Key Quotes for 2004

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Last update: Wednesday 25th March




The Archbishops Council Communications Unit, criticised the emphasis placed by BBC news reports on 46 per cent of those polled in the UK saying they had always believed in God, but ignoring the figure of 67 per cent who said they believed in God or a higher power. The BBC has misrepresented the faith communities in the UK by suggesting that less than half the country believe. This is based on only 46 per cent of UK respondents answering yes to a question that specifically asked if they had always believed in God: a highly spurious way of defining current belief. Any committed Christian would recognise that many who hold a strong faith today may well have come to faith late in life, or lived through periods where they lost their belief. No-one could seriously argue that such people are any less believers than those who have believed for as long as they can remember.
Religion/Spirituality	Christian Herald - 6th March 2004



Alessandro Gama, Co-ordinator of Brazil's National Movement of Street Children, says that: Four to five adolescents are murdered daily. Every 12 minutes a child is beaten. 4.5 million children under 12 are working; and 500,000 children are engaged in domestic labour. In 40 per cent of crimes children are the victims. The massive proliferation of small arms is a central cause. It is easier for a child to get a gun than to get a bus pass. Today, Brazil ranks after the USA as the second biggest consumer of cocaine. In Rio's 680 favelas - where about 25 per cent of the city's 12 million people live - this has led to the emergence of no-go areas controlled by rival gangs who organise and arm the children.
Young People	Christian Herald - 6th March 2004



The BBC poll and follow up programmes on religious observance in the UK seems to be part of a pattern, now greeted with a weary shrug by the public. The national Census of 2001 rather shocked our ruling bureaucracy by revealing that 71.75 per cent of the population of Britain claimed to be Christian, with Muslim the next largest religio-culture grouping, comprising 2.9 per cent.
Religion/Spirituality	The Church of England Newspaper - March 4th 2004



Some facts on Africa's Third World debt: Today, Africa's external debt stands at a staggering $333 billion. African nations pay £1.51 in debt service for every $1 received in aid. African nations have paid their debt three times over in the past ten years alone, yet they are three times as indebted as they were ten years ago. African countries are paying more on debt service than on health care for their people, regardless of debt relief- the average spending per person on debt service is £14 per person, while the average spending on health is less than $5 per person. External debt per capita for sub-Saharan Africa - not including South Africa - is $365, while GNP per capita is just $308. If governments invested in human developments rather than debt payments, an estimated three million children would live beyond their fifth birthday and a million cases of malnutrition would be avoided.
Money	Scottis Catholic Observer - 5th March 2004



In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 40 per cent of the country's revenues are used to service its debts to rich Western creditors even though these resources are badly needed for health, education and restructuring. Only by cancelling the debt can the country start a journey towards recovery. Currently the British Government gives just over 0.3 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in aid. It has pledged to increase that figure to 0.7 per cent. SCIAF is calling for a timetable to be set for this change.
Money	Scottish Catholic Observer - 5th March 2004



80 per cent of the 8 million inhabitants of Haiti (the poorest country in the western hemisphere) live well below the poverty line. There are only just over 20,000 jobs for the city's 3 million inhabitants. 40,000 people in Haiti officially have AIDS.
Social Issues	WorldShare magazine Window - Spring 2004



In the 27,000 villages of the Philippines, around 60 per cent of the population live in rural areas of the 700 inhabited islands.
Odd Facts	WorldShare magazine Window - Spring 2004



The Passion of the Christ topped the American box office on its opening weekend. The movie grossed over $117 million (£63m) in ticket sales, making it the second biggest five-day opening weekend of all time.
Entertainment	Christian Herald - 13th March 2004



A survey of 150 shoppers in Swansea and Cardiff, carried out by Tearfund in Wales, found that 78 per cent are willing to pay extra for clothing that is fairly traded. Only 29 per cent of those surveyed had bought fairly traded clothes before, but 84 per cent stated that they would buy fairly traded clothing ranges if they were available in their favourite high street stores.
Shopping	Christian Herald - 13th March 2004



60 per cent of the population of Rwanda is under the age of 25. Vocations to the Church are on the rise with some 180 seminarians preparing to enter into the priesthood.
Church	Scottish Catholic Observer - 12th March 2004



A study by the University of Cardiff recently showed that 70 per cent of the population rely on radio and television for the news.
Entertainment	The House Magazine - 10th November 2003



300 people attended the London Tavern on March 7th, 1804, for the inaugural meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Religion/Spirituality	The Church of England Newspaper - 11th March 2004



70 per cent of today's churchgoing Christians made their commitment before the age of 18.
Church	The Church of England Newspaper - 11th March 2004



Statistics from the 2001 census show that 73.5 per cent of people in the Diocese of Portsmouth described themselves as Christian - more than the 71.6 per cent who do nationwide.
Religion/Spirituality	Pompey Chimes - February 2004



Although the evangelical community in Spain is small, numbering just under 100,000 people- 0.4 per cent of the population - the number of believers in Madrid is significant, with around 200 evangelical congregations in the city.
Church	Christian Herald - 20th March 2004

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