United States
University Follows Vanderbilt lead.
“The university has given itself the authority to determine whether a group is religious or not,” said Jeremy Tedesco, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund. More here
Public School Student Quits Choir When Forced to Sing "There is no Truth except Allah" "Allah is the only external immortal"
When a Grand Junction High School men's choir made plans to sing an Islamic song called "Zikr," an upbeat rhythmic song that is not intended for a worship ceremony, one high school senior quit the choir in protest. more here
Jessica Ahlquist Has Won Her Lawsuit.
What can I say? I can't put much information about this, Just want you to read and watch what is on this link. The story is about a young atheist girl who filed a lawsuit against her school to take away a prayer banner. In this link, I want you to watch the video and see why she thinks the way she does. It is a very common reason that people like her go to atheism. Story here
Teachers Told Not to Bow Their Head or Pray in Public
A Tennessee school district is under fire after a group of middle school
football coaches were reprimanded for bowing their heads during a
post-game prayer and teachers were warned to hide from students if they
chose to pray during a nationally organized prayer event. More here
Professor Says Vanderbilt is Suppressing Christian Student Groups Amid Shutdown Threats
Is Vanderbilt University flirting with the
suppression of religion? Yes, according to Carol Swain, a professor at
Vanderbilt’s Law School.
Specifically, Swain is referring to four Christian student groups being placed on "provisional status" after a university review found them to be in non-compliance with the school’s nondiscrimination policy. More here UK
Concern over proposed changes to law on assisted suicide.
Christian and pro-life groups are alarmed by proposals to allow assisted suicide for terminally ill people in England and Wales.
The change is proposed in a report published today by the Commission on Assisted Dying, chaired by former justice secretary Lord Falconer. The report recommends allowing doctors to prescribe lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients who wish to die and have less than 12 months to live. The patient would have to be over the age of 18 and not deemed to be mentally impaired. The approval of two independent doctors would also be required. Read more here Asian Pacific
Christians face uncertain future in North Korea
North Korea has entered a period of uncertainty following the death of its leader Kim Jong-il at the weekend.
The 69-year-old dictator died unexpectedly of a heart attack, prompting concerns for the stability of the region in the transition to new leadership under his son, Kim Jong-un. Between 1994 and his death on Saturday, Kim Jong-il led a regime with one of the worst human rights records in the world. Read more here Middle East
The Grand Mufti thinks they should destroy churches.
The Grand Mufti, who is the highest official of religious law in Saudi Arabia, as well as the head of the Supreme Council of Islamic Scholars, cited the Prophet Mohammed, who said the Arabian Peninsula is to exist under only one religion. more here
Sunday school children detained in Iran
Children were among a group of Christians reportedly rounded up by
the Iranian authorities when they raided a church just before Christmas.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide has received reports that the authorities barged in as Christmas celebrations were being held at a church in Ahwaz affiliated to Assemblies of God. According to sources, authorities detained everyone in the building, including children attending the Sunday school. They were put on two buses and the majority interrogated and threatened before eventually being released. Read more here German Lawmakers Sign Petition Calling for Release of Pastor Youcef
Nadarkhani has been held in an Iranian prison since 2009 on charges of
apostasy, abandoning Islam. He was first tried and convicted in 2010,
and sentenced to death by hanging. In Nov. 2010, this ruling was upheld
by the First Court of the Revolutionary Tribunal, according to the
American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which cooperates with the
pastor's attorney, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah. In Dec. 2010, Nadarkhani's case
was referred to the Supreme Court in the city of Qom, Iran, which
upheld the apostasy conviction and the death sentence, the ACLJ said. More here
Africa
Nigeria: Believers Gunned Down "while their eyes were closed in prayer"
I received this message on 16 January from an indigenous missionary ministry leader supported by Christian Aid. He had called me late at night on 6 January to ask for prayer. He and his family were behind locked doors with others from the ministry, keeping vigil so they would not be slaughtered in their sleep. More here
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