World Press Freedom Day: We Must Continue To Report the Truth Without Fear

Enlighten the people, generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.
~ Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)



As we celebrate the World Press Freedom Day, let pause and observe a minute silence in honour of the three Nigerian journalists murdered‎ last month and other journalists, writers and human rights activists murdered in different parts of the world.

The gruesome murder of Deputy Editor Nathan Dabak, 36, and reporter Sunday Gyang Bwede of The Light Bearer and Edo Sole Ugbagwu the Judiciary reporter of The Nation newspaper did not cause any public uproar online or offline, most people were discussing the forthcoming FIFA World Cup coming up in South Africa and also betting on their favourite teams in the English Premiership. Only the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and some of their sympathizers came out to protest on the street.

Since the letter-bomb murder of the Founder and Editor of Newswatch Dele Giwa on October 19, 1986, other journalists have been assassinated and one of them Bayo Ohu of The Guardian newspaper was claimed to be a victim of armed robbers. But other journalists have received death threats and I was warned not to report a controversial case of billion dollar tax evasion by a multinational oil company operating in Nigeria. I reported the news with the facts and figures, because I am not afraid to tell the truth even if the truth condemns me as well.


My priority right now is to use the Internet for news and information that would be of great benefit to those who need the knowledge to improve their lives and appreciate the creations of God according to the Parables of the Sower and Talents by Jesus Christ who paid the supreme price on the cross for speaking the truth.

Millions of people continue to perish for lack of knowledge of the truth.

We must publish and report the truth to defend and promote justice and expose every injustice and vice.

Knowledge is power.

Those who have knowledge must share it with others in equity for the balance of power in the world so that no one would be at the mercy of another person, no matter their class, creed or race.


My mission is to report the truth and expose lies, to promote justice and expose injustice and to use the best resources to help as many people as God grants me the grace. And I am happy doing so.



~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

A Different Kind of Religious War

Happy Easter with Our Best Wishes from Nigerians Report.


2 Apr 2010 15:00 Africa/Lagos


A Different Kind of Religious War

WACO, Texas, April 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Who do you say that I am?" asked Jesus of his disciples. And the rest of humankind has been struggling to answer that question ever since.

Nowhere has answering this question been more divisive and more of a struggle than in resolving the tension between two seemingly rival claims: Jesus was both fully human and fully divine, and Jesus was only fully divine. This schism was central to Christianity during the Church Councils of the fifth century, when it seemed inevitable that the church would abandon its belief in the humanity of Jesus.

It also is a schism that led directly to the collapse of Roman power in the east, to the rise of Islam, to the destruction of Christianity throughout much of Asia and Africa, and to the strengthening of Christianity in Europe. The mainstream Christian church kept the belief that Jesus was fully human - but at the cost of losing half the world.

This battle to "keep" Jesus human is recounted in "Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 Years," written by Philip Jenkins and published this month by HarperOne. Jenkins, a religious historian with joint appointments at Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion and Penn State University, explores the violent and bloody controversy that erupted between the Western and Eastern churches. These battles, says Jenkins, had enormous impact on the future of Christianity and the world.

It was the Council of Chalcedon, near Istanbul in 451, that seemingly settled the matter, formulating the statement that eventually became the official theology of the Roman Empire. This acknowledged Christ in two natures, joined together in one person. This Chalcedonian definition stands today as the official view of Jesus for the vast majority of Christians.

"During the fifth century there were two sides, both of which thought Christ was God," Jenkins says. "What varied was the idea of how much humanity he held. The view that won and became orthodoxy was the view that Christ was both fully human and fully divine. The view that lost was the 'One Nature' view - the idea of Christ in which the human nature was wholly overwhelmed by divinity.

"But Chalcedon was not the only possible solution, nor was it an obvious or, perhaps, a logical one," Jenkins writes. "Only the political victory of Chalcedon's supporters allowed that council's ideas to become the inevitable lens through which later generations interpret the Christian message."

And, the "official victory of Chalcedon," as Jenkins terms it, came with a cost. Violence, bloodshed and death occurred, driven both by the quest for the "right belief" and the secular concept of honor prevailing at the time, which fostered vendettas and feuds. People of the fifth century had no qualms in justifying violence to support their view of the Christ they worshipped.

The struggles recounted in "Jesus Wars" remind us today that beliefs form and reappear throughout time - and must be engaged and confronted. While the violence prevalent then is abhorrent in today's world, the church must still explore new ideas - or risk extinction.

Writing in "Jesus Wars," Jenkins says, "...dialogue can itself be a positive thing, a way in which Christian thought develops its own self-understanding. A religion that is not constantly spawning alternatives and heresies has ceased to think and has achieved only the peace of the grave."

About Philip Jenkins

Dr. Philip Jenkins, one of the world's leading religion scholars, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion, a position he has held since 2009. He is also is the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Humanities at Pennsylvania State University, where he has taught since 1980. An historian by training, Jenkins' work has been lauded in many different disciplines including sociology, criminology, and religious studies. Jenkins earned his bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. in History from Cambridge University. He is the author of 24 books, more than 100 book reviews and approximately 100 book chapters and refereed articles.

Provided by Newswise, online resource for knowledge-based news at www.newswise.com

Media Contacts: Jill Scoggins, 254.710.1964, jill_scoggins@baylor.edu

Source: Baylor University

CONTACT: Jill Scoggins, +1-254-710-1964, jill_scoggins@baylor.edu

Web Site: http://www.baylor.edu/

1 Apr 2010
23:12	Lion Energy grants incentive stock options
20:39	The African Union deploys an Election Observer Mission to Sudan
18:11	ICC: Judges Approve Kenyan Investigation / Witness Protection Key Challenge in Investigation

Audio Bibles Reaching Oral Cultures

15 May 2009 12:04 Africa/Lagos



Audio Bibles Reaching Oral Cultures

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Faith Comes By Hearing, the world's foremost Audio Bible ministry, recently released Audio Bibles in eight more languages.

-- French (Parole de Vie) -- Canada
-- Romane Vlax -- Chile
-- Kikongo -- Democratic Republic of the Congo
-- Kiswahili, Congo -- Democratic Republic of the Congo
-- Kituba -- Democratic Republic of the Congo
-- Mumuye -- Nigeria
-- Konkani -- India

-- Madurese -- Indonesia


These new Audio Bibles represent more than 32 million people on five continents.

Research shows that half of the world's people can't read. So, of the people who speak these languages, that means about 16 million are completely cut off from the written Word.

Audio Bibles for Oral Cultures

"Most of the world's people live in oral cultures," said Morgan Jackson, Faith Comes By Hearing's international director. "They learn about their history and transmit their values through songs, chants, stories and drama."

"But when they listen to the Bible, oral people don't separate themselves from the stories. As they listen they are drawn in and find themselves, in their minds, walking alongside Jesus."

"When the Kabiye people of Togo heard the Word of God in their language for the first time, their reaction was 'God speaks our language. We don't need a translator to talk to God. God can address us directly.' And, for so many around the world, they've been told and taught that God doesn't understand their prayers," Jackson said.

Faith Comes By Hearing is working with other Bible-related ministries to bring the Word of God to every nation, tribe and tongue.

With each month, Faith Comes By Hearing comes closer to their goal of recording the New Testament in 2,000 languages by the year 2016. When accomplished, the Audio Bibles in those languages will reach more than 90% of the world's speakers.

Faith Comes By Hearing now has 432 Audio Scripture recordings available in 366 languages. Nearly 400 of these Audio Bibles are available for free download at www.FaithComesByHearing.com.

Source: Faith Comes By Hearing

CONTACT: Jon Wilke of Faith Comes By Hearing, +1-505-881-3321,
jon@faithcomesbyhearing.com

Web Site: http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/

Pope Benedict Calls Homosexual Behavior a Violation

~ By Adeleke Adeyemi


Pope Bebedict XVI

Pope Bebedict XVI spoke out recently against homosexual behavior, calling it a violation of the natural order. In an address to the Vatican hierarchy, the pope called for an "ecology of man" to protect man from "the destruction of himself."

He added, "The rain forests deserve our protection, but man as a creature indeed deserves no less." The Vatican, in keeping with Bible teaching, opposes same-sex marriage and considers homosexual acts sinful.

Pope Benedict said saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction.

The Church "should also protect man from the destruction of himself. A sort of ecology of man is needed," the pontiff said in a holiday address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration.
"The tropical forests do deserve our protection. But man, as a creature, does not deserve any less."

The Catholic Church teaches that while homosexuality is not sinful, homosexual acts are. It opposes "gay marriage". In October, a leading Vatican official called homosexuality "a deviation [that needs straightening out], an irregularity, a wound [that needs healing]."

The pope said humanity needed to "listen to the language of creation" to understand the intended roles of man and woman. He compared behavior beyond traditional heterosexual relations as "a destruction of God's work."
"The Church is contrary to legislation that criminalises homosexuality," Holy See (Vatican) spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said as debate raged over the Vatican statement.

Fr Lombardi said the Catholic Church is clearly against considering homosexuality a crime, but is wary of international declarations that use the issue to promote a political agenda based on sexual orientation.

In early December, Vatican nuncio to the United Nations, Archbishop Celestino Migliore drew criticism from "gay" rights groups when he said the Vatican opposed a proposed UN declaration to endorse the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality.
Archbishop Migliore said such a declaration might be used to put pressure on or discriminate against countries that do not recognise same-sex marriage.
Fr Lombardi, in his latest comments to reporters, said the Vatican was not conducting a battle against the United Nations or weakening its opposition to discrimination against homosexuals, which is clearly stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

"There is no question that the Church is contrary to legislation that criminalises homosexuality," Fr Lombardi said.
The Church's position stems from its respect for the rights and dignity of every person and explicitly excludes "any unjust discrimination on the basis of homosexuality," he said.

He noted that Archbishop Migliore's comments were made in response to a question about a draft declaration that had yet to be presented at the United Nations or in any public forum.

He said Archbishop Migliore's point was that it's one thing to argue against discrimination and criminalisation regarding homosexuality, but another to contend that anyone who makes a distinction based on sexual orientation is considered an adversary of human rights.

Specifically, Archbishop Migliore expressed the fear that the draft declaration could lead to a situation in which "states that do not recognise same sex unions as 'marriage' will be pilloried and put under pressure" to do so.

Good News From Nigeria!

I am 100% determined to spread the good news of this book Scientists Discover Hell: As Astronauts Find Heaven from my country Nigeria, because I am happy that such a great revelation is coming out where the rest of the world only expects 419 Yahoo-Yahoo Internet Scammers and shamelessly corrupt politicians,

I bought four copies of this book at $25 each and sent the four copies to the following people.

1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Prof. Francis Collins
3. Ariana Huffington and
4. Pastor Sunday Adelaja.

I have also succeeded in getting the publisher/distributor to reduce the price of the paperback from $25 to $16 only. But the new price is only available on their own website until next week when it will be effective on Amazon.com.
I am going to buy and send 20 more copies to other people.

The book chronicles the true life testimonies of people who were brought back to life by Jesus Christ in present Day Nigeria, a Russian woman who actually saw hell, an American pastor's experience of heaven and the scientific reports of scientists and astronauts who discovered the existence of hell, heaven and angels.

About the author:
The Guild Of Researchers International is an intelligentsia of scholars committed to theology and public enlightenment through both spiritual and scientific research.

Scientists Discover Hell: As Astronauts Find Heaven
Edited By Olisaemeka A.G.

About the Book:

This and other publications are in fulfillment of a mandate and in satisfaction of the curiosity to conduct, as much as possible, comprehensive and incisive research works on various topical issues that are of global consequences to the entire human race. The facts are presented the way they are and the researchers have no bias or religious inclination in their presentation as the researchers have different background and the facts adduced hereto are as verifiable as they are purely scientific, historical, contemporary and testimonial in their extent, intent content and impact. Proper citations and sufficient acknowledgments are made of the various sources of facts referred to in this work as required in any academic research.

Publication Date: Sep 27 2008
ISBN/EAN13: 1440429995 / 9781440429996
Page Count: 400
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 8" x 10"
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Related Categories: Religion / Religion & Science

List Price: $16.00
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