Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
- Palestinian Groups Call For 'Merciless Strikes' Against Americans
- N.C. Baptists Poised to Approve Strict Policy on Homosexuality
- Global Conference Yields Practical Ways Catholics can Address Poverty
- Pentecostals Flash Christian Message in Times Square
Palestinian Groups Call For 'Merciless Strikes' Against Americans
Four Palestinian terrorist organizations are calling on Palestinians and Muslims around the world to strike at Americans "mercilessly" because of U.S. support for Israel, CNSNews.com reports. The Popular Resistance Committees (an umbrella group of terrorist organizations), the Al-Aqsa Brigades (of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas Fatah faction) and two other groups are furious with the U.S. for its weekend veto of a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning last week's accidental Israeli shelling of homes in the northern Gaza Strip. The mistaken attack killed 18 women and children. The statement said U.S. policy has made America "a legitimate target for Palestinian organizations and any Muslim or Palestinian around the world." It called on "all free men everywhere and the mujahadeen [holy warriors] in the Islamic nation to mercilessly strike the Americans." This is not the first time that Palestinian groups have threatened to hit American targets abroad but they have never carried out attacks against Americans outside the region.
N.C. Baptists Poised to Approve Strict Policy on Homosexuality
According to the Associated Press, delegates at the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina are expected this week to approve a policy that would prohibit membership for churches or affiliate groups that endorse homosexuality. The policy, proposed by the convention's board of directors earlier this year, would forbid churches from ordaining gay clergy, making public statements supporting homosexuality or accepting openly gay churchgoers as members. The proposal is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.
Global Conference Yields Practical Ways Catholics can Address Poverty
Catholic News Service reports that October's "Point 7 Now" national conference on global poverty in San Francisco caused many attendees to come away with a sense that everyday Catholics can really do something about the problem. The goal of the conference was to mobilize U.S. Catholics against global poverty. In addition to hearing speeches outlining the scope of global poverty, participants formed working groups to explore specific ways parishes, schools, diocesan offices, religious communities, and other groups could help mobilize the Catholic community as a whole. Some simple suggested actions included: Involve faith sharing and Scripture study groups in looking at the Millennium Development Goals to end poverty; join the Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty; include prayers of the faithful that consistently pray for an end to global poverty and for the needs of the poor; invite knowledgeable speakers to the parish; have homilists talk about ending extreme poverty; be aware of legislation that affects the poor and talk about it among friends, family and neighbors.
Pentecostals Flash Christian Message in Times Square
The Christian Post reportst that the spectaculars in Times Square will be flashing Christian messages to an anticipated 21 million people in an unprecedented two-week campaign. The Assemblies of God kicked off an outreach Monday on two prominent jumbotrons in New York City's lighted landmark. Displayed on the ABC jumbotron and the News Astrovision Screen in the nation's largest city will be hundreds of spots with the theme "God Gives Hope" and a flashed prayer phone line for thousands to request prayers and accept Christ as Savior.
