No role for Salvos in distribution of funds

17/02 The Australian | ONE of the nation's leading church-based charity groups, the Salvation Army, has been left off the committee that will oversee bushfire appeal funds. Despite raising more than $12 million for bushfire victims and already distributing $1.4 million in cash, the Salvation Army will not play a role in overseeing the operation of distributing the millions raised. Opposition community services spokesman Tony Abbott called for the inclusion of the Salvation Army. "The Salvation Army are always there when times are tough, without any favouritism as to race or creed," Mr Abbott said. "The Salvos are at least as active as any other welfare group. It is disappointing they aren't being given a look-in at official level.

"For some reason -- maybe it is because of their Christian orientation, maybe because they were thought to be close to the Howard government -- the Rudd Government is giving them the cold shoulder. It is wrong and it should stop immediately." Salvation Army spokesman Neil Venables said the organisation was ready to respond to any invitation. "We would hope that it's not because of our Christian values and the perception that we were close to the previous government," Major Venables said. "We were committed to working with the Howard government, as we are committed to working with the Rudd Government. "It is not about political persuasion; it is about how we most effectively fulfil our mission. At times like this, the army has the ability to do its best work."

Australian Fires Revive Faith in God

26/02 Wendy Griffith, CBN News | Though the death toll continues to rise in the horrible Australia wildfires, there are many stories being told of divine intervention and survival. In Australia's state of Victoria, much of the land is black and scorched, a grim reminder of the ferocious wildfires that so far have claimed 200 lives.

CBN News Senior Reporter Wendy Griffith is in Australia covering the aftermath of the wildfires.  You can watch her reports on The 700 Club and Newswatch.  Check local listings.  You can also find her exclusive reports on CBNNews.com.

Survivors say the fires came so fast and were so hot that there was little, if any time to escape.

Family Life: Help for homeowners in mortgage stress

25/02 Gordon Moyes | In January 2009, the New South Wales Government launched a new guide for people suffering mortgage stress.  More than 1,500 homes were repossessed last year. 

 Attorney General John Hatzistergos said The Mortgage Stress Handbook, produced by Legal Aid NSW, offered practical advice for anyone in danger of losing their home or experiencing financial difficulty.  "This is a valuable new resource which informs people in mortgage stress of their options and includes information on where to turn for further assistance.  If you are having problems making ends meet, the best thing you can do is know your rights and act early", Mr Hatzistergos said. 

 The Handbook covers a range of scenarios, including advice on what to do if: you have missed a loan payment, your financial lender has contacted you, you have received a default notice, and the Sheriff is at your door. 

 Home repossession rates have remained consistently high over the past three years.  Since 2006, the annual number of repossessions has exceeded 1,500, which is almost three times higher than in 2004, when 560 homes were taken.  Further, the State Government's free legal helpline - Law Access NSW - took more than 15,000 calls last year from people experiencing problems with debt. To download the Mortgage Stress Handbook from Legal Aid NSW click here

No role for Salvos in distribution of funds

17/02 The Australian | ONE of the nation's leading church-based charity groups, the Salvation Army, has been left off the committee that will oversee bushfire appeal funds. Despite raising more than $12 million for bushfire victims and already distributing $1.4 million in cash, the Salvation Army will not play a role in overseeing the operation of distributing the millions raised. Opposition community services spokesman Tony Abbott called for the inclusion of the Salvation Army. "The Salvation Army are always there when times are tough, without any favouritism as to race or creed," Mr Abbott said. "The Salvos are at least as active as any other welfare group. It is disappointing they aren't being given a look-in at official level.

"For some reason -- maybe it is because of their Christian orientation, maybe because they were thought to be close to the Howard government -- the Rudd Government is giving them the cold shoulder. It is wrong and it should stop immediately." Salvation Army spokesman Neil Venables said the organisation was ready to respond to any invitation. "We would hope that it's not because of our Christian values and the perception that we were close to the previous government," Major Venables said. "We were committed to working with the Howard government, as we are committed to working with the Rudd Government. "It is not about political persuasion; it is about how we most effectively fulfil our mission. At times like this, the army has the ability to do its best work."

Australia Mourns Wildfire Victims

15/02 CBN News | Australians mourning the lives lost in horrific wildfires last week sought comfort in their churches Sunday even as firefighters continued to battle a dozen blazes still burning in the state.

Fire engines raced past the small, 140-year-old Christ Church in Whittlesea while the Archbishop of Melbourne was leading a service, their sirens briefly drowning out a song.

More than 180 people were killed and 1,800 homes destroyed when some 400 blazes -- some thought to have been deliberately set -- tore across Victoria state on Feb. 7 in Australia's worst-ever wildfire disaster.

The good, the sad and the ugly

13/02 Ramon Williams | As reports continue to flood in, surprising acts of generosity, people’s raw feelings and unworthy behaviour have all come to the fore. It has taken Australia’s worst natural disaster to expose what a wide range of people we have in this community.

THE GOOD - International support has flooded in, showing that others care. US President Barack Obama has telephoned Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to offer his prayers for the people of Victoria, and the nation, suffering from the deadliest bushfire on record.

"President Obama said that we should know in Australia that the prayers of himself, his wife Michelle, their family and of the American people are with the people of Victoria, people of Australia," Mr Rudd told parliament.

Death Toll includes known Christians

12/02 Ramon Williams | As the lists of those killed in the Victorian fires of February 7 continues to increase, names of known Christians are becoming clearer.

 Kim Cain, Communications Director for the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, said at least one Uniting Church member – an elder at Kinglake – has died in the fires and many Uniting Church families have lost their homes and farms.

The Hon Peter Costello MP announced in Federal Parliament, that a friend of his, David Stokes perished while defending his farm at Upper Plenty.

Bush Fires bring united response:

Baptists in Australia offer bushfire assistance ... Three closely related Baptist bodies, Baptcare, the Baptist Union of Victoria (BUV), and the Baptist Union of Australia (BUA), established an Emergency Bushfire Relief Fund with an initial grant of AUS$50,000.  The fund will be used primarily for food, clothing, accommodation, and personal needs, as well as for bereavement counselling. 

 Seventh-day Adventists Respond to the Victorian Bushfires ... The President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia has expressed deep sadness and grief over the tragic Victorian bushfires. “I was stunned by the viciousness, speed and the scope of the fires and join all Australians in mourning the terrible loss of life,” Pastor Stanley said.

Pastor Stanley has called on all 55,000 members of the church in Australia to pray for those who have experienced the horror and loss of family, homes and possessions.  He wants Adventists to also pray for the fire fighters, SES, police, army and others who are stressed by the enormity and the shock of the tragedy, and to pray for favourable weather which will bring an end to the fires

... “I’d like to encourage every Seventh-day Adventist to join other Australians by providing cash donations as being the quickest and most effective means of providing support,” Pastor Stanley said.

Please give generously to Baptcare’s Emergency Bushfire Relief Appeal... Baptcare, the Baptist Union of Victoria and the Baptist Union of Australia are joining together to launch an emergency bushfire relief appeal to provide funds to those affected by this terrible disaster.

The Emergency Bushfire Relief Fund will provide relief to families and individuals through the following means:

* Emergency aid for food, clothing and personal needs
* Emergency accommodation
* Transitional community services that have been interrupted by the bushfires eg child care
* Bereavement and counselling

Reach Out and Help - Victorian Bushfire Appeal ... Brian Houston | Bobbie and I are deeply saddened by the fires affecting so many Australian families. The Victorian bushfires have decimated nearly 330,000 hectares, and destroyed more than 750 homes leaving thousands of people homeless. As the death toll rises, authorities are saying it could reach to above 200 people.

As a church, 10% of giving in all our services this weekend will go directly towards the bushfire relief efforts. On top of this we will be receiving a special offering at our Leadership Vision Night this week, of which 100% of all donations received will go directly to the bushfire relief efforts. We have also set up an online giving page so that we can pool our resources for you to contribute as well.

Archbishop Jensen Launches Bushfire Appeal

Dr Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of NSW has asked churches to be in urgent prayer and to offer practical help for bushfire victims in Victoria.

“The scale of the tragedy is horrifying. When part of our community suffers, all suffer with them. We need to be generous in care, gifts and prayer in order to express our oneness with those in grief.”

Dr Jensen has launched an appeal for Sydney Anglicans to donate through the Archbishop’s appeals unit. The appeal will support the ministry that will be needed in the bushfire-devastated areas in the months ahead. Donations for the ‘Bushfire Crisis Appeal’ can be given on the toll-free number 1800 653 903 or www.archbishopsappeals.asn.au

QUEENSLAND: Brothels approved in secret through legal loophole

11/02 Lyle Shelton, ACL | CONCERNED Toowoomba residents are angry and bewildered hat their elected council is powerless to stop a brothel development from going ahead. It was left to the media to tell the community it was about to get Queensland's 24th legal brothel after council officers assessed the application in secret.

Usually the public finds out about any contentious development applications through the council's public notification whiteboards, newspaper advertisements or when the application is discussed in the council chamber. Not so with brothels. In the Smart State, pimps have privileges other developers would kill for.

Australian Fire Zone Declared Crime Scene

15/02 CBN News | Australia's raging brush fires have killed more than 165 people. But firefighters expect the death toll to climb over the next few days.

Investigators say some of the fires were deliberately set and Australia's prime minister is calling it mass murder.

From the air or from the ground, the images of the raging brush fires in Australia are frightening.

Their kids are dead," one witness said. "I played golf with a 12-year-old kid on Saturday and he's not here anymore."

The stories of loss are more intense than the flames. People have lost their homes. But more than 165 people lost their lives -- and the death toll is climbing as the fires spread.

Why Hasn't Anyone Tried This Before?

Information Link: Women's Justice Centre | In a centuries deep sea of clichés despairing that 'prostitution will always be with us', one country's success stands out as a solitary beacon lighting the way. In just five years Sweden has dramatically reduced the number of its women in prostitution. In the capital city of Stockholm the number of women in street prostitution has been reduced by two thirds, and the number of johns has been reduced by 80%. There are other major Swedish cities where street prostitution has all but disappeared. Gone too, for the most part, are the renowned Swedish brothels and massage parlors which proliferated during the last three decades of the twentieth century when prostitution in Sweden was legal.

In addition, the number of foreign women now being trafficked into Sweden for sex is nil. The Swedish government estimates that in the last few years only 200 to 400 women and girls have been annually sex trafficked into Sweden, a figure that's negligible compared to the 15,000 to 17,000 females yearly sex trafficked into neighboring Finland. No other country, nor any other social experiment, has come anywhere near Sweden's promising results

... "In Sweden prostitution is regarded as an aspect of male violence against women and children. It is officially acknowledged as a form of exploitation of women and children and constitutes a significant social problem... gender equality will remain unattainable so long as men buy, sell and exploit women and children by prostituting them.".

Coles to donate this Friday’s profits to Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund

Coles will donate this Friday’s (13 Feb) profits from its 750 stores nationally to the Government’s Bushfire Appeal Fund in partnership with the Red Cross.

Customers will also be able to donate to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund at all Coles stores. Donations can be made at all Coles supermarket checkouts from today.

Coles Managing Director Ian McLeod said the bushfire tragedy had touched a number of Coles team members, some of whom have lost loved ones in the fire, and a number who have lost their homes. “Like everyone in the community, we’ve been shocked by the devastation these fires have wrought, and we extend our deepest sympathies to those who’ve suffered loss in this terrible event,” Mr McLeod said.
Mr McLeod said the size of this Friday’s donation would depend on customer support, but could be several million dollars.
“We hope Australians will help us make this Friday’s donation as substantial as possible.”

Anti-abortion groups fear law change

08/02 Brisbane Times | ANTI-ABORTION activists rallied in Brisbane yesterday to oppose possible changes to Queensland laws.

The Victorian Government last year legalised abortion of a fetus up to 24 weeks.

In Queensland, abortion must be performed before 22 weeks and only if a woman risks death from the pregnancy.

"We don't want the horror story that happened in Victoria to happen in Queensland," Cherish Life Queensland president Teresa Martin told the rally.

The Victorian legislation also makes it mandatory for anti-abortion doctors to refer pregnant patients to doctors who do not hold such objections.

"It's very concerning that doctors are being forced to perform, against their conscience, an abortion or refer for an abortion," Ms Martin said.

"This coercion of conscience is being carried out in the name of choice."

Churches Putting Sticks Together for Reconciliation

09/02 NCCA Media Release | Reconciliation in the midst of brokenness is the practical theme which thousands of Australia’s Christians are seeking to explore here, and with others across the world, as part of this year’s global Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU).

 The theme for the 2009 WPCU has been developed by Korean churches, choosing Ezekiel 37:15-28 and the prayer that "they shall be one in my hand. ... They will be my people and I shall be their God".   Just as the prophet Ezekiel saw a vision of the uniting of two pieces of wood, symbolising the two kingdoms into which Israel had been divided, so today’s Churches are seeking God’s grace to reconcile the divided sticks and strands of our lives, peoples and world.

Rally for Life! 09

There is a push for the complete decriminalisation of abortion in Queensland as evidenced by the abortionists and Queensland state politicians who spoke at the Abortion Forum held in Brisbane in October last year.

Complete decriminalisation means:-

1. Abortion would be allowed up until birth for any or no reason
2. Abortion would be available throughout public hospitals thus implicating and pressuring more medical personal to be involved
3. Pro-life doctors would be compelled to refer women to others who are proabortion (as in Victoria)
4. Catholic/Christian hospitals would be under pressure to refer for or provide abortions.

Is this the kind of Queensland you wish to live in?

Visit the Cherish Life website for more information

Obama to Reverse Bush Abortion Rule

28/02 Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Christian Post | President Barack Obama plans to repeal a Bush administration rule that has become a flash point in the debate over a doctor's right not to participate in abortions. The regulation, instituted in the last days of the Bush administration, strengthened job protections for doctors and nurses who refuse to provide a medical service because of moral qualms.

A Health and Human Services official said Friday the administration will publish notice of its intentions early next week, opening a 30-day comment period for advocates on both sides, medical groups and the public.

... "It would be a horrible move. These regulations were a long time coming," said Tom McClusky, a vice president at Family Research Council. "What they seek to do is protect patients, nurses, doctors and other health care professionals from being forced to violate their consciences."

McClusky and other abortion opponents said the Bush regulation clarified federal policies and raised awareness about the rights of medical providers to follow their consciences. But abortion rights advocates said it was vague and overly broad, and could reduce access to other services — allowing a drug store clerk to refuse to sell birth control pills, for example.

Dobson Resigns as Chairman of Focus on the Family

Conservative evangelical leader James Dobson has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family but will continue to play a prominent role at the organization he founded more than three decades ago, The Associated Press has learned.

Dobson, 72, will continue to host Focus on the Family's flagship radio program, write a monthly newsletter and speak out on moral issues, Daly said.

Dobson's resignation as board chairman "lessens his administrative burden" and is the latest step in a succession plan, the group said. Dobson began relinquishing control six years ago by stepping down as president and CEO.

"One of the common errors of founder-presidents is to hold to the reins of leadership too long, thereby preventing the next generation from being prepared for executive authority," Dobson said in a statement. "... Though letting go is difficult after three decades of intensive labor, it is the wise thing to do."

UK: Poll reveals public doubts over Charles Darwin's theory of evolution

01/02 Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Telegraph.co.uk | More than half of the public believe that the theory of evolution cannot explain the full complexity of life on Earth, and a "designer" must have lent a hand, the findings suggest. And one in three believe that God created the world within the past 10,000 years.

The survey, by respected polling firm ComRes, will fuel the debate around evolution and creationism ahead of next week's 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.

Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist and author of The God Delusion, said the findings revealed a worrying level of scientific ignorance among Britons. In the survey, 51 per cent of those questioned agreed with the statement that "evolution alone is not enough to explain the complex structures of some living things, so the intervention of a designer is needed at key stages" A further 40 per cent disagreed, while the rest said they did not know.

... A recent poll of science teachers found that one in three believe creationism should be taught in science classes alongside evolution and the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe. However, Michael Reiss, a biologist and Anglican cleric, was forced to resign as the Royal Society's director of education after suggesting that creationism should be discussed in lessons "not as a misconception but as a world view". Speaking at the British Association Festival of Science at the University of Liverpool last year, Professor Reiss estimated that about one in 10 children was from a family which supported a creationist rather than evolutionary viewpoint.

He said his experience had led him to believe it was more effective to include discussion about creationism alongside scientific theories, rather than simply giving the impression that such children were wrong.

UK: What children want most is a ban on divorce, says poll

A ban on divorce is what most children would introduce if they ruled the world, according to a poll.

01/02 Alastair Jamieson, Telegraph.co.uk | Marital splits were also named the second-worst thing in the world in the survey of under-10s, behind being fat. The annual survey of 1,600 youngsters found X Factor judge Simon Cowell was more famous than God or Her Majesty the Queen and that the very best things in the world are 'good looks'.

Asked what rules they would make if they were king or queen of the world, most children replied they would ban divorce – the first time it has come at the top of the list. Bullying would also be banned and has risen to the number two slot from number three last year and number five the year before. Around two thirds of the children who took part said they were happy, but 27 per cent were not and a further seven per cent were unsure.

Over 80 per cent of the children questioned thought they would probably marry when they grow up although 17 per cent gave a definite "no" on the subject. Sixty six per cent wanted to have children, with most of them stopping at one or two. Nearly one third were unsure about becoming parents.

Six months' jail for cross-dressing in Dubai

01/02 SMH.com.au | A Dubai court has fined an Indian man who said he was rehearsing for a role in a Bollywood movie for cross-dressing after he was seen applying mascara at a shopping mall, a newspaper reported on Sunday...The court fined him 10,000 dirhams ($4000) and gave him a six-month jail sentence, suspended for three years during which the man must not repeat the act.

UK: Religious Studies GCSE to have questions on homosexuality, binge drinking and drugs

01/02 Julie Henry, Education Correspondent , Telegraph.co.uk | Instead of concentrating on the Bible and the holy books and tenets of other major religions, a significant part of the course is tied to citizenship and personal, social and health education.

Academics claim, however, that the syllabus, to be taught from September, had turned a serious subject in to a "pat qualification for political correctness". One of the topics covered is religion and relationships, which will teach pupils about homosexuality, religious attitudes to contraception and the concept and role of parenting.

... Professor Alan Smithers, the director of the centre for education and employment training at Buckingham University, said it was a blatant example of the "politicisation of education".

"This does not seems to be about religion and spirituality at all. There are just a lot of tenuous connections which teach the preferred attitudes and beliefs of the moment," he said. "I think it comes from the desire of politicians to stamp their influence on everything. It looks as if they are turning RE in to a pat qualification for political correctness.

Rally for Life! 09

There is a push for the complete decriminalisation of abortion in Queensland as evidenced by the abortionists and Queensland state politicians who spoke at the Abortion Forum held in Brisbane in October last year.

Complete decriminalisation means:-

1. Abortion would be allowed up until birth for any or no reason
2. Abortion would be available throughout public hospitals thus implicating and pressuring more medical personal to be involved
3. Pro-life doctors would be compelled to refer women to others who are proabortion (as in Victoria)
4. Catholic/Christian hospitals would be under pressure to refer for or provide abortions.

Is this the kind of Queensland you wish to live in?

Visit the Cherish Life website for more information

Training tomorrow's leaders

There is a great need in this nation to assist those students and recent graduates who demonstrate a high potential to become influential leaders for Christ across strategic areas of our nation including politics, law, media, science, education, arts and philosophy.
The Compass program, an eight-day course in Christian worldview, aims to address this need.

The inaugural program kicks off this Sunday with 40 students at the University of Queensland. For more information and to register interest for 2009, please go to www.compass.org.au .

Lyle Shelton
National Chief of Staff , Australian Christian Lobby