Pagan wins 'family life' human rights case
An American woman who claims to worship Norse gods has won the right to stay in Britain because of her ‘family life’ with her boyfriend and his wife. The Home Office refused Emily DiSanto, permission to stay in Britain because the law bans polygamous relationships. But now she has won an extraordinary legal case in which she is allowed to remain on the basis
of her human right to family life. Emily now shares Alan and Anne-Marie Caulfield’s marital home in south-east London with his two children – one by each of the women. The case is the latest example of how human rights laws are being used to overturn the decisions of ministers in immigration cases in what critics say are dubious circumstances. This decision also shows the definition of family life is now widening far beyond the conventional couple with children and has implications for immigrants who believe in polygamy, which is still practised in parts of the Muslim world and – illegally – by breakaway Mormons in the USA.
Pray: for God’s hand on the lives of these people and also for the courts to recognise the primacy of monogamous marriage in our society. (2Sa.22:31)
Hungary: Battle for legal recognition of churches
In June, Prayer Alert reported on a draft religion law that constituted oppression because it discriminated against minority religious groups and would create an oppressive religion law inconsistent with fundamental human rights. See Prayer Alert 25-2011. This week Hungary's Constitutional Court has annulled the new law that would have withdrawn legal recognition from all but a handful of the country's registered religious associations. Praise God! However, a church commentator warned that the ruling was ‘just a technical delay,’ and predicted the law would still be enforced from the start of 2012.
Pray: that any changes in Hungary’s law would not violate the right to religious freedom. (Ex.22:28)
Hungary: Battle for legal recognition of churches
In June, Prayer Alert reported on a draft religion law that constituted oppression because it discriminated against minority religious groups and would create an oppressive religion law inconsistent with fundamental human rights. See Prayer Alert 25-2011. This week Hungary's Constitutional Court has annulled the new law that would have withdrawn legal recognition from all but a handful of the country's registered religious associations. Praise God! However, a church commentator warned that the ruling was ‘just a technical delay,’ and predicted the law would still be enforced from the start of 2012.
Pray: that any changes in Hungary’s law would not violate the right to religious freedom. (Ex.22:28)
Spain: Soaring sales of morning-after pill
Use of the abortifacient morning-after pill in Spain has risen by 83% in 2010, the first full year of over-the-counter availability of the dangerous drug, according to a report by ANSAmed news service. The Spanish Ministry for Health approved the sale of the morning-after pill without a doctor’s prescription, and with no age restriction, in September 2009, citing a need for emergency contraception and to reduce unwanted pregnancies. ‘It is an emergency method of contraception, not to be used except in emergencies,’ said Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez in a press release at the time. ‘We don’t want it to become another means of contraception.’ However, mounting evidence has shown that the drug is both ineffective for its stated purpose of reducing unintended pregnancies, and is being abused the world over as a common method of contraception. A contraception and abortion pushing organization, RH Reality Check, admitted that the morning-after pill, ‘is not as effective in reducing unwanted pregnancy rates as we once hoped.’
Pray: for availability of the morning-after pill to be re-considered in light of these statistics.
