Church Faithfuls Praying For Healing Against Ebola Virus In Liberia

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Church Faithfuls Praying For Healing Against Ebola Virus In Liberia

The Rev. James Nyemah stands at the pulpit, eyelids squeezed together as his parishioners begin to chant.

“Dear God!” he slowly says into a microphone. Each word thunders from the speakers at the back of the church, each word a separate explosion.

“Make a way,” he says, “make a way, make a way for the people dying from Ebola!”

Nyemah, a native of Liberia, leads this ritual each week at Africa Faith Expressions in Phoenix. Since July, some of the 150 church members have devoted their regular 6 p.m. Sunday service to a single cause: “Prayer Against Ebola.”

Most of the members are Liberian. Many have hosted refugees from West Africa. Many have lost friends and loved ones in Africa to the deadly virus.

So, each Sunday night, they gather in the glass-and-stucco office building that is home to their congregation.

Tobey Togba pleads to God for mercy. Theresa Wento begs for healing. William Fannoh asks for peace.

There is no money collection, no music, just the spoken word.

No one will give a sermon. No one must wait for silence before they begin to speak. In this service, all speak openly, in the moment, to share pain and frustration over the illness that is crushing the lives of a country they hold dear.

Although Nyemah has one microphone, two men and two women grab their own. The voices tumble over one another until they become a wall of sound.

The pastor’s voice, once the loudest of all, folds into the cascade… Read More

Source and Original Content by BCNN 1

“Houston Has No Power To Silence The Church”, US Senator

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“Houston Has No Power To Silence The Church”, US Senator

HOUSTON – Pastors in Houston are fighting back against an attempt by the mayor to silence them from the pulpit.

Some have been told to provide the government with their sermons. Now, they’re getting a little help from one of the top conservative voices in the country: Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

On Thursday in Houston, Cruz visited his home church to give city officials a lesson on religious liberty.

“The city of Houston has no power, no legal authority to silence the Church,” he said.

The controversy began over a city ordinance that not only bans discrimination against LGBT people; it also allows them to choose which bathroom they want to use.

That’s when pastors in Houston said “enough.”

“There’s no such thing as anti-gay in the course of this at all, but we are for God’s standard of morality,” Dave Welch, executive director of the Texas Pastor Council, said.

Citizens signed petitions to overturn the ordinance and gathered enough to force a vote, but the Houston City Council declared the signatures invalid.

The Christian advocates behind the petition sued.

Then, in an attempt to fight back, the city demanded to see sermons, texts, emails or any correspondence whatsoever from pastors against the ordinance. That would have included any preaching about homosexuality or gender identity.

Pastors stood their ground and refused to comply.

In an exclusive interview with CBN News, Cruz says he hopes Christians take notice of what’s happening here.

“Is this a situation where a sleeping giant has awoke?” CBN News’ David Brody asked Cruz.

“I think it may well be. I certainly hope that it is,” the Texas lawmaker replied.

“I never imagined we would see this kind of hostility to faith here in Houston,” he added.

Neither can Pastor Khan Huynh, who came to American from Vietnam to get away from persecution. Now his name is on the government hit list.

“This is what’s going on. They sensor all the sermons. Pastors have to print out worship service programs and they have to approve it before we can conduct our service,” Pastor Huynh told CBN News about treatment of pastors in Vietnam.

The city of Houston begs to differ. City officials are trying to downplay the idea their actions are an assault on religious liberty.

Houston’s gay mayor, Annise Parker, is pushing the LGBT ordinance. She’s also downplaying the controversy, and says pastoral critics don’t understand the concept of unconditional love.

“People are rightly concerned if a government entity in any way tries to inhibit religious speech. That’s not the intent,” she said.

The city now says it will narrow the subpoenas and not require all the information it originally wanted.

But the pastors aren’t buying it… Read More

Source and Original Content by CBN News

“Force May Be Only Way to Defeat ISIS and Save Christians”, Anglican Archbishop

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“Force May Be Only Way to Defeat ISIS and Save Christians”, Anglican Archbishop

Archbishop of Canterbury and Church of England leader the Most Rev. Justin Welby has shared his views on the global war against terror group ISIS, and admitted that there may be no other choice but to use force to protect people under attack. He also called on religious leaders to stand up against religious extremism that seeks to justify violence.

“Within Christian teaching there is a strong and brave tradition of absolute pacifism. Yet there are calls from Christian leaders in the Middle East for armed help. They seek temporary support while their own governments get their act together. They do not want the Middle East emptied of its Christian populations, essential to its culture, critical in many areas of life and there since before the time of St Paul,” Welby wrote in an article for Prospect Magazine, to be released in November 2014.

“It may be that we cannot avoid some use of force, but that must be done in the context of a greater and more selfless ideal that renews the vision that rebuilt our own continent after the long wars that began in 1914,” Welby continued.

“This struggle is for the heart and the spirit, not only for our security and undisturbed wealth. It is a winnable struggle, but the victory requires us to reshape our values, as much as to overcome those of ISIS.”

The Church of England leader insisted that religious leaders need to play a prominent role in tackling religious extremism that fuels such conflicts, and urged them to “engage jihadism in religious, philosophical and ethical space.”

“Religious justifications of violence must be robustly refuted. That is, in part, a theological task, as well as being a task that recognizes the false stimulation, evil sense of purpose and illusory fulfillment that deceive young men and women into becoming religious warriors,” he wrote.

The Archbishop of Canterbury noted that attacks by ISIS on religious and ethnic minorities across Syria and Iraq are getting more severe, and said that any strategy to counter the terror group must be global in nature. He also told readers that there are many other violent conflicts going on in the world today, such as terror group Boko Haram’s attacks in Nigeria.

“The Central African Republic has descended into utter barbarism, with a religious edge, seen by many Muslims as religious cleansing of their followers. Somalia is chaos, Libya is in meltdown,” he added of other cases.

“This struggle is not simply a religious conflict, but a terrible mix of ethnicity, economics, social unrest, injustice between rich and poor, limited access to resources, historic hatreds, post-colonial conflict and more. It is impossible to simplify accurately,” Welby said… Read More

Source and Original Content by Christian Post

Pakistani High Court Confirms Asia Bibi’s Death Sentence

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Pakistani High Court Confirms Asia Bibi’s Death Sentence

Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian mother charged with blasphemy, has been sentenced to death by the Pakistani High Court. Bibi’s appeal has postponed by the court at least five times before the death penalty was confirmed by the court today (Oct. 16).

Bibi was originally accused of speaking against the prophet Muhammad in 2009, an accusation she denied. Following the accusation, Bibi was sentenced to death by hanging in 2010.

Nasir Saeed, director of the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), the organization that has represented Bibi said, “I am very disappointed with today’s result and my thoughts and prayers are with Asia’s family. It is not surprising that the judges were swayed by pressure from local influential Muslims, but I had hoped that justice would prevail and that the case would be judged based on its merits.

“While the rest of the world condemns such draconian laws, Pakistan continues to persecute its minorities simply because of their religion.”

Bibi’s attorneys will submit a final appeal against the ruling to the Pakistani Supreme Court within 30 days.

“I have to now remain hopeful that the Supreme Court judges will look at the case objectively and allow the final appeal, eventually acquitting Asia,” Saeed said.

Source and Original Content by Christian Headlines

Religious Persecution On The Rise In China

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Religious Persecution On The Rise In China

The state of religious freedom in China is moving from bad to worse, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), responding to a new report by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

“There’s a huge gulf now” between China and the Catholic Church, Smith stated during an Oct. 9 conference call with reporters. He acknowledged that “the underground church has been brutally persecuted in China, both Protestant and Catholic,” but said that now even the state-recognized church is facing persecution.

“The Patriotic Church, the Catholic Church, they are being targeted with church demolitions and other kinds of repression which we have not seen before. So there’s a great deal of concern that religious freedom, as bad as it was, has further deteriorated in China.”

Smith and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) co-hosted the teleconference, focusing on the latest annual report from the human rights monitoring group, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

Both lawmakers cited various ways that the Chinese government has infringed upon the freedom of its citizens, including gross violations of human rights and targeting churches.

Smith cited a statement from the report: “Chinese authorities continued to harass, detain, imprison, and interfere with the religious activities of members of both registered and unregistered Protestant communities who ran afoul of government or party policy.”

It is very easy to “run afoul of government policy,” Smith added, noting that simply meeting to talk about religion could be a violation… Read More

Source and Original Content by Catholic News Agency

Church Complex Bombed By Sudan Air Force

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Church Complex Bombed By Sudan Air Force

KHARTOUM (Worthy News)– The Sudanese Air Force dropped four bombs on a church in the Nuba Mountains Friday.

The Rev. Youhana Yaqoub of the Episcopal Church of Sudan in Al Atmor, South Kordofan state, told Morning Star News that the aerial bombs completely destroyed the church compound in Tabolo.

“A family living at the church compound miraculously escaped the attack, although their whole house and property were destroyed.”

Yaqoub said the family thanked God for their safety as they watched their house burn from the bombs.

Sudanese armed forces had previously destroyed the ECS church building in Al Atmor in July.

Since the beginning of September, Sudan has dropped 19 bombs on South Kordofan villages.

Source and Original Content by WorthyNews

Christians Persecuted Even After Death In Pakistan

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Christians Persecuted Even After Death In Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (Worthy News)– Religious minorities in Pakistan face discrimination even after death as Christian cemeteries outside of Islamabad are allowed to fall into disrepair while Muslim plots nearby remain in excellent condition, according to The Express Tribune.

Although cemeteries were established by the Capital Development Authority to service Pakistan’s Christian community, it has failed to maintain them to the high same standards as Muslim graveyards nearby. For example, Christian cemeteries often lack walls, thereby permitting animals and vandals to damage the graves.

The pastor of Fatima Church, Reverend Father Yousaf Amanat, questioned why the CDA seemed so unconcerned about the poor condition of his congregation’s plots.

“Why has the authority ignored our graveyards despite us being equal citizens of the country?”

And Pastor Ashraf Bhatti said that his graveyards are as sacred as those belonging to Muslims and that both are the responsibility of the CDA.

The CDA director, Abdul Razak, blamed the poor condition of Christian plots on the recent rains, but said his staff would soon start cleaning Christian grave sites.

Source and Original Content WorthyNews

Mexican Priests Are Facing Grievious Persecutions

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Mexican Priests Are Facing Grievious Persecutions

Mexican Catholic priests are among the most persecuted in the world, with attacks having increased by 80 per cent over the past two years, a new report has found.

Released by the Mexican Catholic Multimedia Centre (CCM), the report confirms that six priests have been murdered and three others the victim of forced disappearances since President Enrique Pena Nieto was elected in July 2012.

The Mexican government has been accused of being “unwilling” to protect the religious freedom of its people. CCM is urging authorities to “provide security in areas with a significant presence of organised crime.”

Priests are often targeted as a result of denouncing criminal groups, or because they are working to help people exploited by violent gangs, such as victims of human trafficking or drug addicts. Churches are also seen as an attractive target for extortion and front for money laundering.

The report comes in the wake of Father José Ascensión Acuña’s murder last month. His body was found in the Balsas River near Santa Cruz de Las Tinajas after he disappeared on September 21.

Over 80 per cent of the Mexican population are Catholic. President Nieto met with Pope Francis at his inaugural Mass, and later travelled to the Vatican for an official meeting with the Pontiff last July. The Mexican constitution also guarantees freedom of religion or belief to all its citizen… Read More

Source and Original Content by Christian Today

Twitter Blocks Religion Based Campaign

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Twitter Blocks Religion Based Campaign

Faith Driven Consumer™, the group that emerged on the national stage last year with its #IStandWithPhil campaign that played a leading role in Phil Robertson’s return to television’s Duck Dynasty, continues to serve as an advocate for more than 41 million consumers who spend $2 trillion annually.

Today, the group launched a major petition campaign,#HoustonWeHaveAProblem, using the website HoustonProblem.com—demanding that the city of Houston immediately “cease and desist all bullying and other offensive actions” against a group of pastors who are victims of an aggressive harassment effort at the hands of the city government. The city is demanding that a group of pastors turn over any sermons—including personal correspondence such as emails—”dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor” as reported by Fox News.

Minutes after its launch, Twitter blocked the campaign—meaning that supporters cannot tweet the petition.

“There is a deeply troubling pattern of censorship with social-media companies when people of faith speak out. From Kirk Cameron, to Mike Huckabee, to our own #iStandWithPhil campaign earlier this year, faith voices have curiously been blocked during critical times as they seek to be heard. We are asking Twitter to immediately unblock thousands of people who have already flocked to our petition and want to spread the word from coast to coast,” said Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer.

Faith Driven Consumer’s new #HoustonWeHaveAProblem petition campaign reminds everyone that “pastors have been at the very center of American society since even before our founding as a nation, and they remain an integral part of the lives of untold of millions of Americans today,” that “our First Amendment protects freedom of speech and religion” and that “we … live in a society that values equality, including the notion that everyone has the right to publicly express deeply held beliefs without fear of persecution or reprisal.” Signers at HoustonProblem.com desire that “the City of Houston, in their quest to provide protection for LGBT citizens, to equally and explicitly acknowledge and ensure the equal rights of people of faith to live and express openly their deeply held religious beliefs.”

Source and Original Content by Charisma News

Nigerian Evangelical Talks On The Effect Of Boko Haram On Nigerian Churches

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Nigerian Evangelical Talks On The Effect Of Boko Haram On Nigerian Churches

In recent weeks, Boko Haram, the Sunni terrorist group in northern Nigeria, has doubled down in its ongoing killing spree, taking the lives of Christians by the hundreds and also declaring an Islamic caliphate in the region, local church leaders report.

In April, the group’s kidnapping of 276 girls, mostly Christians, from a school in Chibok drew global outrage. But 219 of those girls are still missing as are hundreds of other abducted children. The group has killed at least 2,000 Nigerians in the first six months of this year, according to Nigerian officials. In total, 650,000 people fled northern Nigeria to escape violence. Some 1,600 Nigerian Christians have died at the hands of Boko Haram and other groups, according to the Jubilee Campaign.

This week, at the six-month anniversary of the Chibok kidnappings, rallies have been held in Nigeria, the U.S., and other nations to press Nigeria’s government to do more to rescue the kidnapped girls and suppress Boko Haram.

A leading Nigerian evangelical, Samuel Kunhiyop, author of African Christian Ethics, serves as general secretary of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a 5-million-member denomination in Nigeria. ECWA has been doing frontline evangelism in Nigeria since 1954. In recent years, this group has planted hundreds of congregations in Muslim areas of Nigeria. Kunhiyop spoke with Timothy C. Morgan, CT’s senior editor for global journalism.

Is Nigeria as bad as we read in news headlines?

It’s even worse. Hundreds of churches have been destroyed, over 50 in Kano alone. One church and ministry has been built seven times and destroyed seven times. Another has been built three times and destroyed three times. Pastors have been murdered in their houses. Another was murdered in the church during a prayer service.

The situation is much worse further north in Yobe and Borno states, the headquarters of Boko Haram. People have fled residences where their forefathers lived for generations. Christians have been the victims.

Are Christians being targeted? Or are these attacks possibly reprisals against the government or civilized activity of any kind?

Boko Haram is an extremist Islamic organization. In 1992, the Islamic community expressed its desire, along with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), to make all of Nigeria a Muslim state. [Nigeria is an OIC member.] Over 90 percent of buildings destroyed by Boko Haram are Christian churches.

But the church in the north is strong and vibrant. Boko Haram wants to eliminate the churches because they are unacceptable to Muslims. They don’t want Christians in the Muslim areas, so they bomb those places of worship, or refuse to give them a license to worship…Read More

Source and Original Content by BCNN 1

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