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Christian Concern brings you cutting edge stories week by week, to equip the church to act and pray, to restore the hope of Christ to the centre of our nation. Please visit our website at: www.christianconcern.com In this edition: EHRC U-turn Oxford sex club decision Latest News

Winds of Change at Equality Commission The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has claimed that Christians should be given more freedom to follow their beliefs in the workplace, saying that: “The way existing human rights and equality law has been interpreted by judges is insufficient to protect freedom of religion or belief.” The EHRC is seeking to intervene in four religious discrimination cases soon to appear before the European Court of Human Rights. The Christian Legal Centre is representing clients in two of those cases – Gary McFarlane and Shirley Chaplin. The move has surprised many who are used to the Commission acting against Christians and religious freedoms. We wait to see the details of their intervention. The Prime Minister will have to respond to the European Court on behalf of the Government regarding these cases. Please write to the PM and urge him to stand for freedom of belief in this nation. You can contact the PM at 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA or e-mail him here. Please urge him to support Gary McFarlane and Shirley Chaplin. Please emphasise that reasonable accommodation should be made for religious beliefs and that Christians should not lose their jobs due to their Christian sexual ethics; that Christians should not be barred from public life just because they don’t want to promote the practice of homosexuality against their religious conscience; and that Christians should be able to wear a cross at work without being singled out. The full story and analysis can be read here > Decision reserved in Oxford sex club hearing This week the Christian Legal Centre intervened, along with St Ebbe’s Church and others, to try to stop a lap dancing club from opening in Oxford close to an education college and residential areas. We are waiting to hear the decision from Oxford City Council. This was the second sex club application made in eight months. Please pray that no licence will be granted. Applications for sex clubs are cropping up all over the country and we would urge you to resist these where you can. A guide on the new law concerning sex establishments, and how they can be resisted, can be found here. Please get in touch if you would like our help.

Religious freedom Equality Thank you to all of those who took part in the EHRC religion and belief survey – over 2,000 of our supporters engaged with the survey which will make a huge difference. BBC News: Equality commission backs religious claims Daily Mail: At last, equality police decide Christians DO have right to follow beliefs Telegraph: Church of England bishops meet ministers over 'chilling' effect of equality laws Daily Mail: Church of England calls for legal right to wear a cross Inspire Magazine: EHRC makes landmark move for religion and belief rights Christian Today: Christians have a right to follow conscience, says equality body Other BBC Newcastle - Andrea Williams discusses the place of Christian faith in daily life LBC - Andrew Marsh talks about Christian faith and public life Christian Concern: Religious Discrimination Inquiry to be held Guardian: Christian MP sets up inquiry into religious discrimination Christian Concern: Cemetery director bans ‘God’ and ‘Jesus’ from military burials Life Site News: New York archbishop: ‘believers will soon be hauled into court’ for questioning gay ‘marriage’ Bellingham Herald: Illinois doesn't renew Catholic Charities' foster, adoption contracts Irish Independent: TD calls for end to daily Dail prayer Church Telegraph: Church of England faces being wiped out, report warns Telegraph: Ageing Church of England 'will be dead in 20 years' The Independent: Church of England faces extinction Abortion and Bioethics Guardian: I want to introduce more choice for those seeking abortion, not less Peter Saunders (blog): Inaccuracies, lack of transparency and overconfident conclusions in RC Psych review on abortion and mental health Peter Saunders (blog): Britain promotes media advertising for abortion whilst Russia attempts to curb it Peter Saunders (blog): Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is too high a price for a perfect baby Life Site News: Abortion ads on UK TV garner hundreds of complaints: Minister Life News: New FDA Report: Abortion Drug Kills 14 Women, Injures 2,200 Sexual Orientation Andrea’s blog: Marriage and faithfulness Daily Mail: 'There's no gay agenda': Coronation Street boss Phil Collinson defends amount of homosexual characters in soap Christian Post: The Intellectual Facade of the Case to Redefine Marriage Life Site News: New York clerk resigns over gay ‘marriage’: Gov. Cuomo responds, ‘The law is the law’ NY Times: Settled in Albany, Gay Marriage Draws Opposition NY Daily News: Mayor Bloomberg rewards GOP senators who backed gay marriage with $10K thank you Life Site News: Victory for Evangelical church over ‘hell-raising’ gay anarchist group Family and Social Daily Mail: 'Getting a divorce is easier than getting a driving licence,' says top judge The Scotsman: Explosion of sexually transmitted diseases as infection rate trebles Guardian: Parallel lives? Not in Church of England schools Daily Mail: The punch in the face that taught me giving pupils rights is turning schools into war zones Daily Mail: Rise of the violent 'Little Emperors': Children lashing out at parents to get own way Telegraph: 'Pastafarian' wins religious freedom right to wear pasta strainer for driving licence Science Daily: Talking About Faith Increases Hospital Patients' Overall Satisfaction, Study Finds Ruth Institute: Loved into Existence End of Life Telegraph: Society has forgotten 'art of dying', says bishop Life Site News: Bill to outlaw dehydration euthanasia passed by Italy’s lower house Peter Saunders (blog): Italy joins Bulgaria and France in blocking euthanasia legislation as new withdrawal of treatment case is about to be heard in Britain Peter Saunders (blog): More brief euthanasia updates from around the world – some good, some bad Islam Yorkshire Post: Britain declared main hub for Islamist terrorists across world Daily Express: Britain's soft justice for Islamic terrorists The Local: Muslims call for imams in the German military International Persecution Spero Forum: Iran: A convert from Islam, Iranian pastor risks the death penalty Christian Today: Execution still a possibility for Iranian pastor Christian Today: Iranian pastor’s death sentence still stands Mission Network News: New South could have repercussions for North Sudan Christians Events Andrew Marsh at ‘A Thousand Tongues’ – Tonbridge, Kent Date: Sunday, 17th July Location:Tonbridge Castle lawn, Tonbridge Castle, Castle Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1BG Time: 2.30pm – 4pm This will be an open-air worship event where Andrew Marsh will be speaking. UK Gospel Music Festival – London Date: Sunday, 24th July Location:Hyde Park Look out for the Christian Concern stand! See the event website here Andrea Williams at Keswick Wales – Llandrindod Wells, Powys Date: Tuesday, 26th July Location:The Pavilion, Spa Road, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5EY Time: 3pm Visit the event website here. More events >