Thursday 26 March 2009

PARENTS SUE SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER RELIGIOUS SONG IN JACKSONVILLE

JACKSONVILLE — Parents are suing the St. Johns County School Board saying a teacher made their children learn a religious-themed song for an end-of-the-year program.
The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court, says “In God We Still Trust,” interferes with the parents’ right to raise children according to their own beliefs.
The song was cut before the lawsuit was filed after another parent complained. But the lawsuit says they are still entitled to damages because their children were required to learn the song. They are seeking to bar the district from the “religious instruction” the song represents.
School Board attorney David Marsey says the issue differs from school prayer because public school choirs historically have been permitted to sing religious songs.

ANOTHER HINDU LEADER MURDERED IN ORISSA; PRAY THAT THIS WOULDN'T RESULT IN ANOTHER WAVE OF PERSECUTION


India ― Suspected Maoist rebels murdered another Hindu leader of the fundamentalist organization, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), last week in Orissa, according to reports .
According to reports ,a group of about 15 attacked 30-year-old Prabbhat Panigrahi in Orissa's Kandhamal district and shot him on Thursday, March 19. Panigrahi was recently released after being arrested in connection with anti-Christian riots; he was one of 14 local RSS leaders targeted on a hit-list released by Maoists.
The RSS is an all-male organization designed to foster nationalism in India's Hindus. To the RSS, Hinduism isn't simply a religion; it's a way of life. Maoists targeted local RSS leaders for their alleged anti-Christian activities during the riots.
As they have in the past, Hindus are accusing Christians of being involved with the Maoists. They accuse believers of working with Maoists to kill their enemies; some hold that Maoists aren't killers but the church's "paid goons."
In August 2008, fundamentalist groups blamed Christians for the murder of Hindu swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. A wave of anti-Christian attacks followed, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.We asks you to join them in urgent prayer that this recent murder wouldn't result in another wave of persecution.

100,000 AMERICAN CHRISTIANS SIGNED A PETITION EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL


More than 100,000 American Christians have signed a petition expressing solidarity with Israel.
The petition, organized by Pastor John Hagee's group Christians United for Israel, was presented Tuesday to members of Congress.
It states that "there is no excuse for acts of terrorism against Israel and Israel has the same right as every other nation to defend her citizens from such violent attacks.
The petition goes on to say that its signers pledge to speak out on behalf of their "brothers and sisters in Israel" whenever and wherever necessary "until the attacks stop and they are finally living in peace and security with their neighbors."
In a statement, Hagee said, "As our leaders in Washington make decisions about American foreign policy in the Middle East, it is important for them to know that Christians across the country remain solidly committed to a strong US-Israel relationship."