Leafleting for SPUC in Ayr.

Last week I was leafleting in Ayr with our mis-certification of abortion leaflets with a friend from church.Please see following for details : https://www.spuc.org.uk/about/evangelicals/2013autumn

Here I am outside the first house I bought in Scotland ( 1986 )  leafleting

Special prayer request

This afternoon I was at an outreach meeting called " Broken Chains". I sat next to a Christian friend at the meal. He told me he is going to see a 20 year old young lady tonight who is contemplating an abortion. Please pray that she chooses life.

I am recovering from my surgery and will not be at the UN next week as planned.

Surgery done.

Off to hospital tomorrow

At 2.30pm tomorrow I am off to see a plastic surgon , not for a face lift , but to have a mole removed from my lefy cheek. They will do a biopsy to ensure it is not nasty.

Glasgow midwives court case.

Connie Wood & Mary Doogan

A message from my boss in London.

7 November 2014

Connie Wood and Mary Doogan are experienced, long-serving midwifery sisters.

They refuse to take part in abortions or to tell others that they should do abortions.

But their employer regards abortion as part of the job of a labour ward midwife (I know this sounds crazy – but that's how it is), and Connie and Mary have been told they must play their part in abortions.

Now their employer, the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, which runs their hospital, has taken the matter to the Supreme Court.

The hearing takes place just a few days from now.If the midwives lose - and still refuse to take part in abortions - they risk losing their jobs.These midwives must feel like the whole world is against them.But that’s not true.

Well wishers, just like you, from every corner of Britain have shown how much they care - through their donations, their prayers, and their warm words of encouragement for Mary and Connie.

I know the midwives’ case may not be new to you. But today I am writing to ask if you would read the FULL story. You’d be doing a tremendous favor to these midwives, and to the generations of midwives still to come. Connie and Mary only want to bring babies safely into the world – happy and healthy.

This is the job they signed up for. I hate having to ask again.  Will you help them stay?

Another way you can help (it’s not money).  The midwives’ court battle will only happen once.This is our big chance to defend Mary and Connie’s right not to oversee abortions – and I’m sure you’re glad to have been a part of it.  So I’m wondering: do you know anyone else who’d be interested in helping?

The case is well under way. And the time to act is now. If someone you know would be grateful to hear about it, please send their email address to me personally at johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk.

I promise they won’t be bombarded with messages. They’ll receive a polite approach inviting them to read more about the midwives’ story.  We won’t pass their details on to anyone else.

Anyone who believes in these midwives can stand up for them.

Right now, this is the best way to help them.

Yours in the defence of life,

John Smeaton

Two oldies at the UN.

Me and Jeanne in conf room 1.
Boring arguments going on just now.

Nice speech by new Nuncio of Holy See

Statement of H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza
Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
at the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Third Committee, Agenda Item 68 (b and c): Human Rights
New York, 29 October 2014

Madam Chair,

I would like to thank the various Special Rapporteurs and Special Mandate holders for their
reports and work during the past year. Today’s discussion brings to light a great number of
serious challenges to human rights around the world, and reminds us of the need to rebuild
trust in the human rights system in upholding fundamental human rights.
The right to life as enshrined in natural law and protected by international human rights laws
lies at the foundation of all human rights. The Holy See reaffirms that all life must be fully
protected in all its stages from conception until natural death.

In this regard, my delegation welcomes the reduction in the last two years of the recourse to
the death penalty around the globe. As Pope Francis affirmed before representatives of the
Association of International Penal Law, received in the Vatican last October 23, “it is
impossible to imagine that states today cannot make use of another means than capital
punishment to defend peoples’ lives from an unjust aggression." The Pope also recommends
the abolition of life imprisonment, which he defines as “a hidden death penalty” because, like
the death penalty, it excludes all possibilities of redemption and recuperation. He warned
against “penal populism” that privileges punishment to solve society’s ills, rather than a more
rigorous pursuit of social justice and preventative measures. This is especially important
when it comes to juvenile delinquency and crimes committed by the elderly. Pope Francis
called on all people of goodwill to struggle also to improve prison conditions, out of respect
for the human dignity of prisoners, so many of whom, in so many countries of the world,
have been detained for long periods without trial.

Along with the right to life, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion continues
to face serious challenges around the world. In some regions, violations against religious
freedom have multiplied and intensified in their brutality, in particular against religious
minorities. My delegation insists that these ruthless violations must not only be seen as
violence against ethnic and religious minorities, but first and foremost must be condemned
as blatant violations of fundamental human rights, and must be dealt with accordingly.
In other parts of the world, religious freedom faces legal barriers put by public authorities
and experiences condescending if not outright discriminatory behavior of some in society.
Some authorities seek to restrict religious observance to the private realm and impose legal
obligations that conflict with personal conscience and religious beliefs. Given this misconstrued understanding of religious freedom and similar misconceptions still existing
today, my delegation wishes to note that the struggle for religious freedom was at the origins
of certain nations. The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is an inalienable
fundamental human right; thus, it has always been and will always be at the core of the
struggle for the recognition and free exercise of fundamental human rights.
In this context, my delegation welcomes the Interim Report of the Special Rapporteur on
freedom of religion or belief(A/69/261), which, inter alia, identifies measures of “reasonable
accommodation” to overcome discrimination and violation of this fundamental human right
in the workplace. Indeed, a world that truly respects religious freedom must move beyond
mere toleration. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights
instruments explicitly affirm that the right to freedom of religion or belief includes the right
of all to practice their faith alone or in community, in public or private, and the right to
change his or her religion or belief.

In order to address these challenges, we must strengthen the international human rights
system. My delegation hopes that the resolution on Strengthening and enhancing the
effective functioning of the human rights treaty body system (A/RES/68/268) translates
into meaningful reform towards greater observance of treaties (Pacta sunt servanda) and
their faithful and objective, not political or ideological, monitoring.


With lessons learned from our failure to stop massive violations of fundamental human
rights – including and most especially religious freedom- and of international humanitarian
law, the time is for courageous decisions. My delegation looks forward to working with all
delegations during this session to reinvigorate respect and appreciation for fundamental
human rights around the world.

Thank you, Mr Chairman.