LATEST NEWS BITS:
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Danish Lutherans support religious freedom, but not Muslim call
to prayer
Copenhagen (ENI). Denmark's Lutherans are not in favour of the
Muslim call to prayer being heard in their cities, according to
research among church members about attitudes to other faiths.
But they strongly support maintaining freedom of religion for
all of Denmark's inhabitants. Oslo's Muslims - and 'heathens'-
win right to broadcast their
beliefs
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Copenhagen (ENI). For the first time ever Muslim calls for prayer
can now be heard from a minaret in central Oslo, the capital of
Norway. The city council in Gamle, central Oslo, where there is
a mosque serving the city's Muslim community, has decided to give
permission for the call to prayer to be made once a week. It will
last 2 or 3 minutes at noon each Friday, according to an application
submitted to the council by the
Norwegian branch of the World Islamic Mission.
(Ecumenical News International - News Highlights - 31 March 2000)
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Following are some recently posted articles on Benny & Suzanne
Hinn at
From Shoplifting Allegations to "Holy Ghost Enemas"
. The Misadventures of Mrs. Benny Hinn http://cultlink.com/ar/suzannehinn.htm
Benny Hinn's Lawyers threaten to sue South African Newspaper over
Shoplifting Allegation. The Misadventures of Suzanne Hinn Continue
http://cultlink.com/ar/suzannehinn2.htm
Archive Articles on Benny Hinn: Benny Hinn's Anointed Graveyard
Benny Hinn's Strange Visitors: Angels or Aliens? Invasion of the
Sophia Women
Jerry Falwell Endorses Benny Hinn
at Liberty University http://cultlink.com/ar/falwell-hinn.htm
On the “This is Your Day” program with Benny Hinn on
December 28, 1999, Benny, in studio with his guests Steve Brock
and a man named Ron (last name not given), featured clips from
his 25th ministry anniversary celebration, highlighting several
Christian leaders who came to pay tribute to him. Benny’s
regular admirers appeared singing Benny’s praises, such as
Rex Humbard, Paul Crouch and Oral Roberts. But one surprise guest
was Moral Majority founder, Jerry Falwell, clad in his finest
tuxedo, who gave his own personal endorsement of Benny Hinn.
Ron marveled about Falwell’s comments, “His students
knew who you were,” he beamed. “And many of them were
your partners! That shows me that the whole body of Christ is
waking up to the fact that the Holy Spirit is doing something
sovereign in the earth!”
Here is the transcript of Falwell’s tribute from the clip that was aired:
“Pastor Benny and I are friends and I’m glad for
every soul that comes and has come to Christ through your ministry
over the past 25 years." A few weeks ago Pastor Hinn called,
and one of his staff members, and said, ‘Benny wants to come
to Lynchburg and he wants your undivided attention for a day.’
Well, my wife would tell you that my undivided attention for a
day is hard for her to get! I like your pastor, I schedule too
many things. But he came and we had a wonderful day together.
He met the 6,000 students on the campus of Liberty University
as we walked from building to building, most of them knew him.
Many of them were your partners (applause). We spent a lot of
time and conversation about what God is doing.”
Falwell has a habit of looking in all the wrong places for what
God is doing. In the past he has even aligned himself with self-proclaimed
messiah, Sun Myung Moon, to further his own political agenda.
Falwell is a role-model to church leaders who can look to him
and know how not to be, if one wants to know how to be pleasing
to the Lord.
The full-length videos from the 25th Anniversary celebration
are available from the Benny Hinn ministries at http://www.bennyhinn.org/.
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The organized Feminist/Lesbian-planned take-over of the mainline
denominations. These women have clung to their female deity, Sophia,
in order to empower the women's movement that is pushing itself
upon the traditional church.
Marilyn Hickey: Fairy Godmother of the Word-faith Movement? Wallace
Hickey's False Prophecy. Wallace Hickey: "I've been prophesying
real easily for years. I can prophesy at the drop of a hat and
I can drop the hat myself." Are Dungeons and Dragons Bad?
Swords and sorcery best describes what the game is all about,
for those are
the two key fantasy ingredients. Josephology in the Third Millennium.
Is St. Joseph now the proposed savior of the 21st Century? So
says some Roman Catholic theologians.
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Nigeria orders suspension of Islamic law after four days of
riots
Kaduna, Nigeria, 1 March (ENI) - Nigeria's federal government
yesterday suspended the Islamic legal system - Sharia law
- in several states, following mass killings and destruction of
property worth millions of dollars in the city of Kaduna, in northern
Nigeria. More than 400 people died in street battles and other
violence between Christians and Muslims in the city of Kaduna
last week. The main reason for the violence was the decision of
the Kaduna state government to implement Islamic law for its four
million citizens. Many mosques and at least 36 churches were destroyed,
and more than 200 000 people were forced to flee. [ENI -
3.1.2000]
There is a Video Series: "God's Generals" by Roberts
Liardon
Robert Liardon has done an "unwitting" service for the
entire church of the 20th Century in his reconstruction of the
rise of Pentecostalism in his 12-volume video series, "God's
Generals," and the book by the same title. Giving The Devil
More Than His Due: Supernatural Sensationalism And The Need For
Discernment.
Is a northern California church harboring the daughter of Anton
LaVey, the late founder of the Church of Satan? Or, has the church
been hoodwinked? ENCOUNTER, An alien abduction foiled by Jesus
Christ. "Alien encounters were the last thing on my mind
in 1987. But one night I found myself in the clutches of an evil
presence. I believe if it had not been for the experience, I might
not have ever repented of my occult
involvement." (Source: Christian Information on cults http://cultlink.com
- 3.31.2000)
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An article from the March 27, 2000 Israel Wire, which headlined,
“Pope...returns...to Rome” reported that “the pope
met with Grand Mufti Ikrema Sabri on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount,
where he called upon the church to assist in ending ‘Israel’s
occupation of Jerusalem’.” (Rapture Watch)
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The Arabic News of October 16, 1999, clearly revealed that a global
religion is on the immediate horizon and that the Roman Catholic
Church continues to establish itself as a leader in this Anti-Christ
endeavor. The article titled, “Vatican hosts international
meeting on inter-religions dialogue” reported that, “The
Vatican will host on October
24-28 an international meeting on dialogue between religions...
The encounter, to be attended by more than 200 representatives
of 50 countries, seeks to “consolidate inter-religious dialogue
for a future peace and solidarity among all humankind”...The
encounter will be crowned with a final declaration.” (Rapture
Watch)
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An Arabic News report of February 18, 2000 revealed that “The
European Union is studying sending European troops to the Middle
East area for the first time in Europe’s history to observe
implementing any possible Syrian - Israeli peace agreement...The
source added that the European Union also made a plan for financing
the development
projects in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Egypt, yet the
sources did not reveal [the] size of the plan.” (Rapture
Watch)
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Evangelicals abstain from Zimbabwe's interfaith body
Harare (ENI). Evangelical Christians in Zimbabwe have declared
that they are not willing to engage in interfaith dialogue with
Muslims, Hindus and followers of traditional African religions.
Their refusal presents a major obstacle to the Zimbabwe National
Forum for Inter-Faith Dialogue (ZNFIFD) even before it begins
its work. ZNFIFD will be officially launched in June to promote
the peaceful coexistence of all religions in the country.
(Ecumenical News International - 4 April 2000)
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“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life” (John 3:16).
Some people are disturbed by the consideration that Jesus Christ
may suddenly come for His Church in the immediate future, the
reasons vary. Some feel the Church must prepare for tribulation,
others live in uncertainty of which sin will disqualify them from
the rapture/resurrection, while others reject Jesus Christ entirely
as the only way of salvation. The truth of the matter is that
all of these thoughts are products of fear and disbelief.
There is no greater preparation for salvation, earthly trials
or the rapture/resurrection, than complete trust in the atoning
blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross. There are no outstanding,
unforgiven sins for the believer and there is no greater hope
than Christ’s imminent return.
“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we
say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and
remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those
who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet
of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be
with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words”
(I Thessalonians 4:14-18). (Your Brother and friend in Christ,
Jamma at Rapture Watch April 18, 2000)
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Debt cancellation is a question of 'justice', Kenya's archbishop
tells Japan
London (ENI). The Anglican Archbishop of Kenya, David Gitari,
has criticised Japan for what he called an inadequate response
to the Jubilee 2000 message of cancelling the unpayable debts
of the world's poorest countries. Archbishop Gitari was speaking
to ENI on 13 April in London en route from Tokyo, where he and
two colleagues from Tanzania and Uganda had urged the Japanese
government to soften its stance on debt. He said: "We were
arguing for a question of justice, to consider the effect on the
poor. We are telling them to think again." (Ecumenical News
International - 18 April 2000)
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US Congress appoints Catholic as Chaplain after four-month
debate
Washington DC (ENI). The historic and unexpected appointment of
a Roman Catholic priest as chaplain of the US House of Representatives
has brought to an end a four-month controversy in which members
of the House openly accused each other of religious bigotry and
pandering to sectional religious interests. But the controversy
has led to a debate in newspapers throughout the United States
as to whether, given the separation of church and state in the
US, the House of Representatives should have a
chaplain at all. (Ecumenical News International - News Highlights
- 19 April 2000)
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Despite opposition, US Lutherans reaffirm ecumenical agreement
New York (ENI). A dissident group within the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) has vowed to continue its battle against
an ecumenical agreement that would bring the ELCA into full communion
with the Episcopal (Anglican) Church in the United States. Despite
this opposition, the ELCA council has voted to continue the move
towards full communion, which is scheduled to come into
effect on 1 January 2001 and is known as "Called to Common
Mission (CCM)". (Ecumenical News International - 20 April
2000)
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Church officials warn of collapse of 'rule of law' in Zimbabwe
Geneva (ENI). Senior officials of international church bodies
have warned that the occupation of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe
by thousands of supporters of war veterans, in defiance of court
rulings, is undermining the "rule of law". The general
secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Dr Ishmael Noko,
who is himself Zimbabwean, said that "illegal occupations
of properties, violence and intimidation cannot, in my view, be
condoned". Dr Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World
Council of Churches, warned that recent developments in Zimbabwe,
including
the property invasions, gave the impression of a "massive
breakdown" of the rule of law. "Combined with the already
tense economic situation, they appear to threaten widespread chaos,"
he said. (Ecumenical News International - News Highlights - 20
April 2000)
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The Sheep For The Slaughter
How does one know whether they are to be counted among the flock
of the fallen or of the elect of the Lord? Jesus said “...you
do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to
you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow
Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who
has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able
to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are
one.” (John 10:26-30.)
What a blessed assurance to those who are counted among the sheep
of Jesus Christ and will soon join Him and all their loved ones
in heaven (I Thessalonians 4:15-18). All it takes for anyone to
be numbered with the flock of God is faith in Jesus Christ - who
will forgive every sin of all believers who trust in the atoning
blood sacrifice He made of Himself upon the cross almost 2,000
years ago. (excerpt from Rapture Watch, April 25, 2000)
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Kosovo takes a lesson from Bosnia in inter-faith relations (notice
Muslims & Catholics)
Warsaw (ENI). Leaders of Kosovo's Muslim, Orthodox and Roman Catholic
communities have set up a joint council to promote democracy and
human rights, modelled on an inter-religious body in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"With one united voice, we again strongly condemn all acts
of violence and all violations of basic human rights," three
religious leaders said in a declaration from Kosovo's capital,
Pristina. The declaration was signed by Kosovo's Muslim Mufti,
Rexhep Boja, by the Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Rasko-Prizren,
Artemije Radosavljevic, and by the head of Kosovo's Roman Catholic
community, Bishop Marko Sopi. (Ecumenical News International -
26 April 2000)
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India to Be Home to World's Tallest Building His Holiness Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi Establishes World Centre of Vedic Learning -- Maharishi
Vedic Vishwa Prashasan Rajadhani -- at the Exact Centre of India
India will soon be home to the world's tallest building. At 2222
feet, the World Centre of Vedic Learning will be more than 700
feet taller than Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the current
record holder. Eleven hundred and eleven feet square at its base,
it will be many times larger in mass than any existing tall building.
It will have more than 30 million square feet of liveable space
on 160 floors. 5-23-2000
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Two Pakistani Christians have been sentenced to prison for 35 years for blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed, Compass Direct news service said. A court in Punjab province on May 11 sentenced Rasheed Masih, 33, and his brother Saleem Masih, 29, and fined each of them $1,385. They have been in jail since last June. ...The trial was held after a complaint was filed by an ice cream vendor who said the brothers made "bad remarks" against Islam and Mohammed after he refused to serve them with bowls used by Muslims, Compass said.
In a memo from a friend: January 11, 2000 - I was listening to Trinity Broadcasting and they had one of these new Mega Church Preachers talking about his church. I couldn't believe the kind of programing they are using to get people to accept the Gospel. Madonna and Michael Jackson?? Impersonators of course. They built a big stage in church and play act those entertainers who end up in hell. I can't believe what they are resorting to. He said they had 4000 souls saved in one night? This preacher said that a donation Ted Turner gave to the cause of Africa caused him to get super rich. Can you believe it?
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Canada meeting gives new hope for unity between Anglicans and
Catholics
Vancouver (ENI - 24 May 2000). Twenty-six Anglican and Roman Catholic
leaders from 13 countries, meeting for five days (15 to 19 May)
near Toronto, Canada, in an effort to continue healing their 466-year-old
rift, have decided to set up a commission to explore ways to reunite
the two churches. The meeting also gave rise to hope that the
Vatican may one day recognise Anglican ordinations.
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La Paz (ENI - 16 February 2000). Bolivia's minister of labour,
Luis Vasquez Villamor, has recommended Christian principles as
the best alternative to the threat of "totalitarianism"
by the rapid process of globalisation.
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Two major European church organisations agree to deepen co-operation
Geneva (ENI 2/16/00). Two of Europe's main church bodies, which
between them represent the overwhelming majority of the continent's
Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, are
to strengthen their co-operation. The Conference of European Churches
(CEC) and the Council of European (Roman Catholic) Bishops' Conferences
(CCEE), have reached agreement on guidelines for co-operation
to "serve the process of reconciliation among
the churches to visible unity, to join together in a witness or
proclamation of the Gospel in Europe, and to seek ways of
co-operation in social and cultural life".
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Subject: Possible abuse of freedom of religion
I personally know Jack Graham, I know his work, I have witnessed
with him in the streets of Baltimore It is a prime example of
suppression of free speech and practice of religion and of overreaction
of police. We may be viewing here the beginning of a landmark
decision regarding these issues.
On 5/12/2000 five Baltimore City Police officers arrested Reverend
Jack Graham on a Baltimore street corner. He was charged with
blocking access and resisting arrest. He spent the night in jail.
Please go to the website to read the rest of the story it is copyrighted http://www.geocities.com/brandre/persecution.html
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New York's new Catholic leader is a friend of Pope John Paul
New York (ENI 17 May 2000). As was widely expected, the Vatican
has named Edward Egan, Bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut, as the
new archbishop of New York, succeeding the late Cardinal John
O'Connor. The announcement last week came as no surprise, particularly
since 68-year-old Bishop Egan served as auxiliary bishop under
Archbishop O'Connor from 1985 to 1988. Like Archbishop O'Connor,
Bishop Egan is a Vatican loyalist who is expected to uphold traditional
church teaching on such issues as abortion and homosexuality.
He is also widely praised as a person
of firm views with strong administrative and financial skills.
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50 faith groups support Million Mom March to halt America's gun
culture
Washington DC (ENI 17 May 2000). More than 50 faith groups participated
in the Million Mom March, an event which attracted 500 000 people
to the US capital on 14 May, Mothers' Day, to demand tougher laws
on the ownership and use of guns. In addition, smaller marches
took place in more than 65 cities across the US. Many mass killings,
including some at schools, have made gun ownership one of the
most controversial issues in the US. While gun owners and
manufacturers insist that every citizen has a right to self-defence,
and thus to have access to firearms, opponents
point to statistics showing huge numbers of deaths brought about
by a proliferation of gun ownership.
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Despite 200 arrests, United Methodists make little change on gay
policies
Cleveland (ENI 5.16.00). Despite two weeks of heated debate and
the arrest of more than 200 people during its international convention
here, the second-biggest US Protestant denomination has made little
change to its conservative policy on the most controversial issue
facing the church - homosexuality. But gay rights activists promise
that their campaign for full inclusion in the life of the church
will escalate in coming months.
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United Methodists tell Washington to ban guns
Cleveland (ENI). The United Methodist Church has fired a shot
right into the core of America's bitter political debate over
guns. In an overwhelming vote that surprised even a woman who
helped write the church bill, the denomination last week passed
a resolution urging a government ban on the ownership of guns,
not only in the US, but also in other countries where the church
has a presence.
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