NEXT, THE NEWS:
'MAGIC' CO-LIVING TARGETS LONELINESS
from: LinkedIn
(10 Jan.) Two co-living communities set to break ground later this year in Colorado hope to tackle social isolation by bridging multigenerational, inclusive co-living with caretaking for older adults and people with disabilities. The geriatrician who pioneered MAGIC – short for "Multi-Ability and -Generational, Independent Communities," per The Wall Street Journal – says it's time to rethink how we live and care for each other instead of segregating elders and the disabled. A similar community is slated for rural Pennsylvania, and there are hopes for more nationwide.
See the WSJ link in the LinkedIn article for more details. Another article on this concept is How to Function In a Multigenerational Household: Many families around the world live in multigenerational households, which are defined as spanning 3 and even 4 generations. They are especially common in developing countries that consider multiple generations in the home as the norm, but it is also becoming more common in developed nations, like the United States.
Rising costs of real estate, healthcare and childcare make more families consider joining forces across generations. Each generation, however, introduces a new set of potential complications, which must be addressed in order for a multigenerational household to function and thrive.
Know WHY this arrangement is in place. Every living arrangement has its benefits and drawbacks, and in order for it to work, the benefits must be recognized and outweigh the drawbacks. When the going gets tough, remembering why you've chosen to live in a multigenerational household will help to cope with any conflicts that may arise. Some of the reasons families choose to live together are:
* Money. Loss of a job or unexpected expenses, like divorce or death in the family.
* A big move, where one family unit lives with another family unit or member who is already in the area until they can become familiar with the area and establish their own home.
* A desire to live in an area with high costs. By having more family members live in a single house, the family can afford a nicer, larger house in a better neighborhood and with better schools.
* Working parents who prefer to have their own family members care for their children instead of strangers.
* Elderly relatives who need to be looked after by family instead of home care services.
* An emphasis on preserving religious beliefs and customs.
* Unexpected circumstances, such as a debilitating injury, heart problems, or an incurable disease. An extended family living situation can provide a helpful cushion if and when such circumstances arise. [read more...]
COMMENTARY: Go to the above LinkedIn article to read the full Wall Street Journal article, 'Magic' Multigenerational Housing Aims to Alleviate Social Isolation, which mentions the Village of Hope in LeContes-Mills, PA. It looks like the idea of affordable, accessible senior living is finally catching on, as the 70,000,000 Baby Boomers are reaching retirement age!
THE CRISPR BABIES: THE STORY UNFOLDS
from: BioEdge.org
(4 Dec. 2021) In an article in Nature Biotechnology, we learn a little more about these girls, now toddlers. But, it says, "… their fate remains shrouded in secrecy amid swirls of rumors. Many people contacted for this story refused to speak about the babies … Some would speak to Nature Biotechnology only on condition of anonymity."
In 2018, Dr He Jiankui announced the birth of the world’s first genetically engineered babies, Lulu and Nana. They had their genomes edited with CRISPR to confer a resistance to HIV infection. Using IVF to produce the embryos, they were genetically altered by disabling the CCR5 (C-C motif chemokine receptor 5) gene (the gene produces a receptor that allows HIV to enter and infect cells) during the single-cell stage.
There are multiple concerns associated with CRISPR, including the unintended consequences of using this cutting-edge technology on people. Furthermore, heritable genome editing is not yet ready to be tried safely and effectively in humans. Thus, it is critical that this activity could only proceed when it provides the most favourable balance of benefits and harms.
Medical examinations have been performed on the gene-edited children, including blood tests. These were conducted at birth, at one and six months and at one year. Liver function tests will follow this at age five and IQ tests at age 10. And there is HIV testing. These are indeed laudable.
What about the assessment of their mental health? There do not seem to be any definite plans for this evaluation, even of a need to inform the twins of their unusual conception circumstances. Following the general recommendation of parental disclosure to their IVF conceived children about the nature of their conception, children born from gene editing should also be informed about what was done to them as embryos and the reasons for the activity. [read more...]
COMMENTARY: The mRNA technique being used to treat Covid-19 does not modify the human genome, as some fear-mongering articles claim: CRISPR uses a completely different technique than in the mRNA vaccines. Nevertheless, it is very disconcerting to be learn about using CRISPR to modify a human genome far in advance of studying the long-term side-effects on animals, both small ones with a short lifespan and larger ones with a longer lifespan, more similar to the human lifespan. Human beings are not guinea pigs.
KYRGYZSTAN: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM SURVEY, JANUARY 2022
from: Forum 18 News Service
(13 Jan.) Freedom of religion and belief, with the interlinked freedoms of expression, association, and assembly, are under increasing threat in Kyrgyzstan. Serious freedom of religion and belief violations documented by Forum 18 include but are not limited to:
- fear of discussing human rights violations and publicly expressing views the government may dislike;
- direct state control of much of the public expression of the majority religious community, Islam, along with preventing Ahmadi Muslims from meeting since 2011;
- a ban on exercising freedom of religion and belief in association with others without state permission, including both "legal" obstructions to state registration and state refusal to allow the Falun Gong spiritual movement and some Jehovah's Witness communities to legally exist;
- the National Security Committee (NSC) secret police initiating legal cases in 2019 and 2021 aiming to eventually ban all Jehovah's Witness communities as allegedly "extremist";
- state registration with associated obstacles to exercising freedom of religion and belief, such as peacefully and non-coercively sharing beliefs;
- violence against people based on their religion or belief, collusion with this by state authorities, and state failure to bring perpetrators to justice;
- state failure to make any arrests or prosecute officials suspected on good grounds of the torture of people based on their religion or belief, against Kyrgyzstan's legally-binding obligations under the United Nations (UN) Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment... [read more...]
COMMENTARY: As the above map shows, Kyrgyzstan is on the border of China: the Kyrgyz people are ethincally related to the people of western China. Also, Kyrgyzstan has 40% of the world's uranium ore and large deposits of oil. The recent unrest there may be due not only to the people's dissatisfaction with rising prices and shortages of goods, but also geopolitical power plays. It is sad that religious freedom is affected by such mundane issues.
CVS BACKS HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
from: Disability Scoop
(7 Jan.) CVS is committing millions of dollars toward housing for people with developmental disabilities and other underserved groups. The company said recently that it will invest $11.6 million to develop an apartment complex that will offer 171 units for "those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, persons with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities, and youth aging out of foster care." The move is part of a commitment to "address racial inequity and social determinants of health in underserved communities," CVS said.
The complex of studio apartments known as Espero Austin at Rutland will be located in Austin, Texas and will include a fitness center, community room, bicycle parking and other amenities. CVS said it is working with Caritas of Austin, The Vecino Group and the Austin Housing Finance Corporation to build the new housing. Funding is also coming from the City of Austin and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
Residents of the apartment complex will receive evidence-based support from social service professionals and peer support specialists at no cost. Services will include education, employment assistance, food and help connecting with mental and physical health resources, CVS said.
"When people have access to high-quality, affordable housing, it puts them in a better position to take care of their health and manage chronic disease," said David Casey, senior vice president and chief diversity officer at CVS Health. "As part of our commitment to address social justice and racial inequity, we’re addressing social determinants of health at the community level, which is where we can make a meaningful and lasting impact."
CVS is not the first company to financially back a housing development for people with developmental disabilities. Both Apple and Google have invested money in similar projects in recent years. [read more...]
COMMENTARY: Notice the words "high-quality, affordable housing" – we should add "accessible" as in our first article above: high-quality, accessible, and affordable housing is what's needed for today's 70 million Baby Boomers born from 1946 to 1965 who are retiring or are already retired. They're starting to feel the effects of aging: bad backs, knees wearing out, and heart problems that make it difficult to climb stairs. Christians should be in the forefront providing such architecture designed for these people, providing a community room/chapel where they can get together for koinonia-fellowship, meals, etc.: see "Our Views" below!
(13 Jan.) Based on political and religious charges, Russia is persecuting 130 Ukrainian citizens, of which 121 are in custody, including 2 women. This was announced by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova in Telegram, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Currently, the Russian Federation is pursuing 130 Ukrainian citizens on politically and religiously motivated charges. 121 people are in custody, including 2 women (15 in the temporarily occupied Crimea, 106 on the territory of the Russian Federation) and 9 people are deprived of the right to freedom of movement. 76 people have already been sentenced to long terms, the remaining 45 people are under trial and investigation," Denisova noted.
According to the Ombudsman, among the prisoners are parents with many children, people with serious illnesses, public journalists and human rights defenders. In particular, 207 minor children were left without parental care and attention in the families of Ukrainian political prisoners.
Denisova stressed that the protection of the rights of Ukrainians and their release remains her priority and a common task of all authorities and the international community. [read more...]
COMMENTARY: The marjority of these 130 Ukrainian citizens were either in Russia or in occupied eastern Ukraine and Crimea. The above article does not say what the specific religious charges are, but very likely they consist of belonging to a religious group that does not meet the approval of the Russian government. This would likely include the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine as well as others who do not support Russia's geopolitical aims. Freedom of religious expression is a basic human right, even more important as the right to life!
CHRISTIAN COLLEGES WITH LINKS TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD EXPOSED IN YEAR-END REPORT
from: LiveAction News
(4 Jan.) A new report by Students for Life of America’s (SFLA) Institute of Pro-Life Advancement is exposing Christian and Catholic colleges that promote Planned Parenthood. The investigation identified 69 religious universities out of 784 total, which have links to the abortion giant.
The Christian Schools Project launched in March 2021. As part of its investigation, SFLA initially identified 103 religious schools that promoted or had partnerships with Planned Parenthood noted on their websites. Such a partnership could include:
* Promoting Planned Parenthood as a resource for students
* Promoting Planned Parenthood as an internship opportunity, for which students could receive credit
* Advertising Planned Parenthood events from 2019 onward on either the school website or on campus
* Promoting career or volunteer opportunities at Planned Parenthood
SFLA contacted each school by both email and phone, giving them a chance to cut ties before the report’s release. Of the 103 schools, 34 removed the references from their websites after contact with SFLA.
As part of its report, SFLA gave each school a letter grade, from F to A+, based on their infractions. Those schools with no infractions received an A grade, while those that also promoted free pregnancy resources to students received an A+ rating. [read more...]
COMMENTARY: It is appalling that colleges and universities that advertise themselves as "Christian" could also promote Planned Barrenhood Parenthood. Protestant denominations that insist on "the Bible only" and do not accept the writings of the Apostolic Fathers of the first hundred years of Church history leave themselves open to accepting the notion that abortion is perfectly okay.
NOW, OUR VIEWS:
(← click) See above in this issue of ARC-News: we have a couple of articles about affordable and accessible housing being built for disabled and elderly people. We'd like to offer you our plans on this topic: "Agape Restoration Communities - Brief Overview" (PDF), a one-sheet "management summary" to give you a bird's-eye view of the Agape Restoration Community concept; and Biblical Basis for the Agape Restoration Society" (PDF), a 14-page paper including FIVE full-page sketches of our plans for "Agape Restoration Communities."
The latter article describes how Christians can use architecture as a means of peaceful cooperation between various groups of Christians. In our previous issue of ARC-News we showed how architecture can do this: "ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION: BLUEPRINT FOR ORTHODOX-CATHOLIC HARMONY?" You can also read another, follow-up article on this: Building the ARC.
These articles all tell us that this concept is finally coming of age. It's now high time to begin in earnest locating land for this project, gaining approval from local authorities and buy-in from local population, then finding people who see the need for such a facility now or in their future. We need to put aside the fear of failure like what happened with our previous effort in Trafford, PA two years ago. There is a possibility of success only if we try! Henry Ford once said – "There are two kinds of people: those who think they can't, and those who think they can. Both are right." Which one am I? Which one are you?
Please remember to pray for Christians in Secularized Countries, and for...
Your fellow-servants,
Bob & Cheryl
p.s. Taking a middle of the road position is dangerous. You can get knocked down by the traffic from both ways.
