of silence before his speech. About 200 people attended a prayer vigil before the ceremony. Graduate Annie White said many class members wanted to demonstrate that "God was a part of our graduation." Superintendent Lee Edwards said the school district might appeal McDade's ruling. He said the invocation and benediction prayers usually said at the ceremony were innocuous and would not easily offend people. School district officials defended the prayer on grounds that students, not administrators, were in charge of graduation. (Associated Press, 21 May 2001)

* 200 MILLION CHRISTIANS DEPRIVED OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS - (KualaLumpur, Malaysia) Because of their faith, 200 million Christians are being deprived of their basic human rights. This was reported by Johan Candelin (Helsinki), Director of the World Evangelical Fellowship Religious Freedom Commission at their General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur. In an interview with Idea Candelin said that Islam poses the most serious threat to Christians. Most Islamic countries have signed the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the freedom of religious practice and the freedom to convert. Yet, they also are of the opinion, that the Sharija, the Islamic Law, has pre-eminence over other laws. Also, in some parts of Europe, Jews, Muslims and Christians are being discriminated against, Candelin explained. Governments of countries such as China, Russia, India or Pakistan consider any criticism concerning the violation of human rights as interference in internal matters. Candelin pointed out that persecution of Christians is often happening in areas with outstanding church growth. The vast number of newly planted churches in these countries - 700,000 over the past decade and an estimated three to four millions during the next decade - will also cause increased persecution. European churches, however, are stagnating and will not experience persecution. "Liberal theologians don't plant churches," Candelin commented. (Idea, 5 May)

* 'ISLAMIC REGIMES' THREAT IN CENTRAL ASIA - A new Islamic group that "heralds bloody wars" and a "territorial free-for-all" is extending its influence across mineral-rich and strategically important Central Asia according to the Voice of Russia World Service, the official broadcasting service of the Russian government. Muslim fundamentalists are seeking "to establish Islamic regimes throughout Central Asia," and "intend to spread their influence into the Caucasus." Long-time guerrilla leader Juma Namanghani formed the "Islamic Movement of Turkistan." The term "Turkistan" is the former name for Central Asia and represents the landmass extending from China to the Caspian Sea. According to WorldNetDaily Russian authorities have long contended that the Islamic militants of Central Asia are closely connected with the guerrillas active in Chechnya and other parts of the Caucasus region between the Caspian and Black Seas. Moscow fears renewed attacks against its Central Asian allies - especially Uzbekistan and Kirgizia.(WorldNetDaily, 23 May 2001)

* TALIBAN MARKING NON-MUSLIMS - The repressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan is drawing heat again, this time for ordering non-Muslims to wear identity badges on their clothing, a move Jewish leaders are denouncing as "reminiscent of the Holocaust." The "religious police" minister for the Taliban, the hard-line Islamic faction controlling nearly all the mountainous country, confirmed on 22 May that thousands of Hindus will soon be required to wear an identity label to distinguish them from Muslims. The Afghan official said the decision would be decreed into law once a "fatwa" (Islamic religious ruling) was issued affirming it is in line with Islamic law, which requires religious minorities living in an Islamic state to be identified... Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League (Jewish) noted that Jews were first ordered to wear separate clothing to distinguish them from the rest of the population during the Middle Ages. A Holocaust survivor, Foxman added that less than 60 years ago, Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David during the Nazi era. "I didn't think we would see anything like this again in our lifetime," he said. (ICEJ NEWS, 23 May)

* GERMAN DOCTORS REJECT HUMAN EMBRYO RESEARCH - The dreaded Nazi experimentation on human beings has left German doctors with a healthy disgust for research on human beings and thus a rejection of human embryo research. AFP reported that on 23 May a meeting of 250 doctors, representing Germany's 370,000 physicians, rejected as "ethically unacceptable" the use of embryos for genetic research. At the meeting in Ludwigshafen, the group voted against softening the 1990 law that bans embryo research in Germany. "To kill on order is not a medical practice," they said in a statement. They also voiced their opposition to euthanasia, which became legal in the Netherlands in April. (Agence France Presse English Wed 23 May 2001)

* PRO-HOMOSEXUAL RESEARCHER ATTACKED FOR STUDY SHOWING GAYS CAN CHANGE - Dr. Robert Spitzer, the psychiatrist who released a study early in May showing that "contrary to conventional wisdom some (homosexuals) ... can and do change (sexual orientation)" has been assailed by homosexual activists. The rage has been so volatile that Spitzer canceled his appearance at a press conference on 21 May citing concern for his family. The inaugural issue of the Culture and Family Report (CFR) by Concerned Women for America reports that Spitzer had planned to appear at a press conference at the National Press Club, hosted by Anthony Falzarano of Parents and Friends Ministries, a support group for families with loved ones who struggle with homosexuality. Falzarano, read a statement by Spitzer announcing his regret and citing the vitriolic tone that critics have taken toward him since the study's release. Falzarano released copies of several e-mails sent to Spitzer and to Columbia University, where Spitzer is a professor of psychiatry. One of them, sent by James Minter, Columbia's Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission, read, in part: "You are an embarrassment to the University and a disgrace to science. Your "findings" are, in a word, despicable. If you are in need of a gay-related topic on which to do some constructive research, why not address the pathological homophobia of the bigots and reactionaries who will embrace your latest pronouncements?" (LSN.ca, 22 May)

* NEW RESEARCH: ABORTION LINK TO SUICIDE - There is a link between women who have had abortions and suicide, researcher David Reardon told the World Congress on Women's Mental Health in Berlin. Reardon works with the Elliot Institute in Springfield, Illinois. The Reardon study focused on the medical records and death certificates of more than 173 000 low-income women from California who had state-funded deliveries or induced abortions in 1989. From this sample of women the average annual suicide rate per 100 000 was 3.0 for women who delivered babies and 7,8 for women who had abortions. The average suicide rate in the US is 5.2 for women between the ages of 15 and 44. Reardon said this new study "demonstrates that the negative effects (of abortion) are large enough to show up" in death certificates in one regional area. In an article eight years ago Reardon cited a director of a Cincinnati chapter of Suiciders Anonymous who said that during a 35-month period her group worked with 4000 women and 1800 of them had had abortions. (Southern Cross, 2-8 May)

* "YOU BE JESUS" - A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5, and Ryan, 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, "Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait." Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus." (Author unknown)