c. 1998 Religion News Service

New anti-missionary bill gains initial approval in Israel

(RNS) Another bill designed to limit Christian missionary activities in Israel has received preliminary approval in that nation’s parliament. But like past attempts, the bill is given little chance of becoming law even though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among those who voted for the measure.

The new bill proposes a three-year jail term and a fine of up to $13,000 for”verbally witnessing about Jesus,”according to Baptist Press, the news agency of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Baptist Press quoted unnamed”U.S. diplomatic sources”as saying Netanyahu’s preliminary support for the measure was”a political exercise”aimed at pleasing Orthodox Jewish supporters who back curbs on Christian proselytizing in Israel.

The bill must pass at least two additional readings in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

Netanyahu has previously promised evangelical Christian leaders both in and outside Israel that he would not give final approval to any bill that limits Christian activities. However, he has also indicated his opposition to overt proselytizing.

In April, an earlier bill that would have restricted missionary work lost the support of one of its key sponsors after a coalition of Roman Catholic and mainline Protestant groups in Israel pledged to refrain from activities that might induce Jews to convert to Christianity.

However, some evangelical Protestant and Messianic Jewish groups refrained from agreeing to that statement.

Israeli law already makes it illegal to induce conversion by offering material gains.

New TV network geared to families

(RNS) A new television network is scheduled to debut in September with family-oriented programming that excludes gratuitous sex and violence.

Pax NET is the creation of Lowell Paxson, a committed Christian who owns 78 TV stations. Paxson made his mark by launching the Home Shopping Network in the 1980s.

Pax NET, Paxson told the Washington Post, will feature”programming that any member of the family can watch without being offended. Our promise is no gratuitous sex, no violence, no obscene language.” Paxson also said that his faith led him to his latest venture. “I think the Lord has played a wonderful part in the creation of this network,”he said.”I saw his hand in the numerous events that took place in this business venture, as it relates to amassing the television stations … so when it came to programming, (I thought), how could I put on programming he might not like to see?” Pax NET will feature reruns and original programming. Some of the popular series to be rebroadcast on Pax NET include”Touched by an Angel,””Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,””Dave’s World,””Diagnosis Murder,””Christy,”and”Father Dowling Mysteries.” Original programming will include a new version of”Flipper,”a behind-the-scenes look at Disney theme parks, an hour-long drama”Little Men,”based on the Louisa May Alcott novel, and a”Good Morning America”-style show named”Great Day America.” Paxson has hired Jess Sagansky, a former president of CBS and co-president of Sony Pictures Entertainment, to be president of the new network. At a recent presentation to potential advertisers in New York, Sagansky showed up with a set of angel wings strapped to his back as gospel singers performed”We Are Family.”

Belarus moves to restrict religious expression

(RNS) Belarus has become the latest former Soviet republic to propose legislation that would tighten government oversight of religious expression.

The Belarus State Committee on Religious and National Affairs has reportedly drawn up the new legislation and is circulating it for comment, according to Keston News Service, which monitors religious freedom in former Communist nations.

As in Russia, where a new law regulating religion was passed last year, the Orthodox Church is a prime backer of the measure as a means of limiting competition from faith groups, many of them American, who have flocked to the former Soviet Union since the end of tight Communist controls in search of converts.

The proposed law will amend or replace a 1992 law. Details of the new proposal are largely unknown because the religious and national affairs committee declined to make a copy available.

However, Keston reported that a committee official said the proposed law does not name a state religion. Nor does it call any faith group a”traditional”Belarus religion, as the Russian law labels Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism.

The official said a final draft of the law would not be presented to the Belarus parliament until the end of the year”at the earliest.” In addition to Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbijan and Armenia are other former Soviet republics that have amended laws on religious expression to make them more restrictive. Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and the break-away republic of Nagorno-Karabakh have also taken initial steps to amend or institute new laws concerning religious expression.

Vatican releases pope’s schedule for 2000

(RNS) While it still may be a tad early for most people, Pope John Paul II already has released his schedule for the entire year 2000.

John Paul, who so far has made 82 foreign trips during his pontificate, plans to spend most of 2000 blessing the hordes of pilgrims expected to descend on Rome to mark Christianity’s third millennium, the Associated Press reported Wednesday (May 27).

The only possible change to the schedule _ which runs from Dec. 24, 1999, to Jan. 6, 2001 _ would be a trip to the Holy Land, the Vatican said. The pope, who will turn 80 in 2000, has repeatedly expressed interest in visiting the region. However, the politics and complexity of making such a trip has prevented him from going so far.

Some 20 million people _ triple the usual number _ are expected to visit Rome during 2000 and the Vatican has scheduled major events throughout the year hoping to spread the number of visitors over the entire period.

The Vatican has set aside special days to honor scientists, police, farmers, refugees, entertainers, prisoners, health workers and journalists, among others.

World Youth Day, one of the biggest events of the year, is scheduled for August. Similar events have attracted more than 1 million youths.

Quote of the day: Rabbi David Wolpe

(RNS)”Both the philosopher and the rabbi point out that one cannot always feel one’s way into another’s soul. We can but trust, and help.” _ Rabbi David Wolpe, spiritual leader of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, writing in the May 22 edition of the New York Jewish Week newspaper.

IR END RNS