Shortstuff

In 1994, 48% of Canadian employees (6.2 million individuals) used a computer in their jobs, according to University of Alberta sociologist Graham Lowe.

David Grossman is the founder of a new field of study called "killology". His findings are found in his book, On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society. According to research, only 15-20% of combat infantry soldiers were willing to fire their rifles in World War II. Grossman writes: "The vast majority of combatants throughout history . . . have found themselves to be conscientious objectors." By conditioning soldiers to kill, firing rates increased to about 50% in Korea and more than 90% in Vietnam. Grossman argues that this conditioning has infiltrated civilian society in the form of violent video games and violent movies.
Mennonite Weekly Review

Breaking with established practice, police allowed 300 men and women to pray together at Jerusalem's Western Wall May 30. Ultra-Orthodox Jews protested by throwing garbage at the worshippers. Members of the more liberal Reform and Conservative branches of Judaism participated in the mixed service.
Evangelical Press News Service

Dan Quayle was right, according to Candice Bergen, star of the long-running CBS comedy "Murphy Brown". When in 1992, Quayle criticized her TV character for having a baby out of wedlock, it was "the right theme to hammer home". Bergen said her family has always come first, and acknowledge that she disapproved of the way her character handled the responsibilities of motherhood.
Evangelical Press News Service

A new human rights bills under consideration in Britain could result in Christian charities being taken to court for hiring only Christian employees. The bill has been amended to secure the rights of churches and church schools to maintain Christians-only employment policies, but it does not define "religious organization", leading to fears that some Christain charities won't be covered.
Evangelical Press News Service

Aramaic, the language spoken during the time of Abraham and Jesus, is in danger of dying out. The Nish Didan, a group of 14,000 people with roots in northern Iran are still using the language. They are recording music with Aramaic lyrics as part of a mission to save the language.
Evangelical Press News Service

More than a ton of pornographic magazines seized by Philippine customs officials were shredded in mid-May and will be recycled for use in printing Bibles. A local recycling company offered to shred and recycle the magazines for free. The resulting paper will be donated to religious groups.
Evangelical Press News Service

A secular listener's poll indicated that Encuentro is the fifth most popular radio program in Mexico. In Honduras, Encuentro is aired on 43 of the 47 radio stations in the country.
ChristianWeek

The Fourth Edition of Canadian Christian Music Resource Directory is now available from Chazm Enterprises, PO Box 881, Portage la Prairie, Man. R1N 3C3; e-mail: cmb@xc.org. The Directory lists Canadian artists, booking agencies, radios that play Christian music, recording studies and publications that review music.

A new trendy teen subculture called Straight Edge is seducing young people. It promotes no alcohol, no drugs, no smoking, no sex. It prides itself on promoting a healthy, positive lifestyle and consists mostly of young, middle-class Anglos who consider themselves courageous soldiers in a battle against a world full of apathy and addiction. However, all the positivity of this movement is undermined by instances of violent anarchy, often regarded as a necessary means by which to rebel against a corrupt and polluted society. Arson, vandalism and assault result. Equally disturbing is the movement's foundational philosophy that "bettering oneself" demands a complete avoidance of all physical and mental dependency. For some teens, that may include disconnecting from friends, family or even God. The result is no accountability.
Plugged In

Every day, 40 new pornographic Websites join the approximately 72,000 already on the Internet.
Plugged In.

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