Church services help New Zealanders grieve

After the devastating earthquake which struck Christchurch, New Zealand last Tuesday with 147 people killed and another 50 still missing, local churches took seriously the importance of helping people grieve this Sunday.

Church services were held across New Zealand on Sunday to remember those who died and also to pray for those grieving or suffering in other ways because of the 6.3-magnitude earthquake.

Most of the services held in Christchurch itself, were out in the open due to the damage to church buildings.

The Rev Alan Webster conducted a service on the lawn outside the Christchurch South Library, and afterwards informed the
NZPA news service:

“Quite a few churches around the city do not have clearance and people are nervous about being in an enclosed space anyway so we have decided to meet outside. This is an open space where people can relax together.”

At Christchurch Cathedral, the Bishop John Gray led a specially designed service in memory of those who died when the cathedral’s spire collapsed. It is believed that over twenty people were buried under rubble from the spire.

Residents of Christchurch have been very vocal in their desire to see the cathedral rebuilt.

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker was quoted by the New Zealand Herald as saying: “We can’t let it go. It does deserve to be rebuilt, stone by stone.

“It is a symbol of all those that have gone before. We’ve lost a lot of things, but that is one we should not lose.”

Certain churches within Christchurch will need to continue meeting outside or make alternative arrangments since engineers estimate that at least a third of buildings affected are beyond saving and will need to be demolished.

A special two-minute silence has been planned for Tuesday at 1251 local time (2351 GMT Monday) to mark the one week anniversary since the quake struck.

(Image shows the collapsed spire of the Christchurch Cathedral in the direct aftermath of the earthquake).

The Christian divorce rate myth

It is an oft quoted statistic - both in general media and within church circles - that "Christians divorce at roughly the same rate as the world!" It also happens to be one of the most inaccurate statistics according to Glenn Stanton, a family systems counsellor and author in article he wrote for bpnews.net.

Stanton says that based on the latest data compiled by leading sociologists of family and religion, the actual divorce rate among Christians who are seriously involved in their faith is significantly lower than the general population.

Professor Bradley Wright, a sociologist at the University of Connecticut, confirms that from his analysis of people who identify as Christians but rarely attend church, that 60 percent of these have been divorced. This matches the statistics of general society and is where the often quoted statistic derives from.

However, Professor Wright also find that of those who attend church regularly and who seriously practice a traditional religious faith, then only 38 percent have been divorced.

W. Bradford Wilcox, a leading sociologist at the University of Virginia and director of the National Marriage Project, has found from his own studies that "active conservative Protestants" who regularly attend church are 35 percent less likely to divorce compared to those who have no affiliation.

Professor Scott Stanley from the University of Denver, in his work with a renowned team of leading sociologists on the Oklahoma Marriage Study, has found that couples with a vibrant and active religious faith had more and higher levels of the qualities couples need to avoid divorce:

"Whether young or old, male or female, low-income or not, those who said that they were more religious reported higher average levels of commitment to their partners, higher levels of marital satisfaction, less thinking and talking about divorce and lower levels of negative interaction. These patterns held true when controlling for such important variables as income, education, and age at first marriage.

"Those who say they are more religious are less likely, not more, to have already experienced divorce. Likewise, those who report more frequent attendance at religious services were significantly less likely to have been divorced."

Christian clergy in Libya determined not to leave

Despite the violent protests and political uncertainty in Libya at the moment, its Christian clergy are reportedly determined to remain in the country.


"We feel we belong here with our sisters who are giving their services in social centres. Their work is so much appreciated by the Libyans here and often finds support and appreciation," said Rev. Daniel Farrugia, a senior Roman Catholic priest at the St. Francis Catholic Church to ENInews.



Farrugia believed the clergy were safe despite the fact foreigners are leaving the country in droves.

"We pray for all those who are suffering in these moments and for the leaders to have wisdom in their decisions," added Farrugia.

Christianity is a minority religion in Libya, representing only 1.8 percent of 6.7 million population. Islam is the leading religion.

The Catholic Church is the largest denomination in Libya, but is only permitted two worship centres of worship: St. Francis Church in the capital of Tripoli and Immaculate Conception church in Benghazi.

Other denominations operating in Libya include Anglican, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox and Pentecostal churches.



The Catholic Church in Libya serves more than 80,000 Christians, but also offer social services, while their approximately 100 nuns work in hospitals and health centres around the country.


With the political violence growing worse, Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli in Libya has said that Christians were attending churches to pray for peace.


"The two churches in Tripoli and Benghazi have not suffered any damages. The different communities of religious sisters working in hospitals in Cyrenaica (the eastern coastal region of Libya which includes Benghazi, Tobruk and other areas), are busy treating those wounded in clashes," Martinelli reported.



The Bishop recently informed the Vatican Radio that the protests began because of legitimate and fundamental requests by young people for better future such as to be able to have a adequate shelter, improved wages and work.

"Libya is relatively well-off," he said, "and perhaps here is where the crisis arises. Young people see a country that could help them, but that doesn't," said Martinelli.

The Bishop struggled to see an immediate resolution to the crisis, but said the Catholic Church supported a reconciliation that would prove just and fair to the Libyan people.

Technology blurs the lines of cheating

A recent poll conducted on more than 2,000 students and parents reveals that many teenagers are not clear on how to define cheating, reports Canada.com.

The poll also found that technology has had a clear role in blurring these lines for teenagers. Mobile phone cameras, Internet-enabled hand-held devices and other technology means it becomes easier every year to ‘cheat’ the system.

This is why 23% of those polled said they believed that storing notes on a phone to access during a test is not cheating, while 19% said downloading papers from the net to hand in as your own is not cheating.

Liz Perle, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Common Sense Media, says she has every sympathy for this confusion.

"Our poor kids live in a world where the lines have been blurred. Downloading a song for free. Is that theft? But it’s free. We have to look at our whole culture of electronic empowerment."

Perle reckons that it is essential the schools lay down clear guidelines on the use of electronics, but also parents should lay down some rules as well. Parents should also discuss these issues with their children and clearly define what it means to cheat.

"Parents have to spell out: Sending another kid an answer or getting an answer from another kid? Cheating. Lifting material wholesale and plopping it down in your paper? Cheating. Be very clear about what is acceptable and what is not," advises Perle.

It is also important that parents clearly understand the root cause for the confusion in their children, such as peer pressure, struggling with the subject material or an imbalance in priorities.

Finally, parents should also go through the process of establishing clear consequences to actions. It technology is being used to cheat at school, then it is perhaps best to use technology to establish the punishment.

"Cellular solitary is very effective," says Perle. "No cell phone, no Internet, no Facebook. And establish that it’s a zero tolerance policy because that’s how important it is. Do not waffle."

Royal wedding urged to keep the ‘I do’s’ fair

In the midst of planning the wedding of the year, Prince William and Kate Middleton have been urged by the Fairtrade Foundation to choose only fairly traded and fairly mined gold for their wedding jewellery.

Fairtrade have launched a petition on the global Go Petition website to request the young Royals to choose their jewellery only from those that are accredited with Fairtrade and Fairmined certifications.

The online petition reads: “We, the undersigned, congratulate Prince William and Kate Middleton on their engagement and imminent wedding.

“As part of their special day, we would like them to choose Fairtrade and Fairmined gold for their wedding jewellery.”

Fairtrade introduced these certifications as an attempt to protect the human rights of the approximately 100 million people who are forced by circumstance to work in small-scale mining. These miners work in unsafe and exploitative conditions mainly in areas such as Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Fairtrade and Fairmined launched a certified gold jewellery range last week. The range includes wedding and engagement ring, earrings and necklaces. All the jewellery in the range is guaranteed that its miners work in safe conditions and receive a fair price for their work in producing it.

The certification process is the result of a landmark partnership between the miners, the Alliance for Responsible Mining, the Fairtrade Foundation, other campaigners and jewellery companies.

Fairtrade Ambassador Livia Firth stated: “We associate gold with love and beauty but there is often nothing beautiful about the way that gold is produced.

“Tens of millions of small-scale gold miners risk their lives in often appalling conditions and get a raw deal for their strenuous efforts.”

Jenny Torres Delgado, a Fairtrade miner based in Peru said: “I would ask the people in the UK to understand that when they buy our gold, they’ll be doing a good thing and helping many women who work hard and have to struggle to get the gold.”

Salvation Army plans mass aid for Christchurch

Only hours after the devastating earthquake that hit Christchurch, the Salvation Army announced that it was planning mass action in terms of people, resources and money to assist those whose lives have been torn apart.

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc on New Zealand’s second largest city, with the death toll being estimated at 65, and with dozens others trapped in fallen buildings. There was significant damage to the city buildings, including the iconic Christchurch Cathedral which collapsed into a central city square (see image).

The quake struck at 12.51pm (local time) on Tuesday afternoon afternoon, and by that afternoon the Salvation Army had already organised temporary housing and other services for over a 1000 afflicted citizens.

“You just cannot imagine the enormity of this [quake] compared to the first one,’ said Major Rex Cross, emergency services coordinator for The Salvation Army in Christchurch.

“Food is on its way and people will be fed,” he confirmed, saying that supplies should feed around 1500 people.

The Salvation Army National Fundraising Coordinator (NZ) Major Robbie Ross said that experience from the previous quake showed that people needed psychological and spiritual support, as much as they needed material aid.

“Our experience with the September quake showed us the great emotional shock such an event can have on people–and now there is the added dimension of some people grieving for loved ones.

“There will be a myriad of material needs by those who have lost possessions and homes. We are appealing for cash donations to strengthen our response,” he stated.

The Salvation Army has issued a call to Christians throughout the globe to pray for the victims of this natural disaster.

Twitter campaign to save life of imprisoned Said Musa

Prominent Christian leaders are involving themselves in a mass Twitter campaign on behalf of Said Musa, an Afghan citizen who is presently waiting execution for converting to Christianity from Islam.

Musa was told by a judge that he would be hanged unless he agrees to reconvert to Islam.

Rick Warren, recently named as a top 20 Twitter celebrity by Forbes, lamented the fact that media has generally underreported Musa's story.

"Media CLAIM to champion free speech but if they really did, they'd report these stories everyday," Warren tweeted his 245,653 followers.

The Saddleback Church pastor and author of “Purpose Driven Life” also tweeted a link to a National Review Online article, "America Quiet on the Execution of Afghan Christian Said Musa."

The article asks why US President Barack Obama spoke to the threat by Pastor Terry Jones to burn the Qu'ran but has been totally quiet on Musa's situation.

"If the actions of a Florida pastor who threatened to destroy a book holy to Muslims deserved public and presidential attention, then the actions of the Afghan government, ostensibly a ‘democratic’ ally, to destroy something holy to Christians, a human being made in the image of God, also deserve public and presidential attention," asserted article author Paul Marshall.

John Piper and other prominent Christian leaders have all involved themselves in some way or the other in the Twitter campaign, with many appealing to President Obama to step in.

Musa is a physiotherapist, and also a former Red Cross worker who lost his left leg in a landmine explosion. The father of six has been imprisoned since last May, after he appeared in a video broadcasted by a local TV network that showed Afghan Christians being baptized by westerners. Musa was arrested as he attempted to seek asylum at the German Embassy.

Musa has shared that while in prison he has been sexually abused and beaten and spat on for his faith in Jesus Christ, but despite all these hardships he has refused to renounce his faith, informing the Sunday Times, “My body is theirs to do what they want with. Only God can decide if my spirit goes to hell.”

Human rights groups have also been active in the fight for Musa, as they have urged Afghanistan, a signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to honor religious freedom and the freedom to change religions as mandated by the document.

(Image is of Said Musa).

Nun on the run due to excessive Facebook usage

After spending 35 years in a convent, a Spanish nun has been thrown out of her order because she spent too much time on the social networking site Facebook.

María Jesús Galán was nicknamed "Sister Internet" by her fellow nuns, recently shared on her Facebook page that she had been required by her superiors to leave the convent after strong disagreements over her online activities.

The 54-year old nun had around 600 Facebook "friends" at the time of her eviction, but now has a fan page with thousands of supporters from around the word demanding she be allowed back into the order.

Sister Maria first encountered computers a decade ago when her Mother Superior was convinced that it would lessen the need for nuns to leave the safe sanctuary of the 14th century Santo Domingo el Real convent in Toledo, central Spain.

"It enabled us do things such as banking online and saved us having to make trips into the city," clarified Sister Maria.

Sister Maria, who entered the convent aged 21, soon saw the potential behind computers and started digitalising the precious archives hidden behind the convent’s walls to make them accessible to the outer world.

The nun won a local government prize in 2008 for this painstaking and valuable work. The award made headlines and before she knew it, she had been ‘friended’ by people from all over the globe.

Sister Maria says that her conviction to her call as a nun is as strong as ever, but that fellow nuns disapproved of her activities and she was eventually driven from the convent.

Her Dominican order has refused to comment on the matter, while the Archbishop of Toledo insisted to reporters that it remained "an internal matter".

The “internet nun” is now living at her mother’s house, but if her fight to gain re-admittance to the convent does not work out, then she said she would start a new phase of her life.

"I would like to visit London and New York," she recently posted on Facebook. "Such things were impossible to even dream when at the convent."

Obama grants highest honour to murdered Christian optometrist

The President of the United States, Barack Obama, this week awarded his country’s highest civilian honor to Dr. Tom Little, a Christian worker for the International Assistance Mission (IAM) who was murdered in Afghanistan last August.

"Tom Little could have pursued a lucrative career," Obama said. "Instead, he was guided by his faith, and he set out to heal the poorest of the poor in Afghanistan. For 30 years, amid invasion and civil war, the terror of the Taliban, the spread of insurgency, he and his wife Libby helped bring Afghans—literally—the miracle of sight."

As an optometrist of vast field experience, Little was leading an eye care team in the remote northeastern region of Badakhshan when he and nine others were murdered by political and religious extremists.

The Taliban later claimed responsibility for the act, alleging that the group were proselytizing and carrying Bibles in the Dari language, which the IAM have firmly denied.

Little's widow Libby Little accepted the award on her husband's behalf.

In a speech made during the awards ceremony, President Obama described Little as "a humanitarian in the truest sense of the word: a man who not only dedicated his life to others, but who lived that lesson of Scripture: 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' "

Little's was the only posthumous Medal of Freedom awarded this year.

(The image depicts Libby Little receiving the award from President Obama).

Jericho Tower was used to intimidate

Known as the world’s first skyscraper, and built 11,000 years ago, the Jericho tower was intended to promote the farming life, say archeologists after releasing their latest study.

Long before Jericho came under attack from Israel, the town’s residents were involved in a battle of another kind: the age-old struggle between farmers and nomads. Archaeologists believe the tower was built by leading figures in the town in an attempt to intimidate people into moving away from hunting and gathering and to start farming for a living.

For years archaeologists have argued over the reason for the building of the mysterious 8.5-meter (28-foot) stone tower on the edge of town, but now using the latest computer technology they believe it was built to mark the summer solstice and as a symbol that would entice people to abandon their nomadic ways and settle down.

“The tower was constructed by a major building effort. People were working for a very long time and very hard. It was not like the other domestic buildings in Jericho,” said Ran Barkai of the Department of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University.

Barkai and fellow archaeologist Roy Liran used computers to reconstruct sunsets and found that when the tower was built the nearby mountains cast a shadow on it as the sun set on the longest day of the year. The shadow fell exactly on the structure and then spread out to cover the entire village.

“The tower is an indication of power struggles at the beginning of the Neolithic period and of the fact that a particular person or people exploited the primeval fears of the residents and persuaded them to build it,” Barkai said in an interview with The Media Line.

Barkai said architecture was often used to intimidate and inspire, and even without any obviously functional purpose, isn’t unique to the megalithic period. This technique is still used in modern times with governments building monuments like the Arc de Triomphe to influence public opinion and improve popularity.

“This was a time when hierarchy began and leadership was established. This was the time that social formations took place and many scientists have wondered why people were moved to produce food, to make the transition to agriculture,” Barkai stated. “Agriculture worked for the benefit of certain individuals in the community, because people produce surplus that was stored and then divided by individuals.”

“It has been proven that people worked much harder during the Neolithic period than before. It was easier to live by hunting and gathering so we believe this tower was one of the mechanisms to motivate people to take part in a communal lifestyle,” he said.

Barkai does not believe the tower, which would have been utterly alien to the conceptual world of the builders, was ever used for defensive purposes. He supported this statement by quoting historical records that prove no invaders were present in the area at the time it was built, about 8300 BC. 

Archaeologists estimate that the tower took approximately 11,000 working days to build.

“It is something out of time and place and looks like it doesn’t belong where it was. It was a monumental effort to build, like the pyramids [built 5,000 years later], only among a village of former hunters and gatherers,” Barkai concluded.

Billy Ray Cyrus: Our faith has been shaken

There has been endless speculation about the relationship between Billy Ray Cyrus and his famous 18-year old daughter, Miley, and in the March issues of GQ, Billy Ray moved to clear up a few things.

Billy Ray admitted he had been deeply disappointed with photos released last December of Miley smoking through a bong, but bemoaned the fact that his daughter’s minders seemed to have driven a wedge between the two.

Billy Ray believes that Miley’s management team often used him to draw attention away from his daughter when scandals arose, and that since he stopped this, he has been pushed out of her life.

The country singer said he feared that her entourage had more interest in making money from her, then they were in genuinely protecting her best interests, and also took the opportunity to clarify the financial relationship he has with his daughter.

"And some of these handlers are perhaps more interested in handling Miley's money than her safety and her career," alleged Billy Ray before saying how that leaves him "scared for her."

"I've never made a dime off of Miley," he insisted. "You got a lot of people have made percentages off of her. I'm proud to say to this day I've never made one commissioned dollar, or dime, off of my daughter."



The father of 6 who is in the process of divorcing his wife, bemoaned his daughter’s rise to fame through “Hannah Montana” and said he would take it all back if he could.


"It destroyed my family. I'll tell you right now – the damn show destroyed my family. I'd take it back in a second. For my family to be here and just be everybody okay, safe and sound and happy and normal, would have been fantastic. Heck, yeah," he emphasised, "I'd erase it all in a second if I could."



Billy Ray also shared the deep pain he feels that both his and Miley’s faith in God has been shaken by the whole experience.

"Somewhere along this journey, both mine and Miley's faith has been shaken," he said. "That saddens me the most."


Here Billy Ray stated his belief that evil forces were at work trying to destroy their lives, and that his family was being attacked by Satan.



"No doubt," he insisted. "There's no doubt about it."



But most tellingly, Billy Ray took a huge amount of responsibility on himself for his daughter’s present behaviour, and said that he should have been a better parent to her.


"How many interviews did I give and say, 'You know what's important between me and Miley is I try to be a friend to my kids'? I said it a lot," he confessed.

"And sometimes I would even read other parents might say, 'You don't need to be a friend, you need to be a parent.' Well, I'm the first guy to say to them right now: You were right.



"I should have been a better parent. I should have said, 'Enough is enough – it's getting dangerous and somebody's going to get hurt,'" he continued. "I should have, but I didn't. Honestly, I didn't know the ball was out of bounds until it was way up in the stands somewhere."

Explaining why Egypt’s Christians are hopeful, yet nervous

In an opinion piece in CNN.faith, Ashley Makar, a Yale Divinity School graduate, writes about the amazing unity displayed during the recent semi-peaceful revolution by Coptic Christians and Egyptian Muslims.

Makar is the daughter of a Coptic-American immigrant to the States, and as such, she is astounded by scenes coming out of Egypt of Muslims forming a protective circle around Christians as they prayed in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Monday, just as Christian protesters had done for them during last Friday’s prayers.

Makar relates that her amazement comes from the fact that in all the time she has spent in Cairo and Alexandria, she has never seen Christian prayers done in public, never mind Muslims forming a protective circle around them. She has never seen a cross anywhere near a Quran, never mind seeing them carried together in the same crowd.

Coptic Christians make up around 10 percent of Egypt’s population, and relations with the majority Muslim population have often been contentious. This has been especially true in recent times with the New Year’s Eve bombing of a church in Alexandria, killing 23 Copts, an action reportedly carried out by radical Muslims. Coptic protestors retaliated by throwing stones at a nearby mosque.

Makar, however, relates widespread doubts as to the Egyptian government’s probe into the matter, and says that this is strangely one of the reasons for the “new solidarity between Egyptian Christians and Muslims.”

Makar explains: “Copts can’t trust the government to protect them. Some discern a pattern of Mubarak provoking Muslim-Christian strife to distract Egyptians from government corruption. When militant Islamists become scapegoats for violence, the Mubarak regime gains brownie points from U.S. supporters for helping the fight against terrorism.

At the same time, Copts really do feel vulnerable to Islamist attacks. Coptic churches received threatening letters not long before the Alexandria church bombing. Simply put, Copts don’t know who to trust.”

Makar says many Coptic Christians in the past have allowed this vulnerability to morph into anti-Islamic sentiment, and have been silently supportive of the oppressive Mubarak regime because they fear a radical Muslim takeover of government. Now they feel let down by the government, and are more willing to risk change.

Makar says this leaves Egyptian Christians feeling both excited and afraid. Excited to participate in making history, in working for a chance for the better, and at a chance of living in a democratic Egypt but also afraid that radical Muslims will swoop in and take over.

Makar expresses their hope, however, that the almost miraculous nature of this change, and the remarkable unity displayed between Muslims and Christians over the last few weeks, could translate into something wonderful for Egypt.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that real change is happening in Egypt, that the solidarity between Muslims and Christians, between urban elites and rural farmers, and between computer-savvy youth and illiterate workers - is sustainable,” Makar concludes.

(Image shows Crosses and Qurans were raised in Cairo’s Tahrir Square this week.)

Tearfund urges Christians to 'light up' for poverty

Aid agency Tearfund are urging Christians from around the world to ‘light up' beacons of hope for the world's impoverished communities through a week of prayer.

Hundreds of thousands of Christians throughout the globe are being asked by Tearfund to participate in One Voice 2011, a worldwide week of prayer focused on social justice issues and ending global poverty.

Tearfund Chief Executive Matthew Frost said: “One Voice 2011 hopes to make an incredible difference to the world’s poorest people, those suffering social injustice and the effects of natural disasters.

“As Christians, when we engage with God in prayer, we re-focus our hearts on the mission Christ calls us into - to love our neighbours, to reach out to people living in poverty and care for those in need.”

He added: “When we as the people of God around the world ‘light up’ like this – united as one global movement – together – we light up the darkness."

Tearfund are producing resources to assist Christians in reflecting on urgent social issues, and will specifically be highlighting those still suffering in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, as well as thousands of refugees displaced by post-electoral violence in the Ivory Coast, and those affected by the floods in Pakistan.

One Voice is a program that is being partnered by 24/7 Prayer and churches will being requested to organise around the clock prayers spaces throughout the week, from 27 February to 6 March 2011.

The 'One Voice’ movement also has provided a Twitter page at twitter.com/onevoiceprayer where key prayer themes will be Tweeted and reTweeted to further involve Christians in the pray effort.

Justin Bieber's new movie explains the role of faith in his life

In 2010 Justin Bieber sold 3.7 million albums in the States alone and has become a heartthrob for millions of young girls the world over, but he relies upon his Christian faith to keep him grounded.

Paramount Pictures is releasing a new 3-D concert film/documentary entitled, “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never,” and it has a heavy faith focus.

With this in mind it has been pre-screened for faith leaders in communities, and is accompanied by a a “spiritual resource guide” for those who may be interested. The guide has been developed specifically for use in small groups.

The film shows Bieber praying before concerts and giving thanks before meals as well as expressing his faith in other ways.

“[The movie] provides an opportunity to teach our children about the power of hope, prayer, faith and family,” the guide reads.

Bieber sang Christian songs on Youtube before he became a pop sensation, and since then has never hesitated to share about the role faith plays in his life.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Bieber said:

“I’m a Christian, I believe in God, I believe that Jesus died on a cross for my sins. I believe that I have a relationship and I’m able to talk to Him and really, He’s the reason I’m here, so I definitely have to remember that. As soon as I start forgetting, I’ve got to click back and be like, you know, this is why I’m here.”

Bieber believes that his faith keeps him grounded in “scary” Hollywood, while his manager Scooter Braun said it helped keep his perspective when he receives adulation almost every time he steps out the door.

“There are some stars who speak their faith because they’re trying to do outreach to that audience and there are others who share that side of their lives because that’s who they are ,” said Braun to the Religion News Service, “and I think that’s just who Justin is.”

“When there are 20,000 people chanting your name night after night after night, if there’s no sense of faith, if there’s not a sense of something bigger than yourself, you can get lost,” added Braun.

No go on the iPhone ‘Confession’ say the Vatican

The Vatican have moved to clear confusion regarding the launch of an iPhone ‘confession’ app, which has been sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States.

A Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, stated that technology could never replace personal presence when confessing sins to a priest.

"One cannot speak in any way of confessing via iPhone," Father Lombardi said, before emphasising that confession required the presence of both priest and penitent.

"This cannot be substituted by any IT application," added Lombardi.

It has now been made clear that the application, which made news throughout the globe upon its launch, is not designed to replace going to confession but rather to assist Catholics through the act.

The app guides Catholics through the sacrament and contains what is described as a "personalised examination of conscience for each user."

A hex on taxes and fines say Romania’s witches

This is one of those stories that you struggle to believe is actually true, but the Romanian government has decided to institute taxes on their witches. Witches, soothsayers and fortune tellers are such big business in the country that they are rumoured to generate untold millions. Hence the decision by local government to tax their trade.

In other news that should further concern the local witch trade, Romanian authorities are also pushing through a new bill to institute fines or even prison sentences for soothsayers and fortune tellers if their predictions don't come true.

Practitioners are arguing that they cannot be blamed for the failure of their tool.

In an telephonic interview with The Associated Press, Queen Witch Bratara Buzea said: "They can't condemn witches, they should condemn the cards."

Bratara also argued that practitioners could not be held responsible in every case because sometimes people provide false details.

In a country suffering through severe economic recession and constant political bungling, many experts argue that this move is nothing but a silly move by the government to divert attention from its own incompetence, and that there are far more important issues to deal with.

"The government doesn't have real solutions, so it invents problems," said Stelian Tanase, a renowned Romanian political commentator. "This is the government that this country deserves."

When the taxation bill was passed in January, witches responded by dumping dump poisonous mandrake into the Danube in an attempt to put a hex on government officials.

The new bill would also require witches to have a permit, to provide their customers with receipts and bar them from practicing near schools and churches.

Israeli parents fight for right to use dead son's sperm

Mali and Dudi Ben-Yaakov, whose 27 year old son Ohad Ben-Yaakov died in a work-related accident last year, are fighting a legal battle for ownership rights to his sperm, which was taken after Ben-Yaakov had been declared brain dead but before he died.

While their son did not leave behind verbal or written instructions on using his organs, or more specifically his sperm, his parents are convinced they are faithfully representing his wishes in this matter to continue the family line.

Ben-Yaakov was not in a relationship when he was killed, but the couple have stated they will find a woman willing to bear their grandchild and raise it.

"If we were entitled to donate the organs of our son why are we not entitled to make use of his sperm in order to bring offspring into the world?" they informed the newspaper Ha'aretz.

"He was a giving person, and when we realised that there is no way to bring him back, we wanted that Ohad will continue to live in the bodies of others. This is what he would have wanted," they added.

Catholic bishop blesses new “Confession” iPhone app

An Indiana-based company called Little iApps recently developed "Confession: A Roman Catholic App." This app is designed to be used in the confessional and is intended "for those who frequent the sacrament and those who wish to return."

The developer of the app, Patrick Leinen, says that it includes a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, and has received an imprimatur from Bishop Kevin Rhoades, making it the first mobile program to receive the stamp of the church.

Leinen cited Pope Benedict XVI's call to the faithful to use new media to good purposes as his inspiration for the app.

"Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology," Leinen wrote in a press release on his littleapps.comwebsite.

"Taking to heart Pope Benedict XVI's message from last year's World Communications Address, our goal with this project is to offer a digital application that is truly 'new media at the service of the Word,'" he said.

"Individuals who have been away from the sacrament for some time will find Confession: A Roman Catholic App to be a useful and inviting tool," Leinen added.

The application costs $1.99 in Apple's iTunes store, and offers password protected customized profiles, a guide to performing the sacrament as well as a list of acts of contrition.

Concern expressed over rising number of displaced Iraqi Christians

This rising number of displaced Iraqi Christians seeking refuge in the country’s north was recently highlighted by the International Organization for Migration.

A report compiled by the organisation shows that an estimated 1,078 Christian families have fled to Kurdistan, the autonomous region governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government, within the past three months. Of that total, 747 have left their homes since Dec. 15, while another 276 families were displaced to the nearby northwest province of Ninewah during this period. Many other Christian families have expressed the desire to flee due to the insecurity of their position.

The report further revealed that many others have sought refuge in nearby countries, particularly in Turkey.

“Our monitors do report though that they are hearing of many emigrations abroad, and many more who hope to emigrate in the future,” IOM Displacement Monitoring Officer Keegan de Lancie said in an interview with Agence France-Presse. “Colleagues in Turkey have reported a spike in Christian families seeking refuge there.”

This movement of Christians to the north has escalated despite efforts by Iraqi security forces to institute more effective protective measures for the minority group. However, attacks like the Oct. 31 attack at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad have generated great fear among local Christians.

The IOM has partnered with different organizations including UNICEF, to provide non-food items such as mattresses, stoves and hygiene kits to nearly 600 displaced Christian families trying to settle in the northern governorates of Erbil, Dahuk, Sulaymaniyah and Ninewa.

Actor Anthony Hopkins talks about his faith

Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins has played some scarily evil characters in his time, including the infamous cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter, but Hopkins displayed another side of himself recently when he readily spoke about his faith in God.

Hopkins was being interviewed on CNN’s Piers Morgan Saturday, when Morgan questioned him “Do you believe in God?” To which Hopkins replied, “Yes, I do. I do.”

The 73-year-old actor told Morgan that he came to believe in God 35 years previously when he was suffering through an intense bout of alcohol addiction and prayed to God even though he considered himself an atheist at the time.

“I was hell bent on destruction. And I just asked for a little bit of help, and suddenly, pow. It was just like, bingo,” remembered Hopkins.

Hopkins likened his addiction to possession.

“It was like being possessed by a demon, an addiction, and I couldn't stop. And millions of people around like that. I could not stop.”

Hopkins said he called out for help in desperation and a woman told him to just trust in God.

“And I said, well, why not? And was such a quantum leap from this to that.”

Hopkins plays a priest that does exorcism in his latest movie, ‘The Rite,’ and pointed out that his character Father Lucas is both weak and powerless.

“The priest says that’s humility,” said Hopkins, who also said that he originally didn’t want to play the role because he didn’t want to play another ‘weirdo,’ but eventually decided to take it on because he enjoyed the idea behind the film.

“I liked the idea that it was based on a true story and that he (director) didn’t want to do anything strange with it, you know, spinning heads and things and all that,” the veteran actor explained.

Obama confirms his Christian faith

Over the last year, US President Barack Obama has endured unfair speculation about the reality of his professed Christian faith, but at a recent national prayer breakfast Obama took the opportunity to share more deeply about the role faith plays in his life.

Obama said that he not only prays for peace in the Middle East, but also for assistance for his 12-year-old daughter, Malia.

"Lord, give me patience as I watch Malia go to her first dance, where there will be boys. Lord, let her skirt get longer as she travels to that place," Obama recounted to laughter.

Obama went onto explain the roots of his faith: "I came to know Jesus Christ for myself and embrace him as my Lord and Saviour."

Obama described his childhood as "not religious", his father as a non-believer and his mother "grew up with a certain scepticism … she only took me to church at Easter and Christmas – sometimes".

It was only when Obama became involved in community efforts, "working with pastors and laypeople, trying to heal the wounds of hurting neighbourhoods", that he first began to identify himself as a Christian.

Obama also shared something of the frustration he feels when people doubt the integrity of his professed faith - a study done last year found that 18% of Americans claimed Obama was a (covert) Muslim – and that the number had increased since he became president. Only 34% of those surveyed said he was a Christian.

"My Christian faith then has been a sustaining force for me over these last few years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time," Obama emphasised.

"We are reminded that ultimately what matters is not what other people say about us, but whether we're being true to our conscience and true to our God."

Christians protect praying Muslims

Incredible photos of religious unity have emerged amidst all the chaos in Egypt as Christian protesters joined hands and encircled Muslims to protect them as they prayed.

The photo was taken in Cairo by Nevin Zaki and she shared the images on Twitter, writing, 'Bear in mind that this pic was taken a month after the Alexandria bombing where many Christians died in vain. Yet we all stood by each other.'

The suicide bombing that Zaki refers to took place shortly after New Year's Day killing 23 Coptic Christians, who make up 10 percent of Egypt's 80 million person population. It is believed that radical Muslims were responsible for the bombing.

1,500-year-old church uncovered

Israeli archaeologists have announced the discovery of a 1,500-year-old church, complete with a remarkably well-preserved mosaic floor with images of lions, foxes, fish and peacocks.

A spokesperson for the Israel Antiquities Authority, Amir Ganor, said the church located in the hills south-west of Jerusalem was active as a faith community between the fifth and seventh centuries.

Archaeologists only began digging around the site after noticing thieves plundering it.

Mr Ganor said archaeologists were thrilled to discover a mosaic "unique in its craftsmanship and level of preservation".

Experts initially believed the discover was a synagogue, but after further investigation concluded it was a Byzantine church.
Journalists were allowed a brief viewing of the mosaic before it was recovered until funding becomes available for its proper preservation.

Obama and Jesus ranked top of the pops by teens

A recent Barna Group survey has found that among American teenagers, the US President Barack Obama and Jesus Christ get equal ranking as role models.

While the majority of teens name a relative, friend or teacher as a primary role model, a significant number also named public figures such as sports stars, actors or other celebrities.

In the study, done on teens between 13 and 17, 6% named entertainers as their role models compared to only 1% who listed science or medical professionals. Sports heroes as a whole garnered 5% of the vote, with political leaders at 4% and faith leaders also at 4.

Figures such as Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, LeBron James and Paul McCartney were repeatedly named as heroes.

President Obama and Jesus Christ were also commonly named, each receiving 3% of the total vote. Teenagers such they admired Obama for his hard work and confidence, while Jesus was respected for his concern for others and being an example to follow.

“For better and worse, teens are emulating the people they know best,” said David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group. “Many parents and youth workers fret about the role models of the next generation. Yet, one reason to remain hopeful about the development of young people is their reliance upon the people they know best: friends, relatives, teachers, pastors, and coaches.”

“At the same time, that reality underscores the insistence of many parents that they influence the people with whom their child associates, in order to be sure that their kids are surrounded by people modeling positive values and life choices,” he added.

The majority of teenagers nominated their role model based on personality traits (26%), identifying them as being caring, loving, polite, or courageous. The second biggest factor in teens’ decision for their role model was someone they could emulate or “follow in the footsteps” of (22%). Other factors included a role model accomplishing his or her goals (13%), encouraging them by helping them become a better person or being there for them (11%) and overcoming adversity (9%).

Interestingly enough, Kinnaman observed that faith and religion played a relatively minor role in the choosing of teen role models.

“Even among young Christians, their role models are virtually no different than other teenagers,” he noted.

‘Wicked Bible’ on display

Cambridge University have opened a previously unseen section of their library archives to public display that includes a collection of rare religious texts.

The exhibition is centred on the King James Bible of 1611, which is widely regarded by literary experts as the most influential English book ever written.

However, the display will also include a copy of the 1631 edition of the Bible in which the word "not" was accidentally omitted from one of the commandments reading ‘Thou shall commit adultery.” The omission earned a public rebuke from the Archbishop of Canterbury for its printers. This particular translation became known as the ‘Wicked Bible’ and was mostly destroyed with only a handful surviving to this day.

Other bibles on display include the Gutenberg Bible of 1455, which is the first printed bible, Henry VIII's enormous Great Bible and an ancient 11th century psalter.

Author and journalist Adam Nicolson launched the exhibition and in his opening address described the King James Bible as ''the great national text''.

He said: ''The King James Bible is the most influential book in the English language. For almost 300 of its 400 years it was the core of English consciousness and the touchstone of the culture.

''For those years it became the great national text, a national shrine, the one umbrella under which the whole country could gather.

''It gathered all the best from the translations of the 16th century and winnowed them, sifting out what was good, coining new phrases where these were better.

''The King James Bible is the most marvellous polishing job in the history of English and nothing I have ever seen brings that home more clearly than this exhibition.''

John 3:16 Super Bowl advert rejected by Fox Sports

Super Bowl final advertising is big business in the States, and has not been shy of a little controversy either in the last few years. In their review of advertisements for this years Super Bowl final, Fox Sports has rejected a Christian group’s application to flight a commercial featuring the Bible verse John 3:16. This is because The Fixed Point Foundation’s “Lookup 316 commercial” was deemed as containing too much “religious doctrine,” said FOX.

"[The commercial] was deemed to be too offensive," confirmed Larry Taunton, executive director of Fixed Point Foundation, in an interview with The Christian Post.

However, Taunton strongly disagrees with Fox’s assertion. He describes the advert as beginning with a living room scene of men and women watching a football game. They all cheer at something that occurs on the screen, although you are not shown what. The camera then zooms in on a football player with John 3:16 written on his eye black. One of the fans watching the game asks his neighbor what John 3:16 means and the neighbor shrugs. A fan reaches for his cell phone and says, "I'll look it up." Then the commercial ends.

The advert does not actually feature anything from the Bible other than that verse, nor does it show a preacher or a sermon. It just asks people to look up John 3.16, which is why Taunton cannot understand its rejection.

"It' doesn't sell a product. It doesn't give out the Fixed Point website," argued Taunton. “It simply links to the Lookup 316 website where there is an explanation of the verse's meaning.”

The rejection of this 31-second ad comes despite the fact that the Super Bowl has often allowed quite racy ads to flight. The most famous of these was probably the 2007 “Snicker’s Kiss” ad which showed two men end up kissing after eating a Snickers chocolate bar from opposite ends. The commercial was canned only after public complaints.

"That's deemed OK. [But the 3:16 commercial] is deemed controversial," Taunton said.

Taunton refuses to give up the issue, however, and plans to try again next Super Bowl.