SPUC is not a religious organization but many of our supporters are religious.
One of them, Liam Gibson, is SPUC’s development officer in Northern Ireland. He has published and distributed widely in Northern Ireland a paper entitled “Prayer and Fasting to prevent the extension of the Abortion Act [to Northern Ireland]” which calls for a 40-day fast from Wednesday, 20th August, until Saturday, 4th October (excluding Sundays).
In his paper he points out biblical examples of prayer and fasting and to Jewish tradition which “associates fasting with mourning for terrible events; wars, disasters, the destruction of the Temple, the Holocaust, or the death of loved ones”.
On a personal note, I think it is entirely appropriate for a UK-based human rights organization, like SPUC, to promote prayer in defence of human life and in the face of the potential catastrophe of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill completing its passage through Parliament. After all, both Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom begin their proceedings every day with prayer.
Moreover, on 6th June, 1944, at a time of national peril, King George VI called his people “to prayer and dedication” for the D-day allied forces landing in Normandy.
This is a time of national peril. MPs are proposing to impose the 1967 Abortion Act on Northern Ireland and to extend enormously the killing of unborn children under that law through various amendments at report stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill in early October.
You may like to look at Liam’s paper and to consider joining in some modest way in the 40 days of prayer and fasting.
You may also like to join in a world day of prayer and fasting tomorrow, on which I have previously blogged.
One of them, Liam Gibson, is SPUC’s development officer in Northern Ireland. He has published and distributed widely in Northern Ireland a paper entitled “Prayer and Fasting to prevent the extension of the Abortion Act [to Northern Ireland]” which calls for a 40-day fast from Wednesday, 20th August, until Saturday, 4th October (excluding Sundays).
In his paper he points out biblical examples of prayer and fasting and to Jewish tradition which “associates fasting with mourning for terrible events; wars, disasters, the destruction of the Temple, the Holocaust, or the death of loved ones”.
On a personal note, I think it is entirely appropriate for a UK-based human rights organization, like SPUC, to promote prayer in defence of human life and in the face of the potential catastrophe of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill completing its passage through Parliament. After all, both Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom begin their proceedings every day with prayer.
Moreover, on 6th June, 1944, at a time of national peril, King George VI called his people “to prayer and dedication” for the D-day allied forces landing in Normandy.
This is a time of national peril. MPs are proposing to impose the 1967 Abortion Act on Northern Ireland and to extend enormously the killing of unborn children under that law through various amendments at report stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill in early October.
You may like to look at Liam’s paper and to consider joining in some modest way in the 40 days of prayer and fasting.
You may also like to join in a world day of prayer and fasting tomorrow, on which I have previously blogged.
