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Care Not Killing, an alliance of over 40 organisations, has today called on the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, to carry out an urgent investigation into the way assisted suicide is covered by the BBC and its link to English suicide rates. CNK Campaign Director Dr Peter Saunders, said, 'A programme featuring celebrity author Terry Pratchett was shown on BBC2 on Monday night following a huge amount of advance media publicity. It breaches international guidelines on suicide portrayal and, as such, poses a significant risk to vulnerable people. There is a real risk that copycat suicides will follow the screening. The WHO international guidelines on suicide portrayal refer to over 50 published studies, systematic reviews of which have consistently drawn the same conclusion, that media reporting of suicide can lead to imitative suicidal behaviours’. Pray: that this programme will not lead to an increase in copycat suicides. (Dt.30:19)
The social care system is failing to meet the needs of disabled people of working age, the Bishop of Carlisle has said. The Right Reverend James Newcome made the comments in support of the report, 'The Other Care Crisis', published this week by Scope, Mencap, The National Autistic Society, Sense and Leonard Cheshire Disability. The report warns that chronic underfunding of care services is being exacerbated by cuts to local services, depriving tens of thousands of disabled people without the support they need. Four in 10 disabled people are failing to have their basic needs met and the lack of funding is hindering their independence, with nearly half of disabled adults reporting that services are not supporting them in getting out into the community. 'Without support, disabled people find themselves unable to wash, dress, leave their house or communicate with others. This can leave them unable to work, study and contribute to society.'
Pray: that at a time of economic restraint no group is abandoned and appropriate support is maintained. (Matt.22:39)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/disabled.contribution.hindered.by.care.crisis.bishop/31484.htm
The campaign coincides with the EU-wide Safer Internet Day and seeks to help families protect themselves from inappropriate content, including pornography, violence in video games, films, the promotion of alcohol or tobacco, and other age sensitive content. The campaign highlights the changing nature of technology from passive radio and TV to handheld mobile phones and the challenge of a new and largely unregulated environment in which content is increasingly consumed by users online. The Protecting Families Online campaign is calling for the introduction of measures to give parents greater parental control, including robust age verification to access age sensitive content and opt-in/opt-out filters that can stop certain content coming into the home via the internet. It is encouraging parents to make use of family protection resources and put into place the proper restrictions on computers, mobile phones, games consoles and other devices that have access to the internet. Pray: that this campaign will be effective in challenging parents to protect their children from inappropriate internet content. (Ps.5:11) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.campaign.to.protect.families.online/27489.htm
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Emeritus Archbishop of Westminster, will lead a team of senior Catholics sent by the Pope to Ireland to investigate how the Church was able to cover up decades of sex abuse by priests. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor will carry out a wide-ranging investigation into the scandal, which has caused outrage among Irish Catholics and forced the resignation of three bishops. Working alongside prominent cardinals and archbishops from the US and Canada, he will look at procedures that are currently designed to prevent abuse and study possible ways to improve them. The inquiry, which begins in the autumn, will initially focus on four dioceses - Armagh, Dublin, Cashel-Emly, and Tuam - and then be extended to others. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor will lead the investigation in Armagh, visiting churches and seminaries and interviewing rank-and-file Catholics.
Pray: for Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor as he leads this difficult and sensitive investigation. (Ex.15:13)
Using cannabis as a teenager or young adult increases the risk of psychosis, a report suggests. The study published in the British Medical Journal involved tracking 1,900 people over a period of 10 years. Although the link between cannabis and psychosis is well established, it had been unclear whether cannabis triggers the disorder. The participants in the study, aged between 14 and 24, were assessed for cannabis use and psychotic symptoms at three points over a 10-year period. It was found that cannabis use ‘significantly’ increased the risk of psychotic symptoms. Sir Robin Murray, professor of psychiatric research at the Institute of Psychiatry, said the study added ‘a further brick to the wall of evidence’ showing that use of traditional cannabis is a contributory cause of psychoses like schizophrenia. He said it was one of 10 prospective studies all pointing in this same direction. Pray: that this report will strengthen the argument against cannabis-use and lead to new legislation against it. (Pr.5:1)
Anti-poverty campaigners are urging people to switch off Facebook for a day in protest against the company's alleged tax avoidance. The Facebook blackout was initiated by Church Action on Poverty after it emerged that the company had paid £196,000 in corporation tax on estimated UK sales of £175 million in 2011. Facebook users are being urged to share images advertising the day-long initiative on 1 December and leave a message telling their friends why they are switching off. CAP is hoping the message will go viral and alert other Facebook users about the company's contentious tax practices. National Co-ordinator Niall Cooper said: ‘Despite media coverage, many of Facebook’s 43 million users will be unaware of the company’s tax dodging. CAP is engaging in the protest as part of a wider effort to make the Government clamp down on tax dodging.’ (See also Prayer Alert 47-2012)
Pray: for the success of this campaign against the companies which are avoiding corporation tax. (Mk.12:14)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/campaigners.to.switch.off.facebook.over.tax.dodging/31148.htm
The NHS should stop funding chaplaincy services and put the money towards frontline services instead, it has been claimed. A campaign has been launched to persuade the Welsh Assembly Government to set up a charitable trust to fund religious and faith services for patients. Alan Rogers, a member of the National Secular Society, believes that NHS money would be better spent on clinical services for patients. His comments come as the NHS in Wales is facing the prospect of making savings of £1.9bn over the next five years. The NHS currently spends £1.3m a year on chaplaincy services across Wales and 33.83 whole time equivalent staff are employed in this area. Unite, which represents NHS chaplains, said they are as much a part of the health service as physiotherapists. Mr Rogers’ campaign comes after Health Minister Edwina Hart issued fresh guidance and new standards to the NHS to ensure patients have access to spiritual and religious support. Pray: for the continued availability of hospital chaplains to those in need, however funded. (Mt.10:1)
A motion will be debated on Wednesday 7th November in the British Parliament calling for a cut in the EU budget. The EU’s next long-term budget running between 2014 and 2020, will be discussed at an PEU summit on 22 and 23 November. David Cameron wants a ‘real terms freeze’ (based on the cash that was paid out from the 2011 EU budget). Wednesday’s Parliamentary debate is not binding, but if Labour MPs side with Tory backbenchers it could be embarrassing for the Government. The discussion is generally confused. The Times reported Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, stating ‘Labour would argue against any proposed increase in EU spending and instead support a budget cut. We believe these goals are difficult but achievable with the right approach from the UK.’ (see http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ )
Pray: for the UK and other countries, with rebate or budget corrections due to expire in 2013, to experience a just and honest resolution to their disputes. (Pr.3:9-10)
Britain's most senior policeman has been urged to issue guidelines to his officers to protect Christians’ rights to free speech, amid claims they are suffering intimidation and discrimination from police. Christian activists have called on Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to inform all his officers that it is legal to cite traditional Bible teaching which describes homosexuality as a sin when speaking in public. The campaigners say free speech is under threat after a series of cases in which street preachers were arrested for delivering sermons which referred to the traditional Christian view of homosexuality. Andrea Williams, the director of the CLC, has written to Sir Bernard insisting that human rights laws allow Christians to express their genuinely-held views without fear of arrest, providing they do not incite a breach of the peace. Mrs Williams suggested Christians were becoming “fearful” of expressing their lawful views because of the police’s “intimidatory tactics”.
Pray: for the police in their difficult role but that they will recognise the legality of free speech in these matters. (Dt.32:1)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10206335/Christians-demand-free-speech-guidance-from-Scotland-Yard-chief.html
As Parliament reconvenes to discuss the riots, Christian charity CARE has called on the Prime Minister to re-engage with the Broken Society agenda, with its emphasis on tackling family breakdown and fatherlessness, which he promoted vigorously when in opposition. Dan Boucher, CARE’s Director of Parliamentary Affairs, said, ‘The reasons for the riots are complex. It is very unlikely that there is any one single explanation. A key element in the mix, however, is undoubtedly the place of the family and the role of fathers in particular in Britain in 2011. When in opposition, David Cameron spoke at great length about the Broken Society and about how a Conservative government would fix broken Britain. He was very clear that one of the key drivers of the Broken Britain phenomenon was family breakdown and fatherlessness and interestingly polling demonstrates that this resonated far more effectively with the public than his subsequent focus on the Big Society ever has.’
Pray: that our government would take the Broken Society and Big Society agendas and see how together they could help in the current situation. (Php.4:6)