Greece: Church fears a debt-burdened 'Dictatorship'
The Greek Orthodox Church in Great Britain has spoken of its concerns for Greece as the country struggles to free itself from a crippling debt crisis. Capital city Athens was rocked by violent protests on Wednesday as Greek riot police took on hundreds of protesters angry over the government’s austerity measures. After power-sharing talks collapsed yesterday, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced he would form a new government and seek a parliamentary vote of confidence in a renewed effort to push through the unpopular austerity package. Charis Mettis, spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, said he was ‘very worried’ about Greece. ‘It is a very serious situation,’ he told Christian Today. ‘We hope that Greece won’t be landed with a dictatorship. Something similar happened in 1967, when politicians could not agree and the army moved in. We hope that won’t happen this time.’
Pray: for the people of Greece as they face such difficult situations. (Dt.17:8)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.fears.dictatorship.in.debtburdened.greece/28160.htm
Greece: Church fears a debt-burdened 'Dictatorship'
The Greek Orthodox Church in Great Britain has spoken of its concerns for Greece as the country struggles to free itself from a crippling debt crisis. Capital city Athens was rocked by violent protests on Wednesday as Greek riot police took on hundreds of protesters angry over the government’s austerity measures. After power-sharing talks collapsed yesterday, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced he would form a new government and seek a parliamentary vote of confidence in a renewed effort to push through the unpopular austerity package. Charis Mettis, spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, said he was ‘very worried’ about Greece. ‘It is a very serious situation,’ he told Christian Today. ‘We hope that Greece won’t be landed with a dictatorship. Something similar happened in 1967, when politicians could not agree and the army moved in. We hope that won’t happen this time.’
Pray: for the people of Greece as they face such difficult situations. (Dt.17:8)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.fears.dictatorship.in.debtburdened.greece/28160.htm
Hungary: Draft religion law constitutes oppression
On 10 June four Christian Democrat members of the Parliament submitted a proposed draft law regarding ‘The Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Status of Churches, Religions and Religious Communities’. On 14 June 2011, only four days after the Bill was introduced in Parliament, the Committee on Human Rights, Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs approved the proposed religious legislation and voted to send the draft law to the Parliamentary Assembly for discussion and passage. Passage of this legislation would represent a serious setback for religious freedom in Hungary. The legislation contravenes the standards of OSCE, European Union, Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights and United Nations because it clearly discriminates against minority religious groups and would create the most oppressive religion law and the most burdensome registration system in the entire region. It is completely inconsistent with fundamental human rights. Pray: that any changes in Hungary’s law would not violate the right to religious freedom. (Ex.22:28) More: http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6921&Itemid=327
Hungary: Draft religion law constitutes oppression
On 10 June four Christian Democrat members of the Parliament submitted a proposed draft law regarding ‘The Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Status of Churches, Religions and Religious Communities’. On 14 June 2011, only four days after the Bill was introduced in Parliament, the Committee on Human Rights, Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs approved the proposed religious legislation and voted to send the draft law to the Parliamentary Assembly for discussion and passage. Passage of this legislation would represent a serious setback for religious freedom in Hungary. The legislation contravenes the standards of OSCE, European Union, Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights and United Nations because it clearly discriminates against minority religious groups and would create the most oppressive religion law and the most burdensome registration system in the entire region. It is completely inconsistent with fundamental human rights. Pray: that any changes in Hungary’s law would not violate the right to religious freedom. (Ex.22:28) More: http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6921&Itemid=327
