Queen Rank Ahead of Archbishop as Most Moral Leader in Polls

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Queen Rank Ahead of Archbishop as Most Moral Leader in Polls

The Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge rank ahead of religious and political figures for their moral leadership, according to respondents in a survey commissioned by The Sunday Times.

In the YouGov survey, which was conducted before the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day, respondents were asked to choose three or four names from a list. About one third (34 per cent) said the Queen provided the best moral leadership for Britain.

The monarchy also took second place, with 30 per cent of respondents saying that Prince William and Kate set the moral tone.

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot by the Taliban and who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year, came third.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, came fourth, with 15 per cent, and David Cameron was ranked fifth.

Prince Charles didn’t do quite as well as other members of his family, with only 8 per cent.

Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain, came in 15th place with just 5 per cent of people recognising his moral leadership – the same as Labour Party leader Ed Miliband.

In response to a separate question about who offered the worst moral leadership, UKIP leader Nigel Farage topped the list with 39 per cent.

Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg were joint second for the undesirable title with 26 per cent each. Miliband was close behind with 20 per cent.

Source and Original Content by CT

Tips for Sharing Christ This Christmas

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Tips for Sharing Christ This Christmas

Evangelist Jay Lowder, founder of Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries and author of Midnight in Aisle 7, believes there isn’t a better time for Christians to their faith with others than during the Christmas season.

“Fear is the No. 1 reason people hold back from sharing their faith,” said Lowder, who has presented the gospel worldwide throughout his more than 20 years in full-time ministry. “Christmas is a perfect time to talk about Christ since He is the reason for the season, and offers a great opportunity to do so in a natural way.”

Lowder offers the following tips for Christians looking to use the true meaning of Christmas as a bridge to share the good news of Christ with family and friends:

1. Share your testimony. Doctrines and theology are debatable but personal experiences cannot be denied.

2. Start with apologies. If relationships have been damaged with family members or friends, take time to repair them. Without this, you will not have credibility to share.

3. Meet tangible needs. Offer to help with a tangible need—anything from helping with a project, babysitting kids, providing financial help or praying for a need—as a way to demonstrate the gospel in action.

4. Don’t preach or condemn. Compassion and empathy are the medicine of the day.

5. Avoid debates. Celebrating Christ’s birth is a perfect time to talk about the person of Jesus, but avoid topics of religion, traditional practices or Bible doctrines. Those only cause disagreements and are not essential to a relationship with Christ.

6. Don’t attack or de-value. If a family member or friend worships a different god than Christ, be careful not to diminish his or her beliefs. Reaching others does not come from trying to pull down other beliefs but by elevating Jesus.

7. Rely on God. Ask Him to provide you with the opportunity, courage and right words to say. He promises to use you if you are willing.

8. Don’t get discouraged. God doesn’t require results from you. Your responsibility is only to plant seeds.

Source and Original Content by Charisma News

Nigerian Social Critic,Fani-Kayode Addresses Prof. Osibajo

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Nigerian Social Critic,Fani-Kayode Addresses Prof. Osibajo

Many have been sharing their opinion on the emergence of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as the running mate of Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.

Latest to talk about Osinbajo’s win is former Aviation Minister and now political and social critic, Femi Fani-Kayode.
Fani-Kayode took to his Facebook page to say what he feels about Osinbajo being paired with Buhari.

Fani who said he has immense respect for Osinbajo, however expressed disappointment that he, a respected Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) would accept to be the running mate to a closet fundamentalist, a bloodthirsty, cruel and murderous military dictator like Buhari.

The former minister added that Osinbajo will ultimately have to answer to God for his choices and must live with the consequences of those choices.
Full statement below:
“I am glad that the APC eventually took my advice and saw the wisdom in not fielding a muslim/muslim ticket for the 2015 Presidential election even though I hear that, right up till the last minute, they almost did.

I congratulate my friend and brother Professor Yemi Osinbajo on his nomination as the Vice Presidential candidate of the APC and running mate to General Muhammadu Buhari.

I have known Yemi for a number of years and I must say that he is not only a very pleasant and civilised person with a warm and gentle disposition but he is also a cerebal lawyer with a brilliant mind. I have immense respect for him.
Yet sadly ever since I heard about his nomination and announcement as Buhari’s running mate I have felt nothing but sheer pity for him and a deep sense of pathos. My counsel and words for him are as follows:

Woe unto the children of light that secretly delight in darkness and that seek to thwart the counsel of God for their nation by joining hands with the sons of Boko and the daughters of Haram.
The bible says ”what fellowship is there between light and darkness?” It says ”what does God have to do with Belial?” It says ”what profiteth a man to gain the world and lose his soul?”.

A respected Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, a devout and committed Christian and an intellectually-sound, well-bred and well educated Professor of Law accepts to be running mate to a closet fundamentalist, a bloodthirsty, cruel and murderous military dictator and a die-hard believer in the philosophy of ”born to rule”? This is serious…Read More

Source and Original Content by Naij

Churches Converted Into Torture Chambers by Jihadists

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Churches Converted Into Torture Chambers by Jihadists

ISIS terrorists are stealing priceless relics from Iraqi churches and turning the buildings into dungeons and torture chambers, according to Jay Sekulow with the American Center for Law and Justice.

Sekulow told Fox News the Islamic State is taking historic objects and valuable artwork and selling it on the black market.

It’s all part of the jihadi army’s goal to erase Christianity from territories it holds in Iraq and Syria.

The group has already destroyed several biblical sites, including the tomb of Jonah in Mosul.

They’re also using at least two churches to imprison Christians and force them to convert to Islam.

Sekulow said ISIS considers several groups, including Christians, to be “infidels without human rights.”

“ISIS jihadis commit violence against fellow Muslims in violation of Islamic law. They routinely commit war crimes and engage in torture in violation of international law; and they also kill and threaten Christian, Jewish and other religious communities,” he said.

“In short, ISIS is composed of religiously motivated psychopaths,” Sekulow concluded.

Source and Original Content by Charisma News

iPhone 6s mini to Launch in 2015

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iPhone 6s mini to Launch in 2015

Apple fans who were disappointed with the launch of the large screen iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in September this year, might soon see a 4-inch iPhone with an iPhone 6-like design arrive in 2015.

Timothy Arcuri, an analyst from Cowen and Company, is reported to have issued a note to Apple investors stating that the Cupertino-based tech firm might be working on a 4-inch handset, which might be called as iPhone 6s mini.

Apple Insider, which claims to have procured a copy of the issued note, also adds that the specifications of the rumoured mini smartphone will match with that of iPhone 5s’ and the design with iPhone 6. This piece of information however should be taken with a pinch of salt as Arcuri’s predictions is said to be mixed.

If Arcuri’s prediction proves to be correct, the iPhone 6s mini could replace the iPhone 5c – the company’s current budget smartphone – in the market. The analyst has also added that Apple might rely on Qualcomm for the iPhone 6s mini’s components in order to keep the pricing down.

Apple in September this year launched the large screen iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets showing that it is willing to change its beliefs to cater to the moving market landscape. However, some observers also saw this surprise move by the firm as a bit of a U-turn, based on public comments made by the company earlier.

Arcuri not only sparked rumours for the iPhone 6s mini but also said that Apple’s long rumoured 12.9-inch tablet is well under works and might be launched in Spring next year. The tablet is said to ‘reinvigorate’ the product category. Apple plans to ship 15 million to 20 million units of the rumoured tablet initially.

Source and Original Content by Ndtv

Reading Ebooks Before Bed May Affect Health

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Reading Ebooks Before Bed May Affect Health

Use of a light-emitting electronic device such as a ebook reader in the hours before bedtime can adversely impact sleep, overall health, alertness and the circadian clock, a new study has found.
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) compared the biological effects of reading a light-emitting electronic device (called LE-eBook by the team) compared to a printed book.

“We found the body’s natural circadian rhythms were interrupted by the short-wavelength enriched light, otherwise known as blue light, from these electronic devices,” said Anne-Marie Chang, corresponding author, and associate neuroscientist in BWH’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders.

“Participants reading an LE-eBook took longer to fall asleep and had reduced evening sleepiness, reduced melatonin secretion, later timing of their circadian clock and reduced next-morning alertness than when reading a printed book,” Chang said.

Previous research has shown that blue light suppresses melatonin, impacts the circadian clock and increases alertness, but little was known about the effects of this popular technology on sleep.

The use of light emitting devices immediately before bedtime is a concern because of the extremely powerful effect that light has on the body’s natural sleep/wake pattern, and may thereby play a role in perpetuating sleep deficiency.

During the two-week inpatient study, twelve participants read LE-e-Books on an iPad for four hours before bedtime each night for five consecutive nights. This was repeated with printed books.

The order was randomised with some reading the iPad first and others reading the printed book first. Participants reading on the iPad took longer to fall asleep, were less sleepy in the evening, and spent less time in REM sleep.

The iPad readers had reduced secretion of melatonin, a hormone which normally rises in the evening and plays a role in inducing sleepiness.

Additionally, iPad readers had a delayed circadian rhythm, indicated by melatonin levels, of more than an hour.

Participants who read from the iPad were less sleepy before bedtime, but sleepier and less alert the following morning after eight hours of sleep.

Although iPads were used in this study, BWH researchers also measured other ebook readers, laptops, cellphones, LED monitors, and other electronic devices, all emitting blue light.

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Source and Original Content by Ndtv

Priest Refuses to leave Ebola Hot Zone even at Christmas Time

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Priest Refuses to leave Ebola Hot Zone even at Christmas Time

Except for going to church services all the population of Sierra Leone must stay home this Christmas and New Year.
This was the start of a Christmas message from former rock-star-turned-missionary, Father Themi Adams, who was once a member of The Flies, that once shared the stage with The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, and now runs The Holy Orthodox Mission in Freetown, the capital city of the troubled West African nation, that has been hit by the deadly Ebola virus.

Father Themi says, “We will be under a semi-lock-down mode for the Festive Season. No restaurants, no sporting events, no public celebrations, no wedding receptions, no street celebrations, all shops must close on weekdays by 6.00 PM, by noon of Saturdays and no trading on Sundays.

“Indeed the army will be out in force to enforce this. Violators will face the full weight of the law. Why? Are we facing some sort of anti-Christian campaign? No! Then why these draconian measures during the Holy Season? The simple yet tragic answer is that this nation is at war again…Read More

Source and Original Content by BCN

Nativity Scene will Remain in Front of Indiana Courthouse, Judge

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Nativity Scene will Remain in Front of Indiana Courthouse, Judge

On the heels of their spirited hearing [last week] before U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, Thomas More Society has reached an agreement with the ACLU of Indiana that the Franklin County Nativity Scene will remain in place this Christmas. The agreement was reached on behalf of the two organizations’ respective clients—Franklin County and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. (Photo via Thomas More Society)

“We’re pleased to secure the right to display the nativity scene on the Franklin County Courthouse lawn through Christmas,” said Peter Breen, Thomas More Society vice president and senior counsel. “The parties will now litigate the case on a normal schedule, without the threat of an emergency injunction forcing the removal of the nativity scene just before Christmas.”

The Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit seeking an immediate injunction against Franklin County over the County’s allowing private citizens to display a nativity scene on the Courthouse lawn. However, County Commissioners approve requests for displays and events in front of the Courthouse from different groups throughout the year, including a child abuse awareness group, garden club, and private citizens who sponsor and set up a nativity scene each year at Christmastime.

Under the agreement, the Franklin County nativity scene will come down the day after Christmas, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation will drop its request for a preliminary injunction against Franklin County, which could have required Franklin County to remove the nativity scene before Christmas.

“The Constitutional right to free speech protects religious speech in the public square, including nativity scenes, just as much as it protects nonreligious speech,” added Peter Breen. “We will continue working to protect the First Amendment rights of the people of Franklin County as they express themselves in the public forum in front of their Courthouse…Read More

Source and Original Content by BCN

Indian MPs Protest Forced Conversions of Religious Faithfuls

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Indian MPs Protest Forced Conversions of Religious Faithfuls

Members of the Indian parliament have protested against forced conversions of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism.

Opposition MPs accused the prime minister, Narendra Modi, of failing to stop the conversions. The parliament’s upper house had to adjourn because of the protests.

Conversions are legal in India but must be done without force, fraud or inducement.

The BBC reports that Hindu groups close to Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party had organised several ceremonies in recent weeks. Weeks ago in Agra, more than 50 Muslim families became Hindus. And in Gujarat last weekend, about 100 Christians were reported to have become Hindus.

The groups responsible insist the conversions have been voluntary and argue the converts are merely returning to the faith of their forefathers that their families abandoned centuries before. The conversion ceremonies are called “ghar vapasi”, which means “returning home”.

According to Reuters, the conversions protests are a setback for Modi’s reform agenda. Reuters reported that comments by the head of the right-wing Hindu group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, that India was a “Hindu nation” provoked a storm of criticism, ending any chance of opposition support for government business in the upper house of parliament, where Modi lacks a majority.

About one fifth of India’s 1.2 billion people are members of a non-Hindu faith.

Source and Original Content by CT

Pope Sends Message of Support to Middle East Christians

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Pope Sends Message of Support to Middle East Christians

Pope Francis has told beleaguered Christians in the Middle East that they have the support of the entire Church this Christmas.

In a letter, the Pope said Middle East Christians “play a significant role in the Church and in the countries where you live”.

“The entire Church is close to you and supports you, with immense respect and affection for your communities and your mission. We will continue to assist you with our prayers and with every other means at our disposal,” he wrote.

The letter continued: “You are a small flock, but one with a great responsibility in the land where Christianity was born and first spread. You are like leaven in the dough. Even more than the many contributions which the Church makes in the areas of education, healthcare and social services, which are esteemed by all, the greatest source of enrichment in the region is the presence of Christians themselves, your presence. Thank you for your perseverance!”

Referring to the persecution of Christians and other minorities in Iraq, the Pope wrote: “The tragic situation faced by our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq, as well as by the Yazidi and members of other religious and ethnic communities, demands that all religious leaders clearly speak out to condemn these crimes unanimously and unambiguously, and to denounce the practice of invoking religion in order to justify them.”

The Pope praised Middle East Christians “efforts to cooperate with people of other religions” and said they can assist Muslims by “presenting an authentic image of Islam”.

He wrote: “The more difficult the situation, the more interreligious dialogue becomes necessary. There is no other way. Dialogue, grounded in an attitude of openness, in truth and love, is also the best antidote to the temptation to religious fundamentalism, which is a threat for followers of every religion. At the same time, dialogue is a service to justice and a necessary condition for the peace which all so ardently desire.

“The majority of you live in environments which are predominantly Muslim. You can help your Muslim fellow citizens to present with discernment a more authentic image of Islam, as so many of them desire, reiterating that Islam is a religion of peace, one which is compatible with respect for human rights and favours peaceful coexistence on the part of all. This will prove beneficial for them and for all society.”

In the letter, Pope Francis also urged the international community to address the needs of Middle East Christians and those of other suffering minorities “by promoting peace through negotiation and diplomacy, for the sake of stemming and stopping as soon as possible the violence which has already caused so much harm.”

He added: “I once more condemn in the strongest possible terms the traffic of arms. Instead, what are needed are plans and initiatives for peace, so as to further a global solution to the region’s problems. How much longer must the Middle East suffer from the lack of peace? We must not resign ourselves to conflicts as if change were not possible! In the spirit of my pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the subsequent prayer meeting in the Vatican with the Israeli and Palestinian presidents, I encourage you to continue to pray for peace in the Middle East…Read More

Source and Original Content by Catholic Herald

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