ACL compiles a daily media monitoring service of stories of interest to the Christian constituency relating to children, family, drugs and alcohol, marriage, human rights, religious freedom etc. Visit the ACL’s website each day to see what’s of interest in the news. Please note that selection of the articles does not represent ACL endorsement of the content.
Abortion
Opinion split before vote on whether life starts at conceptionThe AgeMississippians were due to vote yesterday on a proposal that would define life as beginning ''from the moment of conception'' in a move that could set the state up for a long legal showdown over abortion law.
Euthanasia
Churches’ fears over euthanasia ‘workshop’ScotsmanChurch leaders have called on the police to investigate an event in Edinburgh where people will be given advice on “DIY” euthanasia. High-profile Dr Philip Nitschke – dubbed Australia’s Dr Death – has hired church premises for what has been branded a “Practical Euthanasia Workshop”.
Gambling
Change machines breaching gambling code: XenophonABCIndependent Senator Nick Xenophon says gambling venues are putting change machines next to poker machines to circumvent South Australian laws banning poker machines that accept notes. Operators also are required to monitor the use of coin change machines to help identify problem gamblers.
Aussie online betting operators call on Govt to lift lawsCIOAustralian online betting companies have called for the relaxation of online gambling laws, claiming the regulations restrict them from competing with offshore companies.
Homelessness
Father Bob helps KO homelessnessEugene Benson - Moonie Valley WeeklyCharismatic Catholic priest Father Bob Maguire and boxers Sam Soliman and Samuel Colomban will be guest speakers at a fund-raising dinner for homeless agency Latitude this month. Latitude is a youth-specific homelessness service that helps young people in Moonee Valley and Hobsons Bay.
Marriage
Marriage helps reduce crimeThe ConversationMore than half of all murders in Australia involve family members. The majority of them are committed by men who kill their partners. Here, as in many other countries, violence in the home is a major social problem. So it may come as a surprise to learn that marriage and other adult family relationships can actually help reduce crime.
Left ready to fight for gay marriagePhillip Coorey – SMHThe Labor Left will take on the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, over gay marriage by pushing the party to adopt a policy of outright support rather than a conscience vote.
Sydney council supports gay marriageNinemsnA City of Sydney council declaration of support for gay marriage has been welcomed by gay rights activists who are planning a major rally at the ALP national conference next month.
Politics
It's official, Australia has a carbon taxAlison Rehn - The Daily TelegraphAustralia will have a carbon tax next year after legislation passed federal parliament. Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has only recently returned from Afghanistan, said in a statement the passage of the carbon tax legislation in the Senate today secured a clean energy future for all Australians.
US voters find religious belief important in leaderReuters Two-thirds of Americans believe it is important for a presidential candidate to have strong religious beliefs, even if those beliefs are different than their own, a survey released on Tuesday found. The survey of Americans' attitudes by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute found only one in five Americans would object to a candidate whose beliefs were different to their own. When asked about specific religious faiths and the presidency, 29 percent of Americans would be uncomfortable with an evangelical Christian in the job, 53 percent would be uncomfortable with a Mormon, 64 percent with a Muslim, and 67 percent would be uncomfortable with an atheist as president.
Prostitution & Sex Trafficking Sydney escort agency selling 19-year-old virginNick Tabakoff - The Daily TelegraphA Sydney escort agency is offering the virginity of a teenage girl for $15,000, prompting outraged community groups to describe the move as "putting women's liberation back centuries". An investigation by sex industry consulting firm Brothel Busters has found MyOutCall Australia is offering the Chinese 19-year old student for four days in exchange for the $15,000 sum.
Prostitution Bill divides communityLiam Ducey - In My CommunityThe State Government’s draft Prostitution Bill has been praised by local government but encountered fierce criticism from both the Labor party and sex workers. Local governments claim the Bill will end the suffering of families living next to clandestine brothels, while a sex worker with considerable experience in WA said the Bill, if passed by Government, would do nothing more than force prostitution underground.
Religious Freedom & PersecutionWhat do the Copts mean for the Arab Spring?Kurt J. Werthmuller - Huffington Post
A crucial test of the potential gains of the Arab Spring will also rest in the status of the region's non-Muslim minorities. In this sense, the standing of Egypt's Coptic Christian minority -- some 8-10 million people, roughly 10-12 percent of the country -- warrants the recent global attention that has turned to this community. And so far, the Arab Spring has not been kind to the Copts.
Other
Top ten reasons Australians don't become ChristiansEternityNew research into the reasons why Australians don’t accept Christian faith has just been released by Olive Tree Media. “We decided a few months ago that we wanted to address some of the ‘blocker’ issues that stop people in the Australian community from coming to faith,” said Olive Tree Media’s CEO, Karl Faase.