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SACH KA SAAMNA: DELIGHTING IN WICKEDNESS
The current Star Plus
 show, Sach Ka Saamna is a
re-invention of an internationally acclaimed show that
originated in the US, Moment of Truth. Truth is
explosive. Its potential for eternal gain and immediate
ruin of many lives is well known. All social and many
political issues have to do with man's capacity to hide
the truth and live a life of duplicity. Sach ka Saamna
meaning 'Confronting the truth' has to do with
confessions of private sins or aberrations with far
reaching consequences.
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U.S. PUTS INDIA ON “WATCH LIST”
New Delhi: The United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) placed India on
its “Watch List” for 2009 because it found the Central
government had failed to take effective measures to
ensure the rights of religious minorities in several
States.
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HIGH HANDED LANDLORD BEATS UP TENANT
Victor (45) could never think that the same landlord for
whom he had gone out of the way to offer help on many
occasions would one day beat him black and blue without
any mercy. Victor has been staying at 55/A, Street No.5,
Main Sagarpur, West Delhi for the last eleven months
with his wife, Rani, and two children – Leena (18) and
Richard (16). His landlord, a dentist named Dr. Sethi,
asked him to vacate the house as he wanted to do some
further construction. Victor asked a month’s time to
find a suitable house on rent. To expedite things Dr.
Sethi didn’t even take July’s rent. The rent till the
month of June was cleared.
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CITY LIGHT PRAYER-NORTH INDIA
New Delhi: City Light North India has
launched nationwide prayer mobilization in the capital
city of India on the eve of Aug 15th India’s 63rd
Independence Day. City Light is a spirit filled, spirit
led network that seeks to be a Catalyst Connecting
Christ to the Culture for Community Change. While
addressing to the participants Rev. Sam Abraham said,
“It Is our desire to see our generation changed by the
power of the Holy Spirit. The ministries that we are
involved in, all seek to bring people to the full
knowledge of and relationship with Jesus Christ. We seek
to fulfill the two Great Commandments and the Great
Commission”.
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LEARN GRAMMAR THROUGH BIBLE LESSONS
New Delhi: An English Grammar Book titled
“Practical English Grammar” by Prof. Abhi Chandra Sethia
was released in the Foundations Workshop of Teaching
Academy to teach international English on 23rd of June,
2009. It is a pioneer and unique attempt in India to
disseminate the gospel through educational means.
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MEGA CAR POOL SCHEME FOR DELHI
New Delhi: For the Indian capital, where
two million car owners use 60 percent of road space but
meet only 20 percent of commuting demand, here comes a
smart decongestion plan - a mega carpool that harnesses
the latest in technology. The Delhi government plans to
launch the Pan City Mega Carpool Scheme before the
Commonwealth Games 2010.
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HOW DISABLED-FRIENDLY IS YOUR CHURCH?
New Delhi, Aug 16: To provide a
barrier-free environment to differently-able persons in
all major public buildings, the Urban Development
Ministry has drawn a plan for state governments to make
changes in building by-laws to compulsorily include
disabled-friendly facilities like access ramps, signs,
toilets and Braille-sign lift controls in buildings.
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GOVT. CONSIDERS EXTENSION OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO
CHRISTIAN DALITS
New Delhi: The Government has said that
the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has
recommended the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes(SC/ST)
status to converts to Christianity. Minister for
Minority Affairs, Shri Salman Khurshid, made the
statement during the Rajya Sabha session on Aug. 3.
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INTER-RELIGIOUS SEMINAR HELD ON HOMOSEXUALITY AND
SOC IETY
New Delhi: The World Council for Religious
Harmony held an inter-religious seminar on
“Homosexuality and Society” on 25 July at Hindi Bhavan.
About 200 special invitees and leaders of different
faiths attended the seminar. The meeting was chaired by
Mahant Surinder Nath, President of WCRH.
Prof Dennis, Pro VC and President of AICU, nominee of
Christians, spoke about the curse that came on the land
of Sodom from which came the name ‘sodomy.’ He was
referring to an incident mentioned in the Holy Bible.
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TIRED OF WATCHING THAT SILLY OR INDECENT AD?
Think of the number of times you felt that an
advertisement that appeare d on television or in the
print media was indecent. You just switched to a
different channel to protect your children from indecent
images or words. Did you know that you can force a
company or ad agency to withdraw an indecent or
misleading ad? Next time you encounter an annoying ad,
do not be in a hurry to switch channels. Note down a few
details about the advertisement so that you can file a
complaint at the Advertising Standards Council of India
(ASCI).
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NATIONAL |
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CONFLICT IN MANIPUR LEADS TO EVICTION OF CHURCHES
Friday, 31 July 2009: Since July 15, an
economic blockade on National Highways 39 and 53 in
Manipur, India, has hindered all passing trucks from
carrying goods into and out of the state. Price hikes in
petroleum and food have left many villagers, including
Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries, in need of
assistance.
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TANTRIK BRANDS BABY WITH HOT IRON TO CURE FEVER
Rajkot (Rajasthan): An eleven-month-old
boy suffering from fever and hydrocele was branded with
hot iron by a ‘tantrik’, police said. Vishal, son of
Vastabhai Devipujak, was admitted to a children’s ward
of civil hospital in a critical condition after the
‘tantrik’ branded him with hot iron bar to cure him,
they said.
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WOMAN BRANDED AND PARADED IN JHARKHAND
Medininagar (Jharkhand): Branded as a
‘witch’, a 57-year-old dalit woman was beaten up, forced
to wear a skirt made of broomsticks and paraded through
the roads in a village in Palamau district.
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 GLOBAL COUNCIL OF INDIAN CHRISTIANS CONDEMN THE
MURDER OF PRIEST IN KARNATAKA
Bangalore: Bangalore-based Christian
advocacy group Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC)
has strongly condemned the murder of the priest on July
30, 2009. They said Karnataka, ruled by the Hindu
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), recorded the
second most number of attacks against Christians in
2008. It is “second to Orissa where many have lost their
lives and homes.”
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AFTER 60 YRS OF INDEPENDENCE, ‘UNTOUCHABILITY’ ALIVE
AND KICKING IN INDIA
TNN 3 August 2009: More than 60 years
after Independence, ‘untouchability’ is alive and
thriving in India’s hinterlands. Pockets of social
change have been but mere drops in an ocean of casteism
and prejudice. This was borne out in a survey by
National Law School, Bangalore, which was reported
recently. Following this, TOI correspondents did a
reality check in eight states across India.
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CHRISTIAN BODY MOVES COURT OVER DISTRIBUTION OF
BIBLES
BANGALORE: A Christian organisation
petitioned the Karnataka High Court against what it
alleged as illegal attempts by the State Government to
prevent the distribution of Bibles in schools. Christian
Legal Association said the State Government was perusing
a policy of selectively propagating only one religion
while ignoring other religions. It charged the State
Government with preventing dissemination of knowledge of
the Bible by preventing public educational institutions
from receiving such books.
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CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY RESENTS GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION
IN RELIGION
Transparency in Church affairs is an internal matter and
laws of the land are sufficient to check any
irregularity, affirmed Christians in Goa who protested
governmental intervention in church affairs. The
following is the text of the Statement issued on behalf
of the All India Catholic Union by its Official
Spokesman, Dr John Dayal, Member, National Integration
Council, Government of India, and Secretary General, All
India Christian Council, at a Press Conference in Panaji,
Goa stating its formal position on the Media controversy
suggesting Government control on Institutional and
religious properties of the Christian community in the
country.
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SIX YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR FIVE IN KANDHAMAL RIOT
CASE
29 July 2009: Six years of rigorous
imprisonment was awarded to five convicts in the 2008
Kandhamal riot case. A fast track court at Phulbani
convicted Bisra Kanhar, Durbasha Kanhar, Rabi Kanhar,
Gupteswar Kanhar and Naresh Kanhar and sentenced them to
six years imprisonment.
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INDIAN CHRISTIAN LEADERS PROTEST AGAINST ATTACK ON
CHRISTIANS IN PAKISTAN
NEW DELHI, August 3: Concerned on the
attack on Christians in Pakistan Rt Rev. Anil Couto,
Bishop of Catholic Church in Punjab along with other
Christian leaders held a protest at Attari-Wagah against
the Pakistan government's failure to protect the
minority community. Furthermore, Arnold James, Member of
the Delhi Minorities Commission urged the National
Commission for Minorities to put pressure on Pakistan to
protect the Christians there.
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ATTACK ON CHRISTIANS CONTINUES IN BJP-RULED KARNATAKA
August 14, 2009: Karnataka police on
August 11 arrested nine Christians on charges of
“forceful”conversion in Dharwad. EFI correspondent Rev.
Noel Kotian reported that the Hindu extremists Ram Sena
attacked After School Club Leaders Training Program (ASCLTP)
team members, beat them up and took Bibles, mobile
phones and literature from them. The ASCLTP was attended
by about 75 Christians from various district of northern
Karnataka.
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LAW MINISTER PRAISES GAY RULING AMID RELIGIOUS
PROTESTS
3
August 2009: In what may have church leaders and
representatives of faith based organisations see red,
law minister Veerappa Moily praised the Delhi High Court
order decriminalising homosexuality and said it was
“well-documented and well-argued”. Leaving no doubt that
the government is positive with the HC order, Moily
said, “this is one judgement, which has really stood out
in the judicial annals of this country.”
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CHRISTIAN LEADER RAPS ANTI-CONVERSION LAW IN ORISSA
Friday, 24 July 2009: The last thing
Kandhamal Christians would not want is an
anti-conversion law in action. Not only it is a no-no in
terms of freedom of religion, it also mostly leads to
the imprisonment of church leaders on false accusations.
Last year, after violence erupted on Christians in
riot-stricken Kandhamal, the state government, including
the chief minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik, was calling
for the implementation of the already-existing
anti-conversion law that was identical to those in
neighboring states.
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CHRISTIAN COUPLE WINS ADOPTION CASE AFTER HC REJECTS
AIRLINE PLEA
31 July 2009: A Christian couple who
petitioned against Air India for rejecting benefits
entitled to their child on grounds that it was an
adopted daughter was rendered justice by the Madras High
Court. In their petition, RR George Christopher and his
wife Kristy Chandra, charged Air India for denying legal
rights to their adopted daughter on the argument that
Christian law does not permit adoption.
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MIZO BISHOP SHOWS OFF HIS FIGURE STUDIES
Aizawl, Jul 27: If many consider display
of nudity a taboo in Christianity, this priest sees the
glory of God in nudity. Meet Stephen Rotluanga, the
Catholic bishop of Aizawl diocese and artist who
specializes in unclothed human figures and wants to
portray Gods creativity in the nude human figure.
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WORLD |
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AoG ELECTS FIRST WOMAN LEADER
The Assemblies of God elected its first woman to the
Executive Presbytery during its biennial meeting on
Wednesday. “It’s a wonderful moment for the church to
recognize God lays his hand on women and say they bring
something to the table,” the Rev. Beth Grant, who was
elected on the second electoral ballot, told The Ledger.
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GILANI PLEDGES TO REVIEW PAK BLASPHEMY LAWS
A Protestant body in Pakistan welcomed Prime Minister
Yousuf Raza Gilani’s pledge to review blasphemy laws
that has been used since decades to subdue Christians in
the predominantly Muslim nation. “It is a surprising and
cheerful news. No political party or leader has made
such a statement from years,” Suhail Akhtar of National
Council of Churches in Pakistan, told Christian Today.
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WORLD HAS ONE BILLION HUNGRY PEOPLE
The number of people going hungry every day has hit a
historic high of 1 billion, or more precisely 1.02
billion, according to the U.N. World Food Program.
Millions of people who were on the brink of hunger have
now been thrown into this category by the global
economic crisis that resulted in lower incomes and job
losses.
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 DISTURBING STATISTICS ON WORLD’S YOUTH REVEALED
New research released ahead of the United Nation’s
International Youth Day revealed startling statistics
about the world’s youth including their views on
personal salvation, virginity and attempts to commit
suicide. OneHope, a children-oriented Christian
ministry, found that 91 percent of youths in Costa Rica
say they do not believe they will go to heaven despite
claiming to have accepted Jesus Christ.
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CHRISTIAN MUSIC CONCERT ATTRACTS 65000 YOUTHS
Around 65,000 youth and young adults flooded the Gateway
Arch Grounds in St. Louis on Sunday to hear the sounds
of Christian rock, hip-hop, and rap artists, as well as
messages delivered by evangelist Franklin Graham. “This
has been a fantastic day. We’ve seen a lot of kids give
their life to Christ. There’s been a sea out here of
people,” reported Graham as counsellors on the ground
met with the several hundred people who expressed their
decisions for Christ.
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PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS SHUT SCHOOLS TO MOURN THE
VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
Islamabad: Pakistani Christians closed
their schools and colleges across the country for three
days from Monday, August 3, 2009 to mourn and protest
the killings of eight of their religious brethren,
Christian leaders said. Hundreds of Muslims, apparently
spurred by a banned Islamist group, stormed a Christian
neighbourhood in the eastern city of Gojra on Saturday,
August 1, 2009, burning dozens of houses after reports
surfaced that some Christians had desecrated a Quran.
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 MEGA CHURCH BRINGS WORSHIP SERVICE THROUGH I-PHONE
Florida (USA): It is righty called,
‘Northland, A Church Distributed.’ A mega church in
central Florida is all about helping people worship
where they are. Their latest iPhone Web app is helping
thousands do exactly that. Northland is one of the first
churches to stream worship services live over the iPhone.
Already 2,000 people are worshipping with North-land
online every week.
“For us, the distinctive is, wherever we are, whether
were gathered in ones or tens, hundreds or thousands,
that we are gathering to worship our God together.
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TRINITY CHURCH MARKS 150TH ANNIVERSARY BY
 STEPPING
BACK IN TIME
The calendar might say 2009, but the Model Ts,
horse-drawn carriage, top hats and sweeping ankle-length
skirts on display in front of Trinity United Methodist
Church spoke of much earlier days. Parishioners at the
city’s oldest church, which predates Colorado statehood
by 17 years, gathered on Sunday, August 2, 20009 for a
celebration of Trinity’s 150th anniversary featuring
period costumes and a special sermon.
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EIGHT CHRISTIANS MASSACRED IN PAKISTAN
On August 1, Islamists set ablaze about 47 Christian
houses in village Korian District Toba Tek Singh on
Thursday, July 30, 2009 after accusing local Christians
of blasphemy. Asia Evangelical Alliance has condemned
the shocking attack against the Christian community in
Gojra, in the province of Faisalabad in eastern Punjab
which left eight people, including two children, dead.
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MARYAM AND MARZIEH FACE TRIAL IN IRAN
Maryam Rustampoor (27) and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30) were
first arrested and imprisoned on March 5 on charges of
“taking part in illegal gatherings” and “acting against
state security.” One unconfirmed report I read said they
had taken up a church offering without being authorized
to do so.They have been in Evin Prison ever since.
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MINISTRY: NO FREEDOM FOR OTHER N.KOREAN PRISONERS
Thursday, 6 August 2009: As the nation
rejoices over the release of two U.S. journalists, a
ministry working with persecuted Christians reminds the
world that tens of thousands – if not hundreds of
thousands – of innocent people remain trapped in North
Korean prisons without hope of a special pardon.
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STUDY: RELIGIOSITY OF HUMANITIES STUDENTS MOST LIKELY
TO WANE
Tuesday, 4 August 2009: Results from a
recent study on the impact of a college student’s major
on their religiosity have led researchers to conclude
that postmodernism, rather than science, is the greatest
antagonist of religiosity. Researchers at the University
of Michigan-Ann Arbor drew the conclusion after finding
that majoring in Humanities or Social Sciences has a
significant negative effect on religious attendance and
self-assessed importance of religion in one’s life.
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 CHRISTIANS APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL HELP
Beijing (China): The family of a Uyghur
Christian is frustrated with the blatant injustice of
his trial. The Kashi District Intermediate People’s
Court in Xinjiang openly used forged documents to accuse
Alimujiang Yimiti of “revealing state secrets or
intelligence to overseas organizations” and claimed it
didn’t have to prove the documents were valid. The
verdict in the case is still pending.
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 MEDICAL MISSIONARIES HELPING THE POOR IN GUATEMALA
Joyabaj (Guatemala): The mountain scenery
of southwestern Guatemala is a colourful mix of the old
and the new. Fields of corn hang onto the sides of
mountains. Vegetation ranges from pine trees to bamboo
to cactus plants. Banners advertising cell phone plans
are placed next to farms that have been cultivated for
more than a 100 years.
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 BONO, TONY BLAIR TO SPEAK AT CHURCH CONFERENCE ON
LEADERSHIP
Although Bono and former British Prime Minister Tony
Blair might be considered unconventional choices as
featured speakers Friday at a church conference,
organizers say they are a perfect fit. “Leadership
doesn’t only come from our little world,” said Jim Mellado, president of the Willow Creek Association. “We
have to look outside ourselves from wherever we can to
learn, grow and develop.”
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CHRISTIANS RALLY TO DEFEND RIGHT TO PRAY IN JESUS’
NAME
A former military chaplain who battled the U.S. Navy
over the right to pray in Jesus’ name is waging a
similar fight in Lodi, Calif., where the City Council in
May temporarily banned sectarian prayers before
meetings. “Jesus is not an illegal word, the Bible is
not a banned book, and evangelistic speech is not a
crime,” Klingenschmitt wrote in an online petition that
collected more than 5,000 signatures, half of them from
Californians.
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EVANGELIST SAYS REVIVAL HAS HIT SOUTH AFRICA
Thursday, 06 August 2009: Adrienne S.
Gaines Evangelist Rodney Howard-Browne says a revival
has broken out in his native South Africa that has seen
more than 138,000 people make decisions for Christ in
the last 46 days. “In 30 years now of ministry,
I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” said
Howard-Browne, founder of Revival Ministries
International and pastor of The River Church in Tampa,
Fla. “It’s not about a meeting and it’s not about me;
it’s about the power of God. It’s about Jesus. I’m just
here with a message and people are grabbing a hold of
it.”
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JIMMY CARTER CONFRONTS ‘RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE’ AGAINST
WOMEN
Former president Jimmy Carter and The Elders group of
global leaders are calling for a change to “the harmful
and discriminatory practices against women and girls and
give their full support to the equality of all”.
“Religion and tradition are a great force for peace and
progress around the world,” said The Elders, a group of
global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela, in
statement to mark the launch of their latest initiative.
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 TED’S LONG ROAD TO RESTORATION AND HEALING
Pastor Ted Haggard, who was excommunicated from New Life
Fellowship in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the church
that he founded and pastored for 22 years, is slowly
recovering from his personal and family crisis. In 2006,
Time Magazine had included Ted Haggard in their list of
the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. The
Wall Street Journal called him one “of the nation’s most
politically influential” clergy, and Harper’s Magazine
stated that, “No pastor in America holds more sway over
the political direction of evangelicalism than does
Pastor Ted.” In addition to regular national media
appearances, he was interviewed by both Tom Brokaw and
Barbara Walters.
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PAKISTAN PARLIAMENT OBSERVES TWO MINUTE SILENCE FOR
MARTYRED CHRISTIANS
Islamabad: Pakistan Parliament observed
two minutes of silence for the Christians who were
martyred recently in Gojra on Monday, August 3, 2009.
The Government condemned killings of Christians in Gojra
on August 1 after Pakistan Federal Minister for
Minorities, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti presented a resolution
urging parliament to condemn violence against
Christians. Pakistan Parliament unanimously passed Mr.
Shahbaz Bhatti’s resolution to condemn Christians’
killings in Gojra.
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