Religion Today Summaries – August 25, 2004
Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world. In today's edition:
- Pro-family groups holding out hope for a veto of "hate crime" bill
- Three Jailed Eritrean Pastors ‘Disappear’
- Mission Pleads for Texas Bible Display; Judge Unmoved
- Protesters took to the streets of the city of Ilorin in Nigeria vowing to prevent crusade
Pro-family groups holding out hope for a veto of "hate crime" bill
AgapePress
A California "hate crime" bill known as SB1234 has just passed the state assembly by a vote of 51-24 and will next proceed to the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing. Many Christian and pro-family groups are holding out hope for a veto, fearing the legislation, if it becomes law, will be used to criminalize expressions of biblical truth about homosexuality as "hate speech." Sponsored by lesbian State Senator Sheila Kuehl, SB 1234 subjects violators to penalties that include criminal prosecution and fines of $25,000. Critics consider the bill dangerous and prone to being applied unfairly and subjectively against opponents of the homosexual agenda. Many maintain that the law should punish unlawful actions -- not attitudes, and that laws giving special status to certain groups discriminate against victims who are not on the "protected" list.the Mosher memorial, a new request has been submitted to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans in hopes of delaying the enforcement of his decision.
Three Jailed Eritrean Pastors 'Disappear'
Compass Direct
Relatives of three Eritrean pastors jailed since May discovered yesterday that the prominent evangelicals have been transferred from their police station cells in the capital of Asmara to an unknown location. When families and friends of the Rev. Haile Naizgi and Dr. Kiflu Gebremeske of the Full Gospel Church and Pastor Tesfatsion Hagos of the Rema Evangelical Church took food yesterday morning to the respective police stations where the men have been imprisoned without charges, authorities informed them that the men were no longer there. Evangelicals who later visited the wives of Naizgi and Gebremeske said they found them "in distress and deep sadness over the sudden disappearance of their husbands." "Such disappearances could be for the good or for the worse," one source told Compass. At least 400 members of evangelical churches in Eritrea are known to be imprisoned for their faith, including more than 70 soldiers held under severe conditions for over two years at the Assab Military Prison.
Mission Pleads for Texas Bible Display; Judge Unmoved
Mary Rettig, AgapePress
A federal judge has once again ordered a Bible in a monument outside the Harris County civil court building in Houston, Texas, to be removed. Judge Sim Lake, who ruled two weeks ago that the display violated the separation of Church and State, has now turned down an emergency request to let the Bible remain until the county has exhausted its appeals. Star of Hope Mission, a ministry to the homeless, erected the monument near the courthouse in 1956. It stood for years without controversy, until last year, when a real estate broker and attorney sued the county, complaining that the Bible display improperly promoted Christianity. According to an Associated Press report, the county argued that the monument was created as an expression of free speech, with private funds donated to purchase the Bible, and therefore the county should not be held responsible for its contents. However, Judge Lake sided with the plaintiff and ordered Harris County to remove the monument. Although Judge Lake has now ruled twice against retaining the Mosher memorial, a new request has been submitted to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans in hopes of delaying the enforcement of his decision.
Protesters took to the streets of the city of Ilorin in Nigeria vowing to prevent crusade
Charisma
Muslim fundamentalists have threatened to break up an evangelistic crusade planned by well-known German preacher Reinhard Bonnke. On Aug. 14, protesters took to the streets of the city of Ilorin, located in the central state of Kwara, vowing to prevent the crusade that was set to be held at Budo-Efo through this past Sunday. Riot police fired tear gas canisters to disperse a crowd of Muslim demonstrators opposed to the campaign. Elsewhere, local Christians have accused Zamfara State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Sani of religious persecution. He first introduced the Islamic legal system in Nigeria four years ago. The Zamfara State government recently said it would demolish all churches it marked as illegal structures, close all businesses belonging to Christians during Muslim prayers and enforce a new law against clothing that is not compliant with Islamic law. In addition, the government has decreed payment of school tuition for Christian children. Muslim students do not pay tuition fees. Saidu Dogo, the secretary general of Christian Association of Nigeria, said the implementation of the Islamic legal system in Zamfara and other northern states threatens to eliminate Christians and their faith. Twelve out of 36 Nigerian states, including Bauchi, have enacted Shariah law. (http://www.charismanow.com)
Originally published August 25, 2004.
