Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 27, 2007

Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff | Crosswalk.com | Published: Aug 26, 2007

Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 27, 2007

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

  • Pentagon Generals in Hot Water for Helping Promote Christian Ministry
  • Graham Continues to Recover; No Date Set for Discharge
  • Missing Christian Girls in Pakistan Married Off to Muslims
  • Food for the Poor Provides Haiti Hurricane Relief

Pentagon Generals in Hot Water for Helping Promote Christian Ministry

OneNewsNow.com reports that a national defense analyst thinks it's hypocritical for the Pentagon to consider disciplinary action against four generals and three other officers for helping a Christian group in the production of a fundraising video. According to CNN, the Pentagon's inspector general has found that the seven officers engaged in misconduct three years ago when they appeared in a promotional video for an evangelical group called Christian Embassy, which was founded by Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ. Lt. Col. Bob Maginnis (U.S. Army - Ret.) believes this investigation is a witch hunt by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. "This is an ACLU-type hit on the Pentagon insisting that the inspector general conduct an investigation to get to the bottom of whether or not generals improperly used their influence with regard to a particular ministry," he says.

Graham Continues to Recover; No Date Set for Discharge

ASSIST News Service reports that as of Friday, Billy Graham continued to recover following a diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy Wednesday evening August 22. “His vital signs are normal, after resting well Wednesday night,” said a spokesperson for Mission Health & Hospitals in Asheville, NC, where Graham has been hospitalized since last Saturday morning. “As of 4 pm there was no evidence of intestinal bleeding. He will continue on a liquid diet and close observation for 72 hours, through Saturday evening, following the procedure. He is undergoing physical therapy to maintain his strength. Mr. Graham has been sitting up for much of the day... watching the news on television and reading newspapers, enjoying notes and cards offering prayer support, and getting updates from his family, including his son, Franklin, who begins an evangelistic festival tonight in Ecuador.” Graham, 88, is listed in fair condition. No date had been set for his discharge at press time.

Missing Christian Girls in Pakistan Married Off to Muslims

Two Pakistani Christian children have converted to Islam and married Muslim men after they went missing earlier this month, according to apparently falsified marriage certificates delivered to their families, Compass Direct News reports. The certificate for 16-year-old Shamaila Tabassum indicates that the marriage took place 12 days before her disappearance, when her lawyer says she was at home. The other certificate puts the age of 11-year-old Zunaira Rasheed at 18. Police seem to be stalling efforts to recover the minors, prompting the girls’ lawyer to bring a case against officers in the Punjab city of Faisalabad this week. Tabassum disappeared after telling relatives she was on her way to the hospital with several Muslim neighbors to visit her father, whom she said had suffered a serious accident. The Christian girl’s family became worried about her absence after her father arrived home from work in perfect health.

Food for the Poor Provides Haiti Hurricane Relief

Food For The Poor, the foremost international relief organization working in Haiti, is responding to the recent damages caused by Hurricane Dean in the southernmost region of the country, ASSIST News Service reports. In a media release FFTP says that although the hurricane brushed close to the island, initial government reports list nine deaths, and more than 12,000 people who have been displaced or lost their homes. At least 4,000 homes have been partially or completely destroyed. Food For The Poor maintains facilities in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, where supplies of food, medicine and emergency relief supplies are available and will be directed to the affected areas. In addition, Food For The Poor has already sent additional containers of medical supplies, clothing, food and other essentials to Haiti. Food For The Poor is the largest NGO operating in Haiti today, serving more than 1,100,000 people in all areas of the country.

Religion Today Summaries - Aug. 27, 2007