Britain in the EU and the migrant situation
18 Mar 2016
The European Union was birthed to foster cooperation between countries to avoid another war. It has grown into a ‘single market’ for goods and people to move around as if the EU was a country with its own currency, its own parliament and setting rules on the environment, transport, consumer rights and things like mobile phone charges. Mr Cameron’s package of changes to the UK's EU membership will take effect immediately if we vote to remain in the EU. Changes include child benefit payments to migrant workers for children living overseas to reflect the cost of living in their home countries. Mr Cameron originally wanted a complete ban on migrants sending child benefit abroad but had to compromise. Other changes are to deny free movement rights to nationals of a country outside the EU who marry an EU national, to tackle ‘sham’ marriages, and to have new powers to exclude people believed to be a security risk - even if they have no previous convictions.
The Church of England is to make far-reaching changes to the way it deals with cases of sex abuse, following an independent report detailing how senior C of E figures failed to act upon repeated disclosures of a sadistic assault by a cleric. The first independent review commissioned by the Church into its handling of a sex abuse case highlights the ‘deeply disturbing’ failure of those in senior positions to record or take action on the survivor’s disclosures over a period of almost four decades. The Church acknowledged that the report made ‘embarrassing and uncomfortable’ reading. Last October, the C of E paid £35,000 in compensation and apologised to the victim. Now a government-appointed inquiry into child sex abuse prepares to examine hundreds of thousands of files relating to the abuse of children and vulnerable adults within the Church. Justin Welby has said that abuse by Church figures and within other institutions has been ‘rampant’.
Economic justice
18 Mar 2016
A bill introduced on 15 March by MP Caroline Flint, a member of the Public Accounts Committee, has proposed that companies should have to file new-style financial reports with Companies House so that their global tax records are publicly available to all. ‘After years of tax scandals, the Chancellor has recognised that these company reports should be made public,’ said Toby Quantrill, a principal adviser on economic justice. If he did this, George Osborne would have cross-party support as well as the knowledge that he will be helping the UK and other countries to collect their fair share of tax from giant companies. Allowing politicians, investors, journalists, academics, campaigners, and fellow taxpayers to see multinationals’ country-by-country reports would pressurise companies to pay their fair share of tax in all the countries where they operate. Christian Aid joined more than thirty MPs in supporting this bill.
Praying for Jehovah’s Witnesses
18 Mar 2016
A knock on the door and an inconvenient visit are often our only encounters with Jehovah's Witnesses, but Jesus loves them deeply and unconditionally. Do we love them too? Though they identify themselves as ‘Christian,’ Witnesses are captive to many false teachings. For example, they deny the Trinity and the physical resurrection of Jesus, and base all doctrine on the Watchtower Society and the New World Translation of the Bible (not a scholarly or accurate translation). They teach that 144,000 will go to heaven to rule the earth, and those who remain will be resurrected to paradise on earth. They believe eternal life is based on their morality and faithfulness in witnessing to their beliefs. Many are increasingly being awakened to the Witnesses' control over their lives and eyes are being opened to doctrinal inconsistencies. However, embracing the Biblical Jesus and leaving the Witnesses results in a painful shunning from all community and family.
Affordable accommodation needs
18 Mar 2016
The organisation Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action in the field of housing and homelessness. They believe that human dignity is challenged by the lack of decent housing; so they support night shelters, drop-ins, and hundreds of practical projects nationwide by providing advice and training for churches and other community groups who work with homeless people. They provide a range of supportive forums to ensure that people feel free to express their views in a positive environment and that their opinions are heard. They work to unite Christians and churches of all denominations across the country to work for change and embrace partnerships with people of all faiths (and none) who share our values of social justice and compassion.
Staff at a nursery school threatened to refer a four-year-old boy to a de-radicalisation programme after he drew pictures which they thought showed his father making a ‘cooker bomb’. The child’s drawing actually depicted his father cutting a cucumber with a knife, but staff misheard his explanation and thought it referred to a type of improvised explosive device. The boy’s mother showed the Guardian video footage of her son in which he is playing happily on the floor of his home and is shown a cucumber and asked what it is. ‘A cuker-bum,’ he says, before going back to his toys. In between the odd tear and laugh of disbelief, the mother spoke about the experience. At one point she was told, ‘Your children might not be taken off you - you can prove yourself innocent.’ In another exchange with nursery staff, she added, ‘When you look at me, do I look like a terrorist?’ The reply was, ‘Well, did Jimmy Savile look like a paedophile?’
Threats to Israel on border with Syria
18 Mar 2016
A senior Israeli Defence Forces official warned: ‘The relative quiet on Israel’s Syrian border can be shattered by Hezbollah, IS, or another fringe jihadist group making a statement about its dedication to fight against Israel’. The Syrian threat is not only intentional attacks, but also spillover from the rebel infighting and battles against Assad’s forces. The immediate threat comes from jihadi organisations that are less interested in capturing territory and more interested in either anti-Israel ideology or a desire to please Iran by carrying out attacks against the Jewish state. Ask God to protect Israel from the al-Nusra organisation, which has a few tanks and some light machinery and is known to have ties with al-Qaeda, who are devoted to the destruction of Israel. Also, Hezbollah has a presence in Hader (Assad-controlled territory). It’s a prime base of operations as there is less for the IDF to destroy in retaliation for an attack.
Yemen: attack on Catholic care home
18 Mar 2016
Yemen's civil war has split the country in two, with ongoing warfare and humanitarian needs. Shiite rebels control the north. The south is controlled by a government backed by Saudi Arabia. There is a power and security vacuum: lawlessness and extremist groups such as al-Qaeda prevail. Christians need our prayers. Last Friday a care home in Aden for eighty elderly and disabled, run by the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity and founded by Mother Teresa, was attacked. At least sixteen were killed. The dead include four missionary sisters (two from Rwanda, one from India and one from Kenya) and several of their helpers (including at least five from Ethiopia). No members of the community they served were harmed. There is concern for the safety of an Indian priest, whose whereabouts are unknown. Pray that families, friends and colleagues of those murdered will know the comfort of Jesus.