NewsWatch

Canadian Government Allowed to Remove Kids

LifeSiteNews.com, 6/1/17, “Ontario passes ‘totalitarian’ bill allowing gov’t to take kids from Christian homes” [Excerpts]: The Kathleen Wynne Liberals of Ontario have passed what critics describe as “totalitarian” Bill 89 by a vote of 63 to 23....

Pro-family advocates warn Bill 89 gives the state more power to seize children from families that oppose the LGBTQI and gender ideology agenda, and allows government agencies to effectively ban couples who disagree with that agenda from fostering or adopting children.

Bill 89...repeals and replaces the former Child and Family Services Act that governs child protection services, and adoption and foster care services.

It adds “gender identity” and “gender expression” as factors to be considered “in the best interests of the child.”

At the same time, it deletes the religious faith in which the parents are raising the child as a factor to be considered, and mandates child protection services consider only the child’s own “creed” or “religion” when assessing the best interests of the child.

Statements by Minister of Child and Family Services Michael Coteau clearly signaled the pro-LGBTQ gender ideology Liberal agenda, critics warned.

(https://goo.gl/Btp2og)

‘Hodge Podge’ of Beliefs Among Born-Agains

OneNewsNow.com, 5/30/17, “Barna: ‘Hodge podge’ of beliefs among born-agains” [Excerpts]: A recent survey by the American Culture & Faith Institute finds that only 30 percent of born-again adults have a biblical worldview. According to that survey, almost 90 percent of them describe God as the “all-knowing, all-powerful creator and ruler of the universe”—but only one in four believes “as sinners, people are not basically good.” Sixty-three percent believe someone can earn their own way to heaven.

As Barna summarizes the findings: “The born-again population maintains a combination of biblically accurate and indefensible beliefs”—and based on previous research, he says that “hodge podge of beliefs” isn’t unexpected.

[A] Christian apologist and educator [notes] that...“Even people within the church who might have some biblical beliefs about Jesus, beneath the surface you find that they’re almost Universalists—believing that all people go to heaven,” According to the survey, only 40 percent of born-again believers think success is defined by obedience and commitment to Christ. The implication...is that the world’s definition of success is dominant among Christ-followers.

He says the church needs a dose of frank preaching and biblical teaching. “Before you can get someone saved, sometimes you have to get them lost, in that you have to help people understand that they are a sinner in need of a Savior...” he explains.

(https://goo.gl/9yjFDU)

PLA Forces Christians to Fast for Ramadan

UnitedWithIsrael.org, 6/2/17, “Palestinian Authority Forces Christians to Fast in Public During Ramadan” [Excerpts]: On May 21, the PA Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories and Chairman of the [Palestinian] Supreme Fatwa Council Sheikh Muhammad Hussein called on the owners of restaurants and cafés to close them during the daytime hours of Ramadan in order to preserve the month’s sanctity, WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, reported.

The Grand Mufti, the highest PA religious official, ordered the PA police “to act against anyone who breaks the fast in public, in preparation for legal steps against them.”

District Governor of Jenin Ibrahim Ramadan also issued a notice ahead of Ramadan, PNN, an independent Palestinian news agency, reported on May 25. “It is forbidden for all of the restaurants and cafés to serve food or drink during the period of the fast and not to show any sight that would harm the sanctity of this month,” he declared.

Although it was not mentioned specifically, in previous years these PA religious restrictions against public eating were enforced against Christians as well.

Police said in the statement that they saw a man “breaking the fast” publicly and arrested him, and that he would face legal consequences for the act, the Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported.

(https://goo.gl/P8vezT)