Defender of the Faith or defender of faith?
29 Sep 2022
Recently King Charles assured faith leaders from various religions that he would work to protect the space for faith. He stated his duty was ‘to protect the diversity of our country by protecting the space for faith and its practice through religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs to which our hearts and minds direct us’. As a member of the Church of England, his beliefs had love at their heart, so he would respect those who follow other spiritual paths, as well as those who seek to live in accordance with secular ideals. His mother, at her coronation, swore to do her utmost to maintain the laws of God, the true profession of the Gospel, doing all in her power to maintain the Protestant reformed religion and maintain and preserve the settlement of the Church of England, and its doctrine, worship, discipline and government, as established by English law: see
Abortion landmark: ten million lives lost
29 Sep 2022
It is estimated that on 24 September the ten millionth child would have been killed under the Abortion Act.. Last week the media reported that at 14 weeks’ gestation a child can demonstrate their sense of taste. But this child has no meaningful protection in law for another ten weeks. Babies at 23 weeks, which could be delivered and go on to lead healthy lives, can be killed at the mother’s discretion. Leading abortionists would like this to be offered all the way to birth. There are signs of encouragement for pro-life activists. The morals of abortionists like BPAS are being exposed. Fresh young pro-life campaigns are springing up. March for Life UK had record attendance. Each landmark, each record, each year is a painful reminder that we have not come far enough.
The Scottish government's chief legal officer has come under fire after saying that prayer vigils outside abortion clinics could be 'far more damaging' than verbal protest. Addressing the UK's supreme court about abortion clinics in Northern Ireland, Dorothy Bain KC said she believed ‘standing in judgment’ was just as psychologically damaging for women. She wants prayer vigils to be excluded from ‘buffer zones' - areas where protesting or handing out leaflets are banned - outside abortion clinics. The Catholic Church has labelled Mrs Bain's remarks as ‘absurd and alarming’, and have condemned her comments. Everyone has the right to express and offer our opinion on religious belief, and more importantly, religious practice. The Church said, ‘To be told they can't stand silently in prayer, in this case, outside an abortion clinic or a hospital that carries out abortions is really, frankly, chilling and extremely worrying.’
'Toxic culture' of abuse at NHS hospital
29 Sep 2022
An undercover reporter worked inside the Edenfield Centre caring for people held under the Mental Health Act who are at serious risk of harming themselves or others. With a hidden camera, he filmed staff swearing at patients, taunting and mocking them in vulnerable situations - when they were undressing - and joking about their self-harm. Patients were being unnecessarily restrained as well as being slapped or pinched by staff on some occasions. Some female staff acted in a sexualised way towards male patients. Ten patients were being held in small seclusion rooms, designed for short-term isolation to prevent immediate harm, for days, weeks or even months, with only brief breaks. Patient observations, a crucial safety measure, were being regularly missed, and records falsified. Seven members of staff were seen sleeping on shift. A consultant psychiatrist said the footage showed a ‘toxic culture’ among staff of ‘corruption, perversion, aggression, hostility, and lack of boundaries’, which were undermining patient recovery.
Truss may move UK embassy to Jerusalem
29 Sep 2022
Liz Truss has told Israel’s prime minister, Yair Lapid, she is considering moving Britain’s embassy to Jerusalem. Downing Street said the PM reaffirmed her leadership campaign pledge ‘about her review of the current location of the British embassy in Israel.’ The two met in New York during their visit to the UN General Assembly. Lapid tweeted praise to Truss for considering the move, adding, ‘We will continue to strengthen the partnership between the countries’. 2023 will mark 75 years since the re-establishment of the state of Israel. The recent announcement by the PM could signal a shift in the UK’s foreign policy towards Israel. Britain has embassies in all countries’ capitals except Israel’s. There is a consulate in Jerusalem, but only for Palestinians and not Israelis.
Ukraine: Military Ministries International
29 Sep 2022
Military Ministries International (MMI) are in various continents including Europe. In Ukraine they have been busy serving soldiers, military widows, and military families by providing daily internet prayer and Bible study times to different groups. There are several meetings with large numbers of soldiers for evangelism. MMI received food produce at the logistics centres and then distributed it to soldiers and widows. They were able to include a large group of military widows in the UN humanitarian programme this summer. A young American volunteer was baptised recently by an MMI pastor who sends a word of encouragement from the Bible individually to a few hundred people (mostly soldiers) and coordinates the ministry of the MMI chaplains. A very great encouragement for chaplains is the international daily MMI prayer through Zoom, which has been held since the war began. MMI requests prayer for God to give strength, wisdom and unity to all the military.
Italy: Meloni’s quest for ‘ring of power’
29 Sep 2022
Giorgia Meloni, the favourite to become Italy’s next prime minister, has a passion for fantasy author Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. She regards the legends of the rings of power as much more than fantasy. They inspire her worldview and politics. When she was elected to cabinet in 2008 she vowed not to be corrupted by the ‘ring of power’. Later she posed for a magazine profile next to a statue of Gandalf, Tolkien’s bearded wizard. The hobbits’ attachment to their pristine Shire has been regarded as a rallying call for nationalism and rejection of modernism by generations of post-fascist youths. Although Meloni resents being linked to Italy's fascist past, her Brothers of Italy party embraces a slogan adopted by the fascists – ‘God, fatherland and family’. See also
Nord Stream pipelines: alleged sabotage
29 Sep 2022
On 29 September a fourth leak was found on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, amid sabotage allegations that the two underwater pipelines running from Russia to Germany had been damaged by explosions recorded in the Baltic Sea. Russia and the West have traded blame over the mysterious leaks. The sea surface is bubbling up as gas escapes. While the pipelines were not operational during the alleged sabotage, they still contained natural gas. The incident raises fears of an environmental disaster. According to experts, the leaking methane will be the biggest burst of the potent greenhouse gas on record. ‘Whoever ordered this should be prosecuted for war crimes and go to jail’, said a university climate scientist.