BBC Service Review 2009

As part of the Consultation by the BBC from 24th September to 18th December 2009 the BBC specifically asked participants the questions ‘What do you like?, ‘What do you dislike?’ and ‘What should the BBC do to make these channels better for you?’

In response to this Dennis Wrigley, Co-Leader of The Maranatha Community, has produced this document listing 16 Likes and 16 Dislikes (in pairs) and in response to the question ‘What should the BBC do…’ he says:

The BBC should recognise the considerable power and influence it wields over the life of the nation and act with a far greater sense of responsibility, particularly towards children.

The BBC should take an immediate stand against all portrayed violence, bad language and extreme vulgarity.

The BBC should respond more effectively to the beliefs of millions of people throughout the land by giving far greater emphasis to programmes focusing on Christian experience, belief and lifestyle.

In addition to this we have produced this submission to the BBC Trust in response to the BBC Editorial Guidelines Consultation.

Corruption of the Young

There is widespread and growing concern about the influences which are being brought to bear upon children and young people in terms of sexual ethics by both the Health Service and Educational System.

After consultation with a broad range of parents, educationalists and people in public life, we have sent this submission, Corruption of the Young, to the Chairman of NHS Sheffield, which is self-explanatory.

You can download the submission here.

The Slippery Slope to Euthanasia

We are profoundly concerned about the guidelines on the Prosecution of Assisted Suicide produced by the Director of Public Prosecutions and we draw your attention to our Submission entitled The Slippery Slope to Euthanasia to Mr. Keir Starmer.

You can download the submission here.

We are encouraged that the Parliamentary All-Party Group on Dying Well has expressed concern.

Over the years we have arranged a number of Consultations and Briefings in both the House of Lords and the House of Commons on this subject and as Christians, who are active in all the main churches throughout the United Kingdom, we felt we should speak out on this crucial issue.

October Trumpet Call out now.

The latest edition of Trumpet Call is now available for download.

In this edition:

EU Equal Treatment Directive to stop all discussion and expression of faith?

Support the right of NHS staff to pray with their patients

Support the right of NHS nurses to wear Christian symbols

Christian hotel owners face trial for criticising Islam

Speak out for displaced Christians in Orissa

Good News: the Newham Mosque

For details, click here to download the latest Trumpet Call.

Please give us your comments on any of these articles here.

Assisted Suicide Vote Update

Amendment to change law on assisted suicide fails in the House of Lords.

Thank you for your prayers and campaigning.

Last night Lord Alderdice’s amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill was withdrawn. The amendment sought to remove the possibility of prosecution for those who help a person to die where that person has an incurable and disabling illness and a coroner has certified that the person has a free and settled wish to die. This would be wrong in principle and open to massive abuse. The amendment was opposed by a majority of those Lords who spoke in the debate. Praise the Lord!.

In giving concluding remarks, Lord Bach said that their ‘firm view remains that the Coroners and Justice Bill has never been, and is not now the appropriate vehicle for change in the criminal law as it applies to assisted suicide.’

Thank you to our friends in ccfon for this update.

Unexpected Assisted Suicide Vote

This week. Urgent Action needed

Our friends in the charity Care have sent out this bulletin which we would like to draw to your attention:

Having debated assisted suicide at great length in July and rejected it by a majority of 53, it was deemed very unlikely that another assisted suicide amendment would be allowed during the Lords’ consideration of the Coroners and Justice Bill. Lord Alderdice, however, has just been permitted to table an assisted suicide amendment which will probably be addressed on  Monday October 26th, or Wednesday 28th.

There is now an urgent need to email peers asking them to vote against Amendment 66 in the name of Lord Alderdice and indeed any other amendments that might be put down that seek to liberalise the law on assisted suicide. Please take action today. To find out what to do click here

Prayer: Please pray that Members of the House of Lords would speak and vote against the assisted suicide amendment and that it would fall.

European Equal Treatment Directive – to stop all discussion and expression of faith ?

The aim of the proposed European Commission Directive is to supplement existing equality laws by prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation in the provision of goods and services.

Christians do not seek special provisions that would grant Christians “special treatment” and are opposed to discrimination. However, Christians – and followers of all religions and none – have to have the right to express their views, live their religion and express their faith in a responsible manner.

The rights of Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Expression are of fundamental importance for the safe functioning of a democratic society. Indeed, these rights are enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.

Very broad definition of harassment

The Directive defines harassment as ‘unwanted conduct … with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person and or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment’. This definition is very broad and entirely subjective.

It is bizarre that the burden of proof is reversed: if a person claims to have been offended by me, I have no legal defence as I cannot prove that the complainant was not offended.

Discrimination under this Directive is not restricted to employment, and will apply in all walks of life, including the media, any discussions and religious services. Different pressure groups can use the provisions of the Directive to stop expression of views they disagree with declaring themselves to be offended.

We expect the Council of Ministers (with representation from all Member States) to vote in November 2009, so there is little time left to act.

Further informataion and Action points available here.

Urgent Call for Prayer: Friday 25 September

We understand that 50,000 Muslims are expected to gather in Washington DC on Friday 25 September, to pray for the White House to be made a ‘Muslim house’.

American Christians are therefore being asked to fast and pray on Friday 25th September, to stand against this spiritual onslaught, and to pray for many Muslims to be brought to Christ.

For further details see: www.thecall.com
 
We pass this on so that you can join with our American brothers and sisters if you wish.

Should Physician-assisted Suicide/Dying be Legalised?

A Date for Your Diary

The Salon movement aims to provide forums around the country for open discussion of important issues – a rare and valuable opportunity to advocate the Christian position in public. Salon meetings are open to anyone.  The Manchester Salon will be discussing assisted suicide on Monday 14 September, at 7.15 pm for 7.30 pm, at The Shakespeare public house, 16 Fountain Street, Manchester M2 2AA. The cost is £5 per person to cover the hire of the room.  Here are further details.

Hans-Christian Raabe attended the Huddersfield Salon discussion on this subject and found it very worthwhile. Please consider whether you can go to this meeting and support the ‘case for life’.

Pakistan Blasphemy Law Petition

Recent attacks on the Christian villages of Gojra and Qorian, in Pakistan, have resulted in the deaths of at least seven innocent men, women and children. These were the latest in a series of such attacks over many years, and have attracted international condemnation from religious and political leaders in Pakistan and internationally.

The blasphemy laws currently in force in Pakistan provide extremists and people with private motivations with the means to incite violence against Christians, and occasionally against Muslims, and seem to have played a part in the recent incidents. The police and local judiciary appear unable to protect innocent people from these attacks.

Christian, Muslim and other people around the world therefore want to express their concern to the Government of Pakistan, to press for changes in the blasphemy law in Pakistan, and to seek protection for Christians and others who are suffering from its abuse.

You can help by signing this petition 
 
The petition will be delivered to the Pakistan Government. The more people who sign, the more effective it will be. We invite you to:-

• Sign the petition yourself.
• Draw it to your church’s and friends’ attention.
• Put it prominently on your own website, if you have one.

In this way we can show our active support for the Christian community in Pakistan. This Trumpet Call is edited from an open letter circulated by David James, the Bishop of Bradford, which is of all the greater significance because it is also supported by the Muslim Community in this country.