Bishop slams ‘archaic’ marriage certificates

Home Office minister Baroness Williams of Trafford offered support to the Registration of Marriage Bill, which seeks to implement reforms to move from a paper-based system to an electronic register.

Such a change to the way marriages in England and Wales are recorded would make it possible to include mothers’ details – which are excluded under current rules.

 

Rt Rev Alan Smith told the House of Lords on Friday it was “archaic” to only allow a father’s name to be recorded – noting this has been unchanged since Victorian times.

While moving the draft legislation, he said: “The purpose of this Bill is to correct a clear and historic injustice.”

For the Government, Lady Williams said the changes would increase the security of marriage records as open marriage register books and blank certificates held in some 30,000 religious buildings can be a target of theft.

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Addressing the timetable for implementing change, Lady Williams told the Lords: “Subject to the successful passage of the Bill, implementation will involve – clearly amongst other things – affirmative regulations being made and system changes, training and guidance for local registration services and for those who solemnise marriages.

“I will aim to implement these reforms as soon as possible following royal assent.”

She added: “I know noble lords will recognise the…

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Google Home Devices Identify Muhammad, Buddha, and Satan, But Not Jesus

Google Home Devices Identify Muhammad, Buddha, and Satan, But Not Jesus



Many Christians are outraged after discovering that Google Home devices will identify Muhammad, Buddha, and Satan, but not Jesus.


Devices like Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa which can play your music, tell your the weather, answer various trivia, and make phone calls, are becoming increasingly popular (one in six American adults owns one), and that is why many are concerned that the device may be biased against Christianity.


The Christian Post reports that Television producer, author, and speaker David Sams did an experiment in which he compared the answers of Alexa with those of Google Home.


Sams reported that when he asked Google who Jesus Christ is, it responds, “Sorry, I’m not sure how to help” or “My apologies I don’t understand.” However, it was able to identify other religious figures such as Muhammad, Buddha, and Satan.


“I even asked Google who is David Sams? Google knew who I was, but Google did not know who Jesus was, Google did not know who Jesus Christ was, and Google did not know who God was,” Sams said. “It’s kinda scary, it’s almost like Google has taken Jesus and God out of smart audio.”


“I don’t know if there’s some kind of wizard making these decision or if it’s some kind of oversight,” Sams continued, “But whatever it is, they need to address it immediately.”


Sams also encouraged customers to get in contact with Google to…

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Google Home can’t tell you who Jesus is, but will identify Muhammad

Several videos are circulating online that show that Google Home can’t tell you who Jesus is, but can tell you who other religious figures are such as Muhammed and Buddha.

 

To verify this, Premier News team put it to the test, and it gave the same results.

Bex Lewis, a Christian digital expert, told Premier she was shocked when she first heard it.

“Google is an American company and America is, at least nominally, a very Christian company, so you would think it would manage to get that into the system,” she said.

“It might be one of those things that everyone makes a fuss about it today and then Google may sort it out and it may all work next week.”

 

Lewis, author of “Raising Children in a Digital Age: Enjoying the Best, Avoiding the Worst”, also said the issue is probably a technical oversight.

She explained: “I always think when we look at technology; it’s built by human beings. The algorithms are developed by human beings with computer aide.

“It’s quite interesting to see what that process might be that means that certain things get excluded or included.”

Lewis explained one possible reason for the gaffe may have to do with which website comes up first when someone searches ‘Jesus’ on Google.

She said a Wikipedia page for Muhammed comes up first, which is what Google Home uses to explain who Muhammed is.
 
However, for “Jesus Christ or Christianity… there’s three…

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American Pastor Held Hostage as Political Pawn Until the US Does This .

As indicated in his only photograph from his imprisonment, Andrew Brunson has lost more than 50 pounds (20kg), becoming a pale, slender version of himself.
As indicated in his only photograph from his imprisonment, Andrew Brunson has lost more than 50 pounds (20kg), becoming a pale, slender version of himself. (Photo: World Witness)

We have an interesting story, well told, from .. . charismapodcastnetwork.com.


As a high-level U.S. delegation arrived in the Turkish capital Jan. 23, in an effort to resolve high-level tensions between the two NATO allies, discussions were slated to include what…

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Florida Legislators Favor ‘In God We Trust’ Motto in Schools

Florida Legislators Favor ‘In God We Trust’ Motto in Schools



A Florida legislative subcommittee has unanimously approved a bill that calls for the state’s motto, “In God We Trust,” to be placed in every public school.


The bill, which calls for each district school board to adopt rules about displaying the motto “in a conspicuous place,” was co-sponsored by state Rep. Kimberly Daniels, a Democrat and a minister affiliated with churches in Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale.


“This motto is inscribed on the walls of this great capital and inked in our currency and it should be displayed so that our children will be exposed and educated on this great motto, which is a part of this country’s foundation,” said Daniels in brief remarks Tuesday (Jan. 23) before the panel.


Other legislators voiced support for the measure, citing a national trust in God.


But Maggie Garrett, legislative director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told the Tampa Bay Times such a stance would differ from court rulings barring schools from promoting religion.


“Not all kids in Florida public schools believe in God,” Garrett noted, and they shouldn’t feel pressured while in school.”


A parent opposing the measure said the proposal was unnecessary because a state statute already requires schools’ display of the state flag, which includes the motto. The phrase has been part of the state seal since 1868 and has been…

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3 Lessons from a Pastor up Close to the Kentucky School Shooting

3 Lessons from a Pastor up Close to the Kentucky School Shooting



As the shots rang out through Marshall County High School, shock waves simultaneously reverberated throughout all of Marshall County as one fact was becoming increasingly clear: Our county would never be the same.


The sirens of emergency vehicles began to flood the campus of the school as first responders rushed to the scene Tuesday morning (Jan. 23). Ambulances and helicopters were dispatched from area hospitals to the crime scene.


These were followed shortly by the barrage of news vans that were seeking to tell the tragic story: Two of our students had been fatally wounded and multiple others had been injured as yet another school shooting had transpired.


How does this happen in our hometown? We read about it and see it all too frequently on the news in other parts of the nation. But not here, not in our home. What are we to do with a tragedy of this magnitude in our community?


On day one of the aftermath, I’ve seen our county step up and once again remind me that this is the greatest place in the nation to live. The strength and resolve of our community can be seen through the bravery and leadership of our first responders, school administration and teachers, and everyday citizens. Marshall County truly is a great place.


But as a pastor of a church only a couple of hundred yards from the school, I wonder: What is the role of the faith community in a tragedy such as…

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Anne Graham Lotz Event Draws 500,000 in India; Multitudes Accept Jesus as Savior

(Photo: Instagram/Anne Graham Lotz)Anne Graham Lotz at an evangelistic event in India in January 2018.

Evangelist Anne Graham Lotz drew close to 500,000 people at a prayer event in India earlier this month. And at a separate gathering of 10,000, almost “every hand” went up when people were asked if they want to receive Jesus Christ as Savior, her ministry reported.

According to Vicki Bentley, a member of AnGeL Ministries Board who traveled with Lotz to India, there were -s all over the city of Hyderabad for the second annual “National Day of Prayer,” which Lotz was a speaker at. 

Local organizers helped put together the large gathering, with thousands of people arriving on trains, buses, and other forms of transportation from the countryside as well.

AnGeL Ministries noted that according to police estimates, as many as 500,000 people in total attended the prayer call.

“Anne preached on Daniel the prophet. She explained from Daniel 9 that ‘one man, who knew God and prayed, moved heaven and changed a nation.’ Then she challenged those present to pray as Daniel did,” Bentley recounted.

“As far as the eye could see and beyond, people cried out to heaven, agreeing together as Anne led in prayer for personal and national revival.”

The Hindu website also reported…

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Chris Tomlin Leads Thousands in Total Surrender to God

Chris Tomlin’s “White Flag” is an ode of total corporate surrender to God. In the official music video, Tomlin performs the song live before a massive crowd, all worshipping the Lord together. Watch his powerful performance for yourself.

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