| |
- Christian accused of ‘blasphemy’ in Pakistan granted rare bail
- Book Review: Go ahead, be a quitter
- Muslims, Christians in Pakistan denounce violence in Gojra on second anniversary
- National Back To Church Sunday seeks to draw people to church
- Jeff Totey sits down with Dove Award-winning musician, Chris August
- Cameron Mitchell quits “The Glee Project,” chooses his Christian faith
| Christian accused of ‘blasphemy’ in Pakistan granted rare bail Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:12 PM PDT
LAHORE, Pakistan, August 4 (Compass Direct News) – In a rare move in Pakistan, a lower court in Punjab Province on Tuesday (Aug. 2) released on bail a young Christian man accused of blaspheming Islam. The Magisterial Court of Chichawatni, Sahiwal district, granted bail to Babar Masih, who suffers from a psychiatric disorder that causes him to shout in fits of rage for as long as an hour without knowing what he is doing or saying. In the face of Islamic extremist threats, generally lower courts in Pakistan do not dare grant bail or acquit a Christian accused of blasphemy, leaving such decisions for higher court judges who enjoy greater security measures. The complainant in the case, Zeeshan Arshad, states in the First Information Report (FIR) that Masih was “addressing the stars and calling names of Muslim sages and holy personages” when he made the alleged remarks blaspheming Islam. The FIR itself states that Masih never intended to hurt Arshad’s religious feelings, and that no sane person would draw the ire of area residents by talking in this way. On the day he made the alleged remarks (May 2), however, a large Muslim mob gathered that refused to hear that Masih was suffering any mental disorder. They demanded he be turned over to them so that they could kill him publicly. Chichawatni City police intervened and took Masih into custody. At the Aug. 2 hearing, the courtroom was packed with bearded, hard-line Muslims and a tense calm prevailed, said Niaz Aamer, an attorney for the Center for Law and Justice-Pakistan (CLJ-P), which is representing Masih. Aamer said that the judge asked him to read the FIR, but the attorney requested that the judge read it himself, silently, due to the sensitive nature of the case. After arguments, the judge awarded bail. Masih could not be released until the next day, however, because court orders arrived late to the police station. Sensing danger at the main entrance of the jail yesterday, staff members released him from a more inconspicuous “family gate.” During his time in jail, Masih was attacked, Aamer said. On May 26, as Masih was brought to court in a police van, an officer asked in a loud voice, “Where is the blasphemy accused?” As soon as Masih was identified, a bearded man among the accused in the van repeatedly hit Masih’s face and head with his handcuffs before police intervened. The assailant was never brought to justice, Aamer said, though since that time Masih has been brought to court hearings in a separate van. The judge granted bail even though a medical examiner declined to confirm Masih’s mental condition. Though Masih’s outbursts were witnessed several times while in jail, the Sahiwal Central Jail superintendent’s medical examination report states, “He is a young man of average health. He gives history of some psychiatric illness before coming to jail. Inside jail he is vitally stable and well-oriented. However, to know the exact situation regarding his mental condition, he may be examined by the District Standing Medical Board at DHQ Hospital Sahiwal.” Masih’s family provided doctor’s prescriptions and medicine wrappers he used, but a police report presented in court on May 17 did not mention Masih’s medical treatment.
His brother, Amjad Masih, previously told Compass that he had learned from witnesses that the accused was walking by the Canal Mosque looking upward and calling out names as the mosque leader was coming out and allegedly heard him using abusive language about Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Amjad Masih arrived home to find a large number of Muslim clerics gathered outside who told him Babar Masih had used insulting language about Muhammad, which can be punishable by death in Pakistan. Immediately after Masih was arrested, all three Christian families living in the area fled, including those of Masih’s brothers, James Masih, and Amjad Masih. Since fleeing, James Masih’s son Robin James has had to drop his engineering studies, and his daughter Sana James was unable to finish college exams, Aamer said. James Masih is still looking for work, and his other two daughters, eighth-grade students Shanza James and Sahira James, have also been forced to abandon their studies. Amjad Masih was allowed to return to his residence after long negotiations with area clerics and a promise that he would never legally support his brother or else he would face similar charges, Aamer said. “After Masih’s release, Amjad Masih did not go home to meet with him or any of his family members, because it will be a danger for them,” Aamer said. “Amjad cannot stay in the area if ever seen with Babar Masih.”
The CLJ-P, an affiliate of European Center for Law and Justice, plans to file an application under Section 540-A of Pakistan’s Criminal Procedure Code to exempt Masih from court appearances on grounds that it would be too dangerous, Aamer said. “Babar Masih, who is mentally ill, was accused of blasphemy on May 2, 2011 and is released on bail within three months, while there are hundreds languishing in jails for years on blasphemy charges,” Aamer said. Christians make up only 2.45 percent of Pakistan’s population, which is more than 95 percent Muslim, according to Operation World. |
| Book Review: Go ahead, be a quitter Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:05 PM PDT
Book review: Quitter Author: Jon Acuff “I held eight jobs in eight years from 1998 when I graduated from college until 2006,” begins the book Quitter by Jon Acuff. “These weren’t petty, part-time jobs, like that summer I was a mailman or that afternoon I spent as a carny. The jobs I quit were 40-hour-a-week, 401(k)-offering, health-insurance-transferring, me-in-a-plain-colored-cubicle jobs. These were career jobs for most of my co-workers and in a period of twelve years, I managed to quit six of the eight. Another I was fired from and the other went out of business.” Acuff goes on to say how he mastered the art of quitting and lays out a plan for how you can do the same. He’s not kidding. Acuff is the creator of the Stuff Christians Like blog and author of the book of the same name. In Quitter, the goal is the help you, the reader, close the gap between your day job and dream job. How a man with a gift of sarcasm becomes a life coach is a mystery, but no matter. This book is full of good stuff. With his sense of wit, Acuff draws you in and is surprisingly candid about how he landed his dream job working for author, speaker and radio host, Dave Ramsey. It wasn’t a quick trip. Acuff talks about the toll his quitting took on his marriage and his finances. It’s a classic “learn from my mistakes” book that will challenge you as well as excite you for your future. And it has a happy ending. People say things like “I’m a teacher, but I want to be an artist” or “I’m an accountant, but I want to be a therapist” or “I’m a project manager, but I want to start my own company.” In Quitter, Acuff helps you explore what it is you really want to do and how you can make a living out of it or at least finding purpose in your current job. It’s not a “get rich quick” guide or prosperity teaching book. It’s just an honest look from a chronic quitter who isn’t quitting anymore. One of the best chapters in the book is, “Removing the ‘I’m’ from your ‘but.” In it, he talks about what he calls “hinge moments.” Many of us think we need a massive eureka moment to realize what it is that we want to do with our life, but a lot of times, we learn a lot more during a much smaller events. He lays out five questions to help you find your own “moments”and they are:
Other chapters in the book include:
He also includes a “Are you really ready to quit your day job” quiz and a bonus chapter titled, “The Three Reasons You’ll Ignore Everything You Just Read.” Acuff isn’t preachy or religious sounding. His tone is that of a friend and by the time you are finished reading the book, you’ll know so much about him, you’ll feel like you already are his friend. You can even get a glimpse of Mr. Acuff right now by clicking here to see a video preview of the book. And you can read the first chapter of the book by clicking here. Originally posted here. |
| Muslims, Christians in Pakistan denounce violence in Gojra on second anniversary Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:04 PM PDT
Muslim and Christian leaders came together recently to commemorate a tragedy in a small Christian neighborhood in Pakistan two years before, and to denounce the perpetrators, who have not been punished. The leaders came together in an interfaith event that was held at the Sacred Heart Church in Gojra last Monday, to mark the second year anniversary of the August 2009 tragedy, where 10 people died, including a family of seven who were set on fire; and dozens of Christian homes were razed to the ground. Two Muslim leaders apologized for the violence during the event. The Muslim Sufi leaders said they regretted the violence which is inconsistent with the “spirit of Islam,” Catholic News India reported. In 2009, some 800 Muslims attacked Christian neighborhoods in Gojra in the Punjab region, setting buildings on fire and attacking people, leaving 10 dead. Although 70 suspects were arrested, all were acquitted. Father Aftab James Paul, director of the diocesan commission for interfaith dialogue and ecumenism in Faisalabad told Catholic News India that the apologies of the Muslim Sufi leaders are “hugely significant. Paul said, “Even though they weren’t in any way involved in what happened that day, the peer Sufis (Sufi masters) described Islam as a religion that does not condone killing and condemned the massacre,” Catholic News India reported. Many of those in the interfaith conference, who were victims of the violence, were angry that no one was punished, and that all those who were arrested were set free by an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad. Victor Babu, whose family was murdered in the attack, recalled the event saying, “Threatening announcements from nearby mosques echoed in our houses. My wife and pregnant daughter rushed to the home of her in-laws when we heard her father-in-law was shot dead. Both were burned alive,” Catholic News India reported. Another victim, Naveed Masih, was jailed for defending himself and his family. He spent over four months in jail, and lost his career as a former boxer. He now sells liquor for a living. One of the speakers slammed Pakistan’s blasphemy law saying, “These innocents are not only Christian martyrs, but also of Pakistan. The blasphemy law has caused severe damages to the soft image of Pakistan in the comity of nations,” The Christian Telegraph reported. From 1926 to 1985 only seven blasphemy cases were registered. However, after the late dictator Zia ul Haq promulgated the law, over 4,000 cases were registered to date. In an interfaith mass, Rt. Rev. Bishop Joseph Coutts of the Diocese of Faisalabad said in his message, “The blood of the martyrs is seed of the church. The early Christians were persecuted by the Romans and Jews, (and) before conversion, Paul also persecuted Christians, but Christianity flourished very fast.” At the same time, Coutts stressed the need for change, Christian Telegraph said. “There is injustice in society, and efforts must be made for a just and peaceful society in Pakistan.” |
| National Back To Church Sunday seeks to draw people to church Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:03 PM PDT
National Back to Church Sunday, slated for Sept. 18, has over 6,000 churches registered so far who will participate in this movement to draw Christians back to Sunday service. NBTCS, an interdenominational movement, seeks to increase church attendance nationwide by helping church leaders through free resource materials and other means so that churches can reach out to their communities to get more people to go to church. NBTCS, since it was launched in 2009, has held an annual day to enable churches to equip their parishioners so that they will be encouraged to invite people among their immediate circle of relatives and friends to go to their church. So far, the 6,000 participating churches have extended over 500,000 invitations within their communities to go to church on Sept. 18. Their efforts to do this were enhanced through tools such as the booklet, “reDiscover Church,” and through the help of over 100 community coordinators. “It is the privilege of every Christian to invite someone to church. By taking part in National Back To Church Sunday, believers can introduce the hope of the gospel to their communities by welcoming people into their local congregations,” Philip Nation, LifeWay Research’s director of ministry development, said. On Sept. 18, NBTCS hopes that thousands of unchurched people will go to church, simply because someone they know invited them, and they will be welcomed in a church nearby. It is hoped that in this way, they will rediscover church. NBTCS was conceived with the goal of reversing a trend in the U.S. towards declining church attendance. Why people don’t go to church Many Christians stop going to church not for reasons of faith, but oftentimes, for other reasons. For example, they may have experienced a falling out with their former church, drifted away, become too busy, moved, or experienced a change in their life circumstance. Many of these people might be open to going back to church. The evangelistic 37-page booklet, “reDiscover Church,” discusses the 10 most common reasons why people leave church, and offers 10 reasons why they may want to consider going back. Included is a portion where a local church can leave its contact information and include a personal letter from its pastor. Other free resources for churches are online tools so that a church can assess itself, and based on its results, determine ways to increase membership. It is hoped that some 10,000 churches will participate in NBTCS this year. Churches may avail of the services of a citywide coordinator guide and NBTCS specialist to guide churches and denominations. A study by LifeWay Research discovered that 82 percent of those who are unchurched are inclined to go to church if they are invited by a relative, friend, neighbor or co-worker. Last year, 3,800 churches signed up with NBTCS and experienced an average 26 percent rise in church attendance. Churches who wish to register with NBTCS may go to http://backtochurch.com/roster.
|
| Jeff Totey sits down with Dove Award-winning musician, Chris August Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:01 PM PDT
At this year’s Creation Northwest Festival in July, I had the chance to sit down for a few minutes with Christian singer and songwriter, Chris August. The festival is just one stop on a long tour of concerts for August. From Enumclaw, Wash., (the home of Creation NW), his next stop was Lake Stevens, Wash., then down to Santa Ana, Calif. then over to Overland Park, Kansas and on it goes. He’s busy, but it doesn’t seem to faze him.  Chris August Despite the intellectual-looking glasses, the 29-year-old isn’t the least bit pretentious. He’s artsy and smiles more than he shows in his professional photos. On his left arm is a tattoo of a Celtic symbol meaning “no beginning, no end.” On his right, is an illustration of God’s hands coming from the clouds and grabbing a pile of dirt. It’s inspired by The David Crowder Band’s song, “Wholly Yours.” The lyrics of that song read: I am full of earth, you are heaven’s worth. I am stained with dirt, prone to depravity. You are everything that is bright and clean, the antonym of me. The final line of the song is, “I am full of earth and dirt and You.” In April of this year, August was the recipient of three awards from the 42nd Annual Dove Awards. He won “New Artist of the Year” and “Male Vocalist of the Year” as well as one in the category for “Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year” for his debut album, No Far Away. Not bad for a guy with no formal musical training. I ask him how a guy with no training can go on to win awards. He shakes his head and says that he doesn’t really know, but he tries to explain anyway. For his 15th birthday, Chris was given the choice to pick out a small, cheap keyboard from which he taught himself how to play. That, and the little book, “You Can Play Piano,” that came with it. This was also the same year that he dedicated his life to Christ. So, this was the start of big changes for August. In addition to learning more about being a Christian, he also learned how to be a musician and songwriter. He began to help lead worship with his youth group and picked up guitar playing as well. By age 22, Chris released his first self-produced independent album. Only months later, singer/songwriter Ryan Cabrera had received a copy of it and decided that he wanted to work with Chris. Within two weeks August had signed a contract with Geffen Records and moved from Garland, Texas to Los Angeles, Calif. Soon, he went on tour opening for Ashlee Simpson. “What is the difference performing for a secular concert versus a Christian concert?” I ask. “The fan interaction,” he says. “At a secular concert, the fans are focused on you only. At a Christian concert, the focus is more on God.” Chris’ biography explains that while on the road, he missed being involved in a church and playing Christian songs. “I had been back for a year when I realized how long it had been since Ihad written a Christian song. Sure I had worked on some inspiring type of music whileon Geffen, but nothing overtly Christian. I wanted to write a song that was a rededicationof my music and my life to Jesus. On January 18, 2009 I wrote ‘Starry Night.’ Little did Iknow this song would change my life.” His indie release of that song got the attention of Word Records and the start of the studio release of No Far Away began. He began to write about 60 songs in 3 months and was teamed up with Ed Cash. Ed liked his music, but one day, he told August that he thought the album needed a personal song. That night, Chris wrote the first lines of 7×70 which is about his parents’ divorce and family break up. “As the lyrics started to come to mind, so did all the memories of my past that I hadn’t thought about in years. Some lines bringing smiles and some bringing another set of pains that I needed to forgive. It was through this song that I was able to forgive and be healed of that pain.” Sample lyrics of 7×70: I’ve been living in this house here since the day that I was born. These walls have seen me happy, but most of all they’ve seen me torn. They’ve heard the screaming matches that made a family fall apart. They’ve had a front row seat to the breaking of my heart. 7 times 70 times, I’ll do what it takes to make it right I thought the pain was here to stay, but forgiveness made a way. So, August is a deep thinker. But he isn’t all-serious. “What makes you different from other artists?” I ask. “I’m non-preachy and I’m kinda goofy. I love sports and candy.” He isn’t kidding either. In fact, he treated the Creation folks to a live version of his “Candy Wrap” song that tells about his love for sweets. His website features a new video of the song with August decked out with candy necklaces and rings and he literally steals an all-day sucker from a baby. On Chris’ official website, you can sample the songs Starry Nights, 7×70, You and I, and Battle. The lyrics to all the songs on the album are listed there as well. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the songs at the same site. Originally posted here. |
| Cameron Mitchell quits “The Glee Project,” chooses his Christian faith Posted: 04 Aug 2011 12:53 PM PDT
Ryan Murphy, Zach Woodlee and Robert Ulrich—judges at the final callback of the latest episode of The Glee Project—weren’t the only ones who were shocked when Cameron Mitchell, a Christian, decided to quit the competition. All of his remaining co-competitors–and the viewers–were, too. But Mitchell said his leaving wasn’t a rash decision. He told Ology, “Going into it, I always knew that I did have strong beliefs and strong convictions. And I knew that there were going to be moments and times where that was going to be tested. I thought everything would be okay, but you know, as I went through the show and the weeks passed, and things like ‘the kissing thing’ happened… I knew that I [had to] stand firm to my beliefs, no matter what.” Cameron refers to a previous episode in the reality TV series where co-competitor Lindsay Pearce surprised him with a kiss during their duet, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” He was shocked afterwards, thinking of his girlfriend back home. He called his mother and cried. He also refused to kiss co-competitor Hannah Mclalwain, one of his closest friends on the show, who was his video partner in the latest episode. This landed him on the bottom three again in the competition. But his rendering of Blackbird was so beautiful that it would have saved him. In fact, Ryan Murphy spoke personally to Mitchell to ask him not to quit. Of that moment, Mitchell told EW, “It was crazy because Ryan Murphy is standing up for me and that’s great. We didn’t end up on bad terms. He was saying, ‘How much I respect your convictions. That’s very cool of you. Someone your age that’s hard to find.’ I’m just saying it takes some balls to say no to Ryan Murphy.” Without a doubt, the choice to leave seems like one heck of a way to say goodbye to a great opportunity. But at The Television Critics Association press conference Mitchell said, “You know, in the moment, to some people it might seem like a hasty decision. But it was something that I truly felt in my heart. It was something that really spoke to me. “And when you make a decision like that, I think it’s really hard to regret it. You just have to follow what you believe. And I believe that, you know, when a door closes, another door opens. And it’s only going to lead to great things. So I don’t regret it.” It would seem, though, that Mitchell is one guy who has a knack for taking huge risks. When he first auditioned for The Glee Project, he was the only one who sang an original composition for Ryan Murphy—a move often considered as suicidal when you are auditioning for a reality television program. The song got him in, and he left as one of the last few standing. He’s still got the same girlfriend, and he released his original composition, Love Can Wait, on iTunes last week. As of Tuesday this week, it ranked No. 16, right after Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Elie Goulding. He told Ology, “I would love to continue to do acting. I would love to learn and be more comfortable with it- because one day, honestly, I would love to end up on Glee. Maybe right now just wasn’t the time.”
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Underground To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Posted via email from The Underground-- Not Your Average Christian Mag
No comments:
Post a Comment