Open Doors; Right To Believe Campaign; Aasia Bibi; Pakistani Christians to protest on Christmas Day to repeal blasphemy law; Asia Bibi 'can be killed at any time' says Pakistani priest; Islamic Extremists Protest Efforts to Change Blasphemy Laws and Free Christian

Right to Believe


DEFAMATION OF RELIGIONS AT THE UNITED NATIONS: a threat to religious liberty

This year in 2010 the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), linking 57 countries with majority or significant Muslim populations, once again introduced a Defamation of Religions Resolution in the United Nations.

If the Resolution became the basis for law, it would allow governments the power to determine which religious views can and can't be expressed in their country, and the right to punish those who express 'unacceptable' religious views as they see fit. So, in effect, it would makes persecution legal.

It aims to criminalise words or actions deemed to be against a particular religion, especially Islam. It has the effect of providing international legitimacy for national laws that punish blasphemy or otherwise ban criticism of a religion. It was voted on in the UN General Assembly on 21 December.

Many countries have backed this Resolution in the past, but this year some changed their minds. Although the Resolution was not defeated, it passed with the narrowest margin to date - just 9 votes. Thousands of people from the UK and Ireland and across the world helped to acieve this by their prayers and their signatures on the Open Doors' Right to Believe petition.

- Open Doors

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The 'Defamation of Religions' Resolution has been voted on by the United Nations General Assembly


The UN General Assembly in New York voted on the Defamation of Religions Resolution on 21 December. It was passed with 76 votes in favour, 67 countries voting against and 40 abstaining. In all the years of voting on this issue this is the narrowest margin to date! The trend of declining support is clearly accelerating. The gap between the YES and NO vote narrowed significantly, and the total number of NO votes, plus the abstentions, far outweighed the YES vote. We believe that every signature on the petition has played a small but significant part in this.


Further details can be found at http://www.opendoorsuk.org/campaign/RTB.php

The Defamation of Religions Resolution is not about to become law. Support for the concept is decreasing. And in 2011 the petition signatures will still be a powerful weapon as the discussions continue. Open Doors will be working to build on all that has been achieved with the support of so many around the world.

When a Christian woman such as Asia Bibi can be sentenced to death over a charge of blasphemy in Pakistan, it is vital that the United Nations should be looking for ways of further protecting the rights of all people of faith.

Open Doors will continue to campaign for the Right to Believe. In 2011 we will highlight the widespread level of concern indicated by 428,856 signatures on the global Right to Believe petition. We will continue to pray, to prompt, to campaign privately and publicly. We will do all we can to ensure that our brothers and sisters who currently face persecution for the sake of Christ will one day have the Right to Believe, in freedom and without fear.

Thank you for all you have done in campaigning action and prayer in support of persecuted Christians in 2010.

Wishing you a Christmas full of the joy and peace of Jesus Christ.

Alice J
Advocacy Manager
Open Doors UK  and Ireland

- Aasia Bibi

- Pakistani Christians to protest on Christmas Day to repeal blasphemy law

- Asia Bibi 'can be killed at any time' says Pakistani priest

- Tense Christmas Weekend Ahead in Pakistan

- Islamic Extremists Protest Efforts to Change Blasphemy Laws and Free Christian

Aramaic; Christ's endangered language gets new lease of life in Oxford; Aramaic/Proto-Hebrew alphabet; History of Aramaic

It is the language that Christ spoke, but is regarded as "endangered" with ever fewer scattered groups of native speakers.

But in Oxford, Aramaic has been flourishing again, with a course in the ancient language drawing people from as far afield as Liverpool and London. There are now 56 people learning Aramaic at the university, including three classics professors, solemnly completing their weekly homework tasks and regularly attending the free lunchtime lessons, more than the numbers studying Greek.

Their first lesson might have surprised the writers of the books of David and Ezra in the Bible, and of the Talmud, both originally written in Aramaic: the scholars pored over a translation of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

- Christ's endangered language gets new lease of life in Oxford

- Aramaic/Proto-Hebrew alphabet

- History of Aramaic

A.D.H.D.; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Untangling the Myths About Attention Disorder;

...“Attention is a really complex cognitive phenomenon that has a lot of pieces in it,” said Dr. David K. Urion of Harvard, who directs the learning disabilities and behavioral neurology program at Boston Children’s Hospital. “What we’re specifically talking about in kids with attention deficit is a problem compared to age- and gender-based peers in selective attention — what do you glom onto and what do you ignore?”

Moreover, the disorder occurs along a broad spectrum, from mild to extreme. Boys are more likely to be hyperactive and impulsive, girls to be inattentive. (One reason many girls don’t get an official diagnosis is that those with the inattentive form may be well behaved in school, but still unable to focus.)...

- Source

The Israeli Source of the Pathan Tribes; Lucknow Pathans have Jewish roots?; Sunni Muslims; Afridi Tribe; Dr. Zakir Hussain; Taliban may be descended from Jews;

As children, we heard from our parents, who come from Afghanistan, stories about the Ten Tribes who were lost during the destruction of the Temple, about meetings with the country people with whom they had contact in trade matters, about Jewish customs and names – and it all sounded inconceivable and fascinating. Like all children, we enjoyed hearing about tribes of Israel preserving their forefathers’ tradition, bearing arms and awaiting the day of redemption.

From Mr Yisrael Mishal, who lived in Afulah and was formerly President of the Afghanistan Jewish community, I often heard unusually fascinating quotations and stories uttered repeatedly and Mr Mishal gave live examples of his meetings with Pathans who dwell on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

- Source

- Taliban may be descended from Jews
- Lucknow Pathans have Jewish roots?

Dr. Zakir Hussain: - "I love Israel, for my forefathers were most probably Israelites"

- Medieval Persian References to the Israelite Origin of Afridi Pashtuns/Pathans

- Pakhtun, Afghan and Pathan

Kim Longinotto; 'Rough Aunties'; Operation Bobbi Bear; A documentary about very kind and tough women in Durban, South Africa, who work with the victims of child rape and sexual abuse.

Watched a really heart warming and heart breaking documentary about the work of an organisation in Durban, South Africa that works with the victims of child sexual abuse.

The documentary is called 'Rough Aunties' and the organisation is called 'Operation Bobbi Bear'.

This documentary really puts a face on the small victims who are so viciously abused and ill treated by adult members of society.

I myself cannot imagine what goes throught the mind of an adult male/? father as he sodomises his small son and then rewards him for services received or a grandfather who rapes his mentally retarded granddaughter.

May God richly bless these brave women for the light they shine in a very dark world.

Feel free to donate to a very worthy cause.

- Kim Longinotto: 'Film-making saved my life'

Asia Bibi; Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to Death on accusation of Blasphemy; A Christian woman has been sentenced to hang in Pakistan after being convicted of defaming the Prophet Mohammed; Maulana Yousef Qureshi:Cleric offers Rs500,000 for Aasia’s execution; Pakistan Christian Congress Files Petition in UN to release Asia Bibi

Lahore: November 9, 2010. (PCP) A Christian woman named Asia Bibi was sentenced to death by District and Session Courts after year long trial on accusation of blasphemy filed by Muslim villagers of Ittanwali, where she was residing from generations.


While working in farms with other Muslim women, Asia Bibi was dragged in religious dialogues on June 19, 2009, when Muslim women termed her an “Infidel” and Christianity a “Religion of infidels” and pressed her to embrace Islam.

Asia Bibi who is married and have two children, defended Christianity with her little knowledge and told Muslim women that Christianity is only True religion on which Muslim women made a roar and accused her defiling Prophet Mohammad.

- Source

- Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan 'for blasphemy'

- Keep giving to Pakistan, says GFA

- Pakistan Christian Congress demands immediate release of Asia Bibi

- Christians and Muslims issue joint statement condemning Iraqi church attack

- Pope’s appeal for Bibi is wonderful, hope for a quick ruling

- A campaign by AsiaNews

- Family waits to see if mother, accused of blasphemy, will be hanged

- Pakistani woman's blasphemy death sentence appealed

- Zardari may pardon woman sentenced to death for 'blasphemy'

- Pakistani woman facing death for blasphemy may be pardoned

- Aasia Bibi, Pakistani Christian, will get clemency or pardon: presidential aide

- Blasphemy case : Zardari warned not to grant pardon

- No mercy petition, no presidential pardon

Imam Maulana Yousuf Qureshi: - Blasphemy case: Cleric offers Rs500,000 for Aasia’s execution

Shahbaz Bhatti: - Pakistan minister condemns reward for killing Christian woman

- Pakistan Christian Congress Files Petition in UN to release Asia Bibi

- Continued

Oral sex linked to throat cancer; Oral Sex Cause of Throat Cancer Rise; Men at throat cancer risk with oral sex; BBC documentary to tackle oral sex cancer risk; Jaime Winstone

A virus contracted through oral sex is the cause of some throat cancers, say US scientists.


HPV infection was found to be a much stronger risk factor than tobacco or alcohol use, the Johns Hopkins University study of 300 people found.

The New England Journal of Medicine study said the risk was almost nine times higher for people who reported oral sex with more than six partners.

But experts said a larger study was needed to confirm the findings.

HPV infection is the cause of the majority of cervical cancers, and 80% of sexually active women can expect to have an HPV infection at some point in their lives.

- BBC

- Oral Sex Cause of Throat Cancer Rise

- Men at throat cancer risk with oral sex

Jaime Winstone: - BBC documentary to tackle oral sex cancer risk

Video: - Possible Oral Sex Cancer Risk

- Infection risk and oral sex

- Myth: if  you get the HPV shot  you're safe from cervical cancer

Cancer; Dr. Dennis Slamon: The Search for a Cure for Breast Cancer; 'Living Proof'; Herceptin; Anthracyclines with Herceptin/heart problems

Today I watched the very inspiring movie about Dr Dennis Slamon's battle to get funding for research in finding new treatments for breast cancer.

I have great respect for his wife who encouraged him to fight for this cause even though it put a strain on her marriage and family.

Cancer has no respect for gender or age!

The world needs more dedicated researchers and  generous donors to help fund the research.

- 'Living Proof'

- Herceptin

-Herceptin: A wonder drug, but not a miracle

C.S Lewis; From atheism to theism; From theism to Christianity; C.S. Lewis explains Narnia;

C.S Lewis seemed to have had the same problem as I had!

Unlike him I always believed that God 'was' but I could never really figure out how Jesus fitted in.

- Who Was CS Lewis?

- From atheism to theism

- From theism to Christianity

- C.S. Lewis explains Narnia

Neil Diamond; The Very Best of Neil Diamond; Hillbrow

Feeling nostalgic so am posting the links to some of my favourite Neil Diamond songs.

They remind me of the time I used to hang out with my uncle Clive in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.

He's passed on since but his ghost hangs about in the music. 

- Kentucky Woman

- Cherry Cherry

- Cracklin' Rosie

- Solitary Man

- Longfellow Serenade

- Hello Again

- I Am...I Said

- Neil Diamond Song Lyrics

Aaron Keyes: My Soul Finds Rest - Psalm 62

This hymn is so inspiring in a dark world.

- VIDEO: My Soul Finds Rest - Psalm 62 - Aaron Keyes

*** Lyrics..

My soul finds rest in God alone, My Rock and my salvation,

A fortress strong against my foes, And I will not be shaken.


Though lips may bless and hearts may curse, And lies like arrows pierce me,


I’ll fix my heart on righteousness, I’ll look to Him who hears me.


Chorus: O praise Him, hallelujah, My Delight, my Reward;


Everlasting, never failing, My Redeemer, my God.

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Find rest, my soul, in God alone


Amid the world’s temptations;


When evil seeks to take a hold


I’ll cling to my salvation.


Though riches come and riches go,


Don’t set your heart upon them;


The fields of hope in which I sow


Are harvested in heaven.

Chorus:

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I’ll set my gaze on God alone,


And trust in Him completely;


With every day pour out my soul,


And He will prove His mercy.


Though life is but a fleeting breath,


A sigh too brief to measure,


My King has crushed the curse of death


And I am His forever.


O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah, hallelujah,


O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah, hallelujah,


O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah! hallelujah!


- About Aaron Keyes

Story Behind The Song - Aaron Keyes - Not Guilty Anymore