The following is another installment of the Friday Church News Notes:

U.S. CONGRESS CALLS FOR NATIONAL DAY OF RECONCILIATION. Friday Church News Notes, November 23, 2001 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) The United States Congress has passed a bill to recognize a National Day of Reconciliation, to be observed on Tuesday, December 4, 2001. On that day, both Houses of Congress will assemble in the Hall of the House of Representatives to "humbly seek the blessings of Providence for forgiveness, reconciliation, unity, and charity for all people of the United States, thereby assisting the Nation to realize its potential as the champion of hope, the vindicator of the defenseless, and the guardian of freedom."

POPE CALLS FOR ANOTHER WORLD RELIGION PEACE SUMMIT. Friday Church News Notes, November 23, 2001 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) Pope John Paul II is calling for a second peace summit of world religious leaders to be held in January in Assisi, Italy. Announcing the summit on Sunday, Nov. 18, the pope said, "At this historic moment, humanity needs to see gestures of peace and listen to words of hope." He wants to "help overcome contrasts and promote authentic peace." The previous papal-led peace summit of world religions was held 15 years ago on October 26, 1986. The participants then included "Christian" leaders representing 32 denominations, plus leaders from eleven non-Christian religions -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, African and North American animists (who worship spirits and nature), Japanese Shinto's, fire-worshipping Zoroastrians, and Baha'i. The "Christian" leaders who attended the peace summit in 1986 represented many ecumenical organizations, including Roman Catholic, the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of YMCAs, Quakers, Mennonite, Reformed Ecumenical Synod, Baptist World Alliance, Disciples of Christ, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Anglican, and Orthodox.

CATHOLICS APPROVE OF MUSLIMS AND MORMONS ABOVE FUNDAMENTALISTS. Friday Church News Notes, November 23, 2001 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) A nationwide Zogby poll of Roman Catholics in the United States found that they have a more favorable opinion of Muslims, Mormons, Buddhists, and Hindus, than they do of Fundamentalists (USA Today, Nov. 15). Fifty-eight percent of the Catholics surveyed agreed that "fundamentalist Christians tend to be religious fanatics." Thirty-two percent of the Catholics surveyed did not agree that abortion is morally wrong; 39% did not agree that homosexual behavior is wrong; 54% said priests should be allowed to marry; and 53% said women should be ordained as priests.

AMERICANS VIEW ISLAM MORE FAVORABLY SINCE THE TERRORIST ATTACKS. Friday Church News Notes, November 23, 2001 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) Pollster John Zogby recently observed, "Everyone from the president of the United States to the mayor of New York made the case in a very public way that this is not a war against Islam, and I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE A HEIGHTENED FAVORABILITY TOWARD ISLAM BECAUSE OF [the terrorist acts of September 11]" (USA Today, Nov. 15). This is strange. It is Muslims who have carried out the many vicious attacks upon America and American interests overseas during the last several years. The attacks were not carried out by Buddhists or Hindus or Sikhs. Most terrorists in the world today are Muslims. We know that not all Muslims are terrorists; but we also know that there are multitudes of Muslims who are of the violent, extremely radical nature; and they find this radicalism in the Koran and in the life and history of the founder of their religion. The vicious element of Islam is not limited to a few extremists. The most prominent Muslim leader in India refused to condemn bin Laden and the Taliban and said that the attack upon America was justified. There are literally millions of Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, the Sudan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan -- yea, even in Britain and America -- who at the very least sympathize with the terrorists; and multitudes of them wholeheartedly support and applaud them. We understand why President Bush is attempting to limit the war on terrorism; but at the same time it is wrong and blind to say there is not a problem with the Muslim religion itself.

CHRISTIAN LEADERS PRAISE HARRY POTTER. Friday Church News Notes, November 23, 2001 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) The following is excerpted from an excellent report entitled "The Wicked World of Harry Potter," available from Vernon Baptist Church, Pastor Glen Spencer, Jr., SR2 2002 E, Punkhannock, Pennsylvania 18657. 570-333-4263 (voice), VernonBaptist@prodigy.net (e-mail) -- Recently the popular and new evangelical radio commentator, Chuck Colson, in his Breakpoint broadcast, praised Potter and his friends for their "courage, loyalty, and a willingness to sacrifice for one another-even at the risk of their lives." Colson went on to brush Potter's satanic practices off as "purely mechanical, as opposed to occultic." Colson continued, "That is, Harry and his friends cast spells, read crystal balls, and turn themselves into animals--but they don't make contact with a supernatural world." Roy Maynard, author for highly circulated World Magazine praised Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as: "a delight-with a surprising bit of depth ... Rowling ... keeps it safe, inoffensive, and non-occult. This is the realm of Gandalf and the Wizard of Id, not witchcraft. There is a fairy-tale order to it all in which, as Chesterton and Tolkien pointed out, magic must have rules, and good does not--cannot--mix with bad." Wheaton College professor Alan Jacobs said that Harry Potter promotes "a kind of spiritual warfare.... A struggle between good and evil.... There is in books like this the possibility for serious moral reflection ... the question of what to do with magic powers is explored in an appropriate and morally serious way." The popular Christianity Today magazine published the following comment: "We think you should read the Harry Potter books to our kids. The literary witchcraft of the series has almost no resemblance to the I-am-God mumbo jumbo of Wiccan circles. Author Rowling has created a world with real good and evil, and Harry is definitely on the side of light fighting the 'dark powers'... Among the laugh-out-loud scenes are wonderful examples of compassion, loyalty, courage, friendship and self-sacrifice." Earlier James Dobson's Focus on the Family made the following comment: "Harry Potter is a standard tale of good vs. evil, and good always wins in the end. Harry, the hero, often triumphs because of his upright character and pure motives. Unconditional love and courage are held as ideals of great importance. By following Harry and his best friend Ron, the reader gets a glimpse of true loyalty and friendship, as well as self-sacrifice."

CHILDREN INFLUENCED BY HARRY POTTER. Friday Church News Notes, November 23, 2001 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) The Harry Potter books, the boy hero of which uses occultic powers, have sold 200 million copies in 40 languages and are thus influencing the minds and hearts of multitudes of young people throughout the world. The fourth book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," broke all industry records by selling nearly 3 million copies in its first week alone. The new Harry Potter movie is already one of the highest grossing films in movie history, having grossed $93.5 million in its first two days alone; and sales of the books have doubled or tripled since the release of the movie. The following is excepted from a new Jeremiah Films video titled "Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged: Making Evil Look Innocent." http://www.chick.com/catalog -- "What are kids saying about Harry Potter? Here are some samples: 'I want to go to wizard school and learn magic. I'd like to learn to use a wand to cast spells' (Dylan, age 10). 'If I could go to wizard school, I might be able to do spells and potions and fly a broomstick' (Mara, age 12). 'It would be great to be a wizard because you could control situations and things like teachers' (Jeffrey, age 11). 'I'd like to go to wizard school and learn magic and put spells on people. I'd make up an ugly spell and then it's pay-back time' (Catherine, age 9). 'I feel like I'm inside Harry's world. If I went to wizard school I'd study everything: spells, counterspells, and defense against the dark arts' (Carolyn, age 10). 'I liked it when the bad guys killed the unicorn and Voldemort drank its blood' (Julie, age 13)."

ECUMENICAL LEADERS SEEKING FELLOWSHIP WITH ISLAM. Friday Church News Notes, November 23, 2001 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org) Ecumenical leaders in many parts of the world are using the occasion of Ramadan to seek closer ties with Muslims. In a letter to Muslim leaders, Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, called upon Christians and Muslims to rediscover the "spiritual bonds" that should unite them. He said he and his fellow World Council members reject "the tendency to perceive Muslims as a threat and to portray Islam in negative terms." He called for cooperation and dialogue between Christians and Muslims. The French Protestant Federation called for Christians and Muslims to come "together in mutual respect." The Council of Churches in the Netherlands has published a greeting to Muslims each year at Ramadan since the early 1990s. The month-long Ramadan festival marks the occasion when the Koran was allegedly revealed to Mohammed in the seventh century. During this time, Muslims are expected to fast and abstain from drinking, smoking, and sexual relations during daylight hours.