Urge World Leaders to Vote No on U.N.'s Biased Goldstone Report

This from UN Watch:

I'm here at the emergency session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, facing a draft resolution by the Arab and Islamic blocs that seeks to endorse the biased Goldstone Report—a 500-page document that falsely accuses Israel of “deliberate attacks” against civilians during its defensive war against Hamas rocket attacks last January. (For details, see www.unwatch.org/goldstone.)

Adoption of this dangerous text will trigger proceedings toward the indictment and prosecution of Israeli leaders and officers in the International Criminal Court. What’s at stake is the very survival of democratic societies under the assault of terrorists—enemies of human rights who cynically invoke its protective cover.

The debate began yesterday and reaches its climax today. UN Watch will be there to address the assembled delegates. Representing us will be none other than Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan, an expert in military strategy, and a hero of our time. Col. Kemp will tell the U.N. exactly what he told the BBC: “During Operation Cast Lead, the Israel Defence Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.”

Then comes the critical vote. We need your help. The U.S. will oppose the resolution, but the influential European Union votes -- UK, Germany, France -- are still undecided. Act now: Click here to take action and urge E.U. leaders to Vote No. I thank all of you around the world who have already done so.

Thank you for helping to make a difference —

Sincerely,

Hillel C. Neuer
Executive Director


To sign the petition go to http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoToGoldstone/

Faith community responses to the economic crisis Bristol, Homes or assets? Restoring faith in housing, 11am – 3.30pm, 20 Oct

"In the face of the current unprecedented economic crisis, it is important for faith communities to reflect on the many challenges that we are now faced with – and which will have profound impacts on families, communities, jobs, housing, financial services and wider economies for years to come."

"The Churches have rich resources to draw on – not least the succession of commissions and reports on church, society and economy. What insights can we gain from revisiting this work – and how much does the new situation require new thinking?"

Bristol, 11am – 3.30pm, 20 Oct : Homes or assets? Restoring faith in housing
Roundtable event on future of affordable housing, with Neil Griffiths, National Housing Federation and Jacqui McCluskey, Homeless Link, organised with Housing Justice.


For more information, go to
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/10229

Stop the Traffik: North Bristol

An evening to raise awareness of people traffiking in Bristol and to find out what we can do to campaign against it. The meeting is this Thursday 25th June at 7.30pm. It's happening at Oasis Academy Brightstow (old Portway school) in Shire. There will be a police officer there who investigates traffiking in our city, and a woman who runs another anti-traffiking group in Bristol. Please come if you can and/or spread the word to anyone else who might be interested.

If you want to know more check out www.stopthetraffik.org and if you can't make this Thursday but would be interested in coming to an anti-traffiking group email sttnorthbristol@yahoo.com

Christians Urged to Urgently Sign Petition over 'Gagging of Free Speech' on Biblical View of Sexual Conduct and Marriage

CHRISTIANS across the UK have been urged to sign a petition calling on the Prime Minister to abandon plans to prevent Christians from openly explaining what they believe the Bible says about sexual conduct.


he Christian Legal Centre, which has represented many Christians in high profile cases where employers have denied Christians the right of freedom of speech on moral issues, has placed a Petition on its website (www.ccfon.org/petition.php) for individuals to sign on-line, or download and encourage fellow church members to sign up to before posting on to CCFON, which will hand collated petitions to the Queen, Prime Minister and Leader of the House of Lords. CCFON believes there will be “devastating consequences” to Christian witness if the Coroners and Justice Bill goes through Parliament as it stands.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, barrister and founder of the CLC says few Christian leaders or individuals realize that buried deep within the Bill is a clause which could prevent any Christian openly stating what the Bible says, and Christians have believed for 2,000 years, about issues such as homosexual conduct or even marriage.

She said: “No-one would imagine that a Bill to do with Coroners could contain anything about free speech and with all the media attention on MP expenses, this vital issue is going unreported by the media. If it got through as it stands, it would have devastating consequences for Christian witness and integrity in the UK. Church leaders and individuals Christians answering questions about their faith could well find themselves the subject of a police investigation and arrest just for speaking and living according to the Bible’s teaching on sexuality and marriage.”

Members of the House of Lords are likely to debate the clause on 23^rd June (unless date gets pushed back due to pressures of parliamentary timetable), and Mrs Williams urges Christians across all denominations to log on to www.ccfon.org/petition.php and act immediately.

The petition reads: “Preserving the sanctity of life and freedom of speech are vitally important to the preservation of liberty and good governance under the rule of law in the United Kingdom. These are under immediate threat by measures in the Coroners and Justice Bill. We the undersigned, therefore, petition HM the Queen, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the House of Lords to:

1) Protect the value of human life in the UK by opposing proposed amendments authorizing state-sanctioned assisted suicide; and 2) Protect freedom of speech by abandoning its opposition to the free speech protection clause currently within the sexual orientation hatred offence which preserves the right to, discuss, criticise and urge to refrain from certain forms of sexual conduct or practices.”

CCFON is also co-ordinating a Prayer Meeting on June 22, 6.30 -9pm at Emmanuel Centre, 9 -23 Marsham Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3DW, where Christians are invited to attend and bring their friends with them.

Source: http://www.ccfon.org/view.php?id=760

"Life Beyond Debt" Campaign

'Life Beyond Debt' is the Evangelical Alliance's response to the current economic crisis.

"We firmly believe that the Bible is outspoken on issues of poverty and injustice and we want to encourage churches to be equally vocal. With their national networks and local presence, the church is uniquely positioned to help people who are in debt, have lost their jobs or are otherwise struggling with their finances.

By combining the conviction that motivates our action with the resources and organisations already established, the church can develop its engagement to bring vital aid to those who are in the greatest need."

For more information go to
http://www.eauk.org/lifebeyonddebt/

Read MP Hazel Blear's speech she gave at the Life Beyond Debt Conference on 5 Feb 2009:
http://www.eauk.org/lifebeyonddebt/blears-speech.cfm