Southern Africa:

• LIFE CHAIN IN DURBAN
• INTERNATIONAL LIFE CHAIN 2003
• REDEFINING MARRIAGE
• ICASA REFUSE LICENSE FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS

LIFE CHAIN IN DURBAN - About 200 – 250 people gathered for International Life Chain Day, on 5 October, 2003, at the Durban dolphinarium to commemorate the right to life of the unborn. Once again SA’s conscience was pricked by the reality that "Abortion is murder". We received a very positive response from those who passed by. The small tracts "Say No to abortion" and "What is CFT all about?" also contributed greatly to the Life Chain. Most people receiving the tracts responded positively and many of those passing or driving by showed their support for the right to life of the unborn.
Betty Gardner gave her testimony, and spoke very passionately for the unborn. It was touching to hear her, and quite a few wiped away a tear or two.
Hanna Pretorius related a poignant story of a woman of 51 who expected a child, and felt resentful towards the child, as she did not want to rear children again. She felt that it was time for her to be grandmother, and not mother all over again. The child was born and for the first five years of this daughter's life, her mother was bitter towards her. Then the mother was diagnosed with cancer and the doctors told her that she would not live. When she broke the news to her daugther, the daughter spontaneously replied, "Let's talk to Jesus about it", and the daughter prayed a touching prayer that the Lord Jesus would heal her mother. When she went back to the doctor, she was healed! That changed and revolutionised her life, and she repented of her bitterness towards her daughter.
(CFT report – 5 October 2003) (to index)

INTERNATIONAL LIFE CHAIN 2003 - Cape Town - Multitudes of South Africans have participated in the international Life Chain Sunday, on the first Sunday of October, every year since 1992. This year was not any different, as hundreds of thousands of people around the world had a peaceful placard demonstration, standing for the rights of unborn babies. Approximately 300000 babies have been killed and it is estimated that by 2004 the number would have increased to 344444. These disturbing figures are amongst some of the reasons why pro-lifers have taken a strong stand against this "legal killer."
UCT pro-lifers, from Student for Life, continue to fight for the rights of those who are silenced and to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. They believe that abortion is murder and it infringes on the rights of unborn babies. As Dom, an SRC 2004 member and spokesperson for Students for Life, puts it "we students, from Student for Life, believe that unborn babies deserve their right to life. Abortion denies this right and therefore we believe it is murder." We, as Students for Life, will continue to fight for these rights and with the shared support from around the globe we believe that we will win this struggle.
(Karabo Lepote – Alive4Life News – 5 October 2003) (to index)

REDEFINING MARRIAGE - The South African Law Commission is currently engaged in a discussion paper that deals with the question of the legal recognition of domestic partnerships - that is, established relationships between people of the same or opposite sex. The proposed legislation provides options for legal marriage status for same or opposite sex partners, as well as other legal relationships for both same or opposite sex partnerships. As part of its consultation process the SA Law Commission is presently having regional workshops in order to provide an opportunity to interested parties to discuss the draft Bill included in the discussion paper. The dates and venues of the remaining workshops are as follows: 21 October (Pietermaritzburg), 27 October (Polokwane) and 28 October (Nelspruit). Their contact details are as follows:

Tel: (012) 322 6440, Fax: (012) 320 0936
E-mail: cpienaar@salawcom.org.za

Representatives of CFT and other Christian organisations attended the workshop in Durban on 9 October. No consensus could be reached on same sex relationships and various opposing views were raised. Mr John Smyth, Queen's Counsil, from Legal Watch, raised the objection that the proposed legislation to redefine marriage (to include same sex marriages) violates the Constitution, sections 9, 15, 31 and 36 (by implication) because it discriminates against the majority of the population, which regard marriage as a sacred, religious issue primarily. He wrote "The outstanding and very encouraging feature was that Christians seemed to be in the majority. They provided more than 50% of the input! The gay lobby was evident but very much a minority. I think at the end of the day I came away feeling there is a real possibility that Parliament can be persuaded NOT to amend the Marriage Act but rather pass separate legislation providing for civil unions for gays. But it will be a huge fight because they want the status of marriage as well as its rights."
(CFT report) (to index)

ICASA REFUSE LICENSE FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS - About half the major Christian ethos Community radio stations have been refused a radio license extension by ICASA, the regulating authority.
The following Christian ethos stations were refused, but won a case to continue, pending a re-hearing (review)

Kingfisher Radio, Port Elizabeth.
Link-FM, East London
Good News Community Radio, Durban

The following Christian ethos Stations were refused and are considering legal action:

Radio-7, Hermarnus, W-Cape.
KNI Radio, Durban.
Impact Radio, Pretoria.
West Rand Stereo, Gauteng.
Radio Rippel, Pretoria.

Since the above stations were all functioning well and providing a good and appreciated service to listeners, one has to ask why ICASA wants them all closed down? We are still waiting for reasons. But whatever the reasons they give, there appears to be an anti-Christian bias. This is very serious, not only for radio listeners, but also because it is becoming increasingly difficult to get space for a Christian viewpoint in the secular media - which dominates newspapers and television. Christian magazines only reach a tiny minority. Thus radio is our only public forum to discuss Christian ideas. We have to fight therefore to defend for our freedom of speech.
A few years back, the government tried to pass legislation to stop religious ethos broadcasting, but after protest, they backed down. Now it appears the regulatory authority is trying to do this anyway, a few at a time. We must defend them.

ICASA can be contacted at:

Physical address: Blocks A, B, C+ACY-D, Pinmill Farm 164 Katherine Street,
Sandton
Postal address: Private Bag X10002,Sandton, 2146
Telephone: 011- 321 8200
Fax Number: 011- 444 1919
E-mail address: info+AEA-icasa.org.za
http://www.icasa.org.za/
(14 Oct 2003, www.christianview.org ) (to index)

International News

• RELIGIOUS ROW OVER EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION
• CHRISTIAN FEAST OF TABERNACLES – JERUSALEM
• GAY ACTIVISTS PROPOSE ABOLISHING MARRIAGE
• SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – WASHINGTON
• ANGLICAN LEADERS HOLD MEETINGS ON ‘GAY CRISIS’ – LONDON
• ON A LIGHTER NOTE

RELIGIOUS ROW OVER EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION - Europe's leaders are having to tackle some tough issues as they get down to the messy and complex business of drawing up a constitutional treaty for an expanded union.
Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, running the EU until December, will chair months of negotiations about problems such as defining the role of a permanent president, the size and powers of the European commission and arcane, mind-numbing rules about votes, majorities and power.
But few of them look quite so difficult to answer as the question of whether God, Christianity or religion should get a mention in the ambitious new document.
Keenest of all is Catholic Poland, the largest and pushiest of the 10 countries joining the club next year. Indeed, it is pressing so hard that some wonder how compromise will be possible in an organisation where deals and trade-offs are a way of life.
"We want a reference to Christian tradition in the treaty," its foreign minister, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, has insisted.
Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia, three other incoming members, as well as oldtimers Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands agree with the Poles, but Italy is very keen as well.
"There is a majesty to the church that a Catholic politician finds inspiring, but it's not a question of religious faith," declared Gianfranco Fini, the Italian deputy prime minister.
But there is fierce resistance from France, with its long-standing tradition of the separation of church and state.
The constitution's preamble referred, in the end, simply to the "cultural, religious and humanist inheritance" of Europe. The European parliament even rejected a proposal from its Christian Democrats to mention the continent's "Judaeo-Christian roots."
(3 October, Guardian Unlimited) (to index)

CHRISTIAN FEAST OF TABERNACLES – JERUSALEM - At a time when most tourists and pilgrims continue to avoid Israel due to the ongoing violence between Palestinians and Israelis, more than 3,000 evangelical Christians from 80 countries are expected to arrive in Jerusalem this week for the 24th annual Christian Feast of Tabernacles. They will be joined by 3,000 local Christians and non-Christians.
The event, which is being organized by the International Christian Embassy, a Jerusalem-based organization of Christian supporters of Israel, is timed to coincide with the biblical Feast of Succot, when Jews commemorate the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their sojourn in the desert.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is scheduled to present the conference's keynote address, and many other prominent Israelis will also take part in the event, which begins Sunday, 12 October.
(11 October, The salt Lake Tribune) (to index)

GAY ACTIVISTS PROPOSE ABOLISHING MARRIAGE - The true homosexual agenda emerges in calls to destroy society's most basic institution.
It appears homosexual marriage isn't what gay activists really want after all. They're looking to abolish the institution altogether.
That recommendation comes in a report titled "Principles of Family Dissolution" from the American Law Institute — a group of legal scholars and gay activists. The goal is to eliminate the distinction between married and unmarried people in family law by creating something called "close relationships."
The group launched the effort, it said, because married couples have too many privileges under the law — everything from spousal Social Security benefits to tax breaks. It argues that "de-legalizing" the institution would level the playing field.
David Blankenhorn, president of the New York City-based Institute for American Values, said the whole notion is a "terrible idea."
"One of the main reasons why society protects marriage and tries to support it is because we know that this is the best arrangement for children, to have a mother and father who love them and who love each other and who are together for life," he explained.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said this is just the latest example of the left's never-ending assault on marriage.
"No-fault divorce (was) the first step that (liberals) thought would be a fatal blow (to marriage)," Perkins said. "It didn't work. Marriage is still surviving, so now they're looking (for another way to destroy marriage.) They're going to take another step and simply try to do away with marriage altogether legally."
Blankenhorn said he thinks the scheme is destined to fail.
"I do believe that very few people, citizens in the United States, would want this change or would even imagine that such a change would be a good idea."
(Family News in Focus – 10 October 2003) (to index)

SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a case involving whether schoolchildren can be allowed to recite the Pledge of Allegiance voluntarily, putting a family's custody dispute at the forefront of a constitutional legal battle.
At issue is whether the Pledge of Allegiance should be banned from public schools for its use of the words "under God." Constitutional scholars have debated for years whether the pledge serves as both a patriotic oath and a form of public prayer.
Court arguments in the case will be heard next year, with a ruling expected by June.
Michael Newdow, an atheist, sued the Sacramento County, California, school district where his daughter attended, saying that teacher-led recitation by students violates his 9-year-old child's religious liberty.
In June 2002, a three-member panel the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals drew sharply divided public opinion when it banned the teacher-led pledge for nearly 10 million schoolchildren in the nine Western states under its jurisdiction.
The ban was put on hold until the high court issues a final ruling. The First Amendment bans government "establishment of religion," but the Supreme Court twice previously has declared the pledge constitutional.
(14 October 2003, CNN) (to index)

ANGLICAN LEADERS HOLD MEETINGS ON ‘GAY CRISIS’ – LONDON - Leaders of the global Anglican Communion will gather on Wednesday for an emergency closed-door summit over growing acceptance of gay relationships in the United States Episcopal Church and a diocese in Canada. The issue threatens to fracture the 77 million member association.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the communion, called the unprecedented meeting in August, after Episcopalians ratified the election of their first openly homosexual bishop, the Reverend V Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
Williams, who has led the communion for only nine months, is under enormous pressure to prevent a breakup. "I pray for a solution which will hold us together," he told Vatican Radio.
He has expressed personal sympathy for gay clergy and, as archbishop of Wales, ordained a man he knew was in a gay partnership. But since being enthroned as archbishop of Canterbury, he has upheld a 1988 resolution approved by Anglican bishops that said gay sex violates Scripture.
The denomination, which is the US branch of the Anglican church, also acknowledged that some of its bishops allow blessing ceremonies for same-sex unions. Earlier, the Diocese of New Westminster in Vancouver in British Columbia voted to permit the ceremonies in its parishes.
Conservatives worldwide have condemned these moves as unbiblical and threatened to split from the communion if Williams doesn't discipline the North Americans - though he has little power to do so. At an emotional meeting in Dallas, 2 700 US conservatives began moving closer to a total break with the Episcopal Church.
They have the support of many of the 38 Anglican leaders - called primates - with the strongest backing from provinces in the developing world, who now comprise the majority of Anglicans worldwide. Those bishops fear that pro-gay decisions anywhere within the communion will undermine their evangelism, especially in regions where Muslim extremists are gaining ground.
"It allows people in Islam to say, 'Look, here's what Christians do,'" said Canon Bill Atwood, general secretary of the Ekklesia Society, a Texas-based conservative mission to oversea Anglicans. "It makes moral mockery possible."
(14 October 2003, IOL) (to index)

ON A LIGHTER NOTE - A child came home from Sunday School and told his mother that he had learned a new song about a cross-eyed bear named Gladly. It took his mother a while before she realized that the hymn was really "Gladly The Cross I'd Bear,"
(Clean Christian Jokes) (to index)