Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Biblical Creationist Disputes Latest 'Proof' for Evolution
- Study Finds U.S. Hispanics Drawn to Charismatic Churches
- Youth Outreach: JesusHouse Opens Doors
- Hindu Extremists in India Target Christian State Official
Biblical Creationist Disputes Latest 'Proof' for Evolution
OneNewsNow.com reports that a former evolutionist who now heads a biblical creationist ministry says the recent discovery of DNA in a dinosaur bone does not prove evolution. Many scientists have claimed that bits of protein taken from a dinosaur bone provided proof that the T-Rex is a distant cousin to the modern chicken. Dr. Grady McMurtry, president of Creation Worldview Ministries, says the discovery actually offers proof for a young Earth. "First of all... most molecular biologists will tell you that DNA could not possibly exist for more than 10,000 years," he notes. McMurtry also asserts that evolutionists who talk about "chimpanzees and humans being... 99 percent the same genetically... fail to tell the public is that they're only looking at three percent of the total genome." Similarly, in this case, only three percent of the T-rex DNA is being looked at.
Study Finds U.S. Hispanics Drawn to Charismatic Churches
The church familiar to and preferred by Hispanic Catholics in the United States is a livelier, more charismatic place than the one most American Catholics are used to, finds a new survey on Latinos and religion, Catholic News Service reports. About a third of U.S. Catholics are Latinos, and they're bringing a more evangelical style of faith into the broader church as their numbers grow. Despite an overall drop in the percentage of U.S. Hispanics who are Catholic, Latinos will continue to represent an ever-larger share of the U.S. Catholic population because of immigration and high birthrates, it said. About 68 percent of U.S. Hispanics say they are Catholics. Roberto Suro, director of the Pew Hispanic Center, said analysts were surprised to see the depth of what he called "renewal Christianity" among people of Latino origin or descent.
Youth Outreach: JesusHouse Opens Doors
JesusHouse, one of the biggest youth outreach programs in Europe, has kicked off from Hamburg, Germany, ASSIST News Service reports. Beginning April 24, each night an evangelistic program of music, drama and preaching is being transmitted to 750 venues in Europe. More than 15,000 volunteers are producing their own accompanying programs locally. JesusHouse is an offshoot of ProChrist, a European outreach program launched by Billy Graham in 1993. The organizers from different Protestant denominations expect a total of 100,000 JesusHouse visitors every night until April 28.
Hindu Extremists in India Target Christian State Official
Hindu extremists in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh have brought the incidence of Christian persecution to an unprecedented high, including a slander campaign against the state’s chief minister, Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, a Christian. Sam Paul, public affairs secretary of the All India Christian Council, said at least one anti-Christian incident occurs per day. Paul believes that the rising number of attacks on Christians is linked to a campaign against Chief Minister Reddy by Hindu extremist groups. “Hindu extremists are accusing the chief minister and the state government ruled by the Congress Party of having a ‘Christian’ agenda,” Paul told Compass Direct News. They are trying to ensure that “the chief minister is branded as a supporter of Christian missionaries trying to convert Hindus by the use of force and allurement.”
