ASSIST
News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden
Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
E-mail: assistcomm@cs.com, Web Site: www.assistnews.net <http://www.assistnews.net/>
Monday, June 9, 2003
HENRY BLACKABY MINISTRIES CLARIFIES PRAYER REQUEST FOR CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
VOTE ON "BIBLE VERSES AS HATE LITERATURE"
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
ATLANTA, GA (ANS) -- Henry Blackaby
Ministries has issued a clarification regarding its request for Christians
praying for an upcoming Canadian Government vote on Bible verses as "hate
literature." (Pictured: Henry Blackaby)
"We want to thank you for your responses regarding the prayer request for
Canada. When we received the information regarding the legislation before the
Canadian Government we wanted to let you know so that you could be praying
immediately," writes a spokesman for Henry Blackaby in an e-mail ministry
update.
"We have conducted more research concerning the Bill and wanted to make you
better informed. The Bill before the government was originally presented as Bill
C-415 and was reintroduced as Bill C-205. We need to make a clarification
concerning this Bill.
"We stated that this Bill seeks to make all verses in the Bible that speak
against homosexuality into hate literature. As we did further research we came
to understand that the Bill does not specifically seek to make the Biblical
passages pertaining to homosexuality into hate literature. But rather seeks to
add 'sexual orientation,' specifically homosexuality, in the 'hate propaganda'
sections of the Criminal Code of Canada. Because of the wording of the Bill and
the fact that 'propaganda of hate' is not defined in the Bill, this Bill opens
the door for those speaking against homosexuality and gay marriages to be
prosecuted for hate crimes and for the Biblical passages to be deemed as 'hate
literature.' "
"In addition, we were very encouraged to find several organizations in Canada
that are actively enlisting people to pray for the defeat of this Bill. Please
continue to pray for these organizations as they enlist people to pray as well
as work with people in the Federal Government.
"With very few exceptions we have limited our prayer letter to those specific
events, conferences, and needs pertaining to HBM (Henry Blackaby Minsitries).
However, we felt that those of you who have enlisted as prayer partners would
want to join with us to pray for Canada at this time."
** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former
reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST
News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in
1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children.
Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian
radio station. E-mail: mireland@usfamily.net <http://mireland@usfamily.net/> .
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BLACKABY MINISTRIES CLARIFIES PRAYER REQUEST FOR CANADIAN GOVERNMENT VOTE ON
BIBLE VERSES AS HATE LITERATURE>
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