A letter from Archbishop of Jos, Rev Dr Ben Kwashi

The Archbishop of Jos, Rev Dr Ben Kwashi had a fine article in Christianity Today. Click on the title for the link. Now he has written a very fine letter.

2 February 2010

Dear Friends,

Peace and greetings.

As a person who has invested in lives – in men and women, young and old, people who were heading for destruction, drunkards, drop-outs, drug addicts, rich and poor, people of all categories, but people to whom through the grace of God we ministered the gospel of salvation, and who were then transformed, and changed to become valuable tools for further investment in the community – now, to see such lives destroyed aches my heart. In all my years of ministry God has called me to bless people, to invest in social community developments, in the building of schools, clinics, co-operatives for farmers, in setting up small scale businesses in villages and towns – and to see all these destroyed and come to nothing grieves my heart. I am even more grieved when I see great potential, great opportunities in lives in which God would have demonstrated his grace and power being destroyed by the machinations and evil calculations of some reckless and godless but cowardly and faceless people. I am pained and grieved.

I cannot but thank God for the elders of my generation who trained us to build, to develop ourselves and to look ahead for a brighter future for Nigeria. The sponsors of today’s acts of evil and those who arm these young people will be judged, whether in this life or in the life to come, because God is a righteous God.

It is fast becoming fashionable to look for reasons, whether remote, far-fetched or imaginary, in order to discredit the Christian gospel and the church. In 2001 in Jos a girl was said to be crossing a place of Muslim prayer on a Friday, and the next thing we knew was that churches were being burnt down. The confused fighting that ensued between communities, and several other issues which emerged and out of which different people wanted to settle different scores, all found a scapegoat in the church, and very soon it became labelled as a “religious crisis”. In 2008 an election collation process was interrupted in Jos North and even though this was a purely political matter, the church was the first target. Again the cheap excuse was to label the whole matter as a “religious crisis”.

This year Malam Kabiru chose to build his house on a Sunday morning; it was a structure not far from an E.C.W.A. Church and a simple misunderstanding that could have been so easily resolved there and then, soon became a matter for guns and cutlasses, resulting in several lives lost and an unquantifiable amount of property destroyed. Again, it was easy for the international media and those who do not wish this nation well, quickly to set in motion a polarization between religious communities and to build walls of division between peoples. This was done with the sole aim of hastily laying blame on the church and covering up evil deeds with powerful propaganda, with a total disregard for lives, property and homes lost, and for wounds which require healing. The media mentioned the worst stories, as if by doing so they have made a significant contribution to healing, reconciliation and peace. It is a glamorous failure on their part. Moreover they have failed to take up stories such as those of Christians who were kept safe in a mosque for three days until the crisis was over, or of over a hundred Muslims who were kept safe in a church until the curfew was lifted. They have totally ignored communities in Jos, Bukuru and the environs who came together as Christians and Muslims, with local police involvement, to agree on sitting down together, living in peace and harmony, and in covenant to settle all disputes on any matters amongst themselves without violence or bloodshed.

I have heard some people say: the crisis is all about settlers and indigeneship, and I wonder what that has to do with M. Kabiru’s building and the church? Was there a fight before the plot of land was sold to him? I wonder what that has to do with the production of arms, fake army uniforms, and the destruction of lives and property. Is that not a matter for the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to resolve? Why should that cause the church to be so viciously attacked and attempts made to destroy the gospel of peace? Some have even said that it is the search for political supremacy. My question remains: why attack the church? The church, the gospel of Jesus Christ and Christians are the wrong targets.

I am convinced, I am persuaded, that there is no gospel if all that is seen is destruction. There is no gospel if man is not reconciled to God and man is not reconciled to man. There is no gospel if peace from God the Father is not brought to man and if peace is not given from man to man. I believe with my whole heart that there is no gospel of revenge or retaliation or vengeance. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God, so that whoever believes in the gospel, no matter the nationality or the locality of that person, the gospel will be seen in his or her life, and the fruit of that gospel will be seen in righteousness, holiness, service, development, health, physical and spiritual blessings that accompany the person in the community. The Christian gospel does not destroy: it builds and brings life in all its fullness to everybody without discrimination of race or sex, age or background.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)


The Lord be with you,

+The Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin A. Kwashi
Archbishop of Jos

Cameron, Brown and Clegg Must Answer for Illegality of Sexual Equalities Agenda in Schools

Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA) party says,'Plans by Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to impose their
sexual equalities agenda on schools are being contested in the May local elections
by candidates standing for the Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA) party. Following
statements this year by David Cameron and Nick Clegg that they support Labour's
plans for relationships outside of heterosexual marriage to be taught as normative
to schoolchildren, the CPA is urging parents to assert their legal right for children to
be brought up in conformity with their own Christian ethical stance. The party is
pledging that if elected, its councillors will fight to uphold Christian rights of
conscience in all schools.

Speaking at a meeting this weekend in Kensington of the National Executive of the
Christian Peoples Alliance, party leader, Cllr Alan Craig of Newham Council said:

"The leaders of our three main parties - Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick
Clegg - have set themselves in favour of a sexual rights agenda that is opposed to
2,000 years of Church teaching. They seek to collapse Christian morality into a
relatavistic heap - sowing confusion and worsening the problem of breakdown Britain.
We know sexual relationships happen outside of marriage and SRE must be taught
with wisdom, respect and sensitivity. But what children need is a clear message:
sex is a gift intended by God for a life-long marriage between one man and one woman.
All other relationships are less than God's best."

Under new Government guidelines issued this week, all schools - including faith schools
- will be legally required to provide classes in sex and relationships. From the age of 11,
pupils will be encouraged to debate issues surrounding sexual orientation, same-sex
relationships and civil partnerships.

The Christian Peoples Alliance is pointing out that Conservatives, Labour and Liberal
Democrats oppose the biblical guidance that the primary responsibility for education
lies with parents, which is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as
article 26.3 'Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given
to their children.' They also point out that the secular parties also risk infringing Protocol 1
of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It provides that the state shall in
exercising its functions in relation to education and teaching, "respect the right of parents to
ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religion and philosophical
convictions".

The Department for Schildren, Schools and Families announced last year that it will take
forward all the major recommendations of the Teenage pregnancy Independent Advisory
Group, including making Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) statutory from 2011. It
also declared that parents' right to pull their children out of sex education classes in England
will be ended once pupils turn 15. Under government plans for SRE, all schools including
church schools must: "teach all aspects of SRE within the context of relationships in an anti-
discriminatory way; contraception, abortion and homosexuality are all legal in this country
....." The Government's review of SRE also requires schools to make "explicit links to young
people's advisory services and provision of contraception and sexual health services and
demonstrate this by teaching people how to access services."

Councillor Craig - who leads the Opposition on Newham Borough Council added:

"All parents have a prior right to bring their children up according to their own values. Yet the
secular parties want to impose an alien morality on all children, even Christian children. It is
deeply troubling and illiberal for parents who seek to teach the ideals of faithfulness, purity
and respect for life to their children in the home, to have teachers then totally undermine
Christian morality by teaching the ambiguity of "anything goes" sex in the classroom."'


For more information: Cllr Alan Craig 07939547198 or email press@cpaparty.org.uk or
call 07873 625396 or Visit www.cpaparty.org.uk

BBC survey on its portrayal of homosexuals

Click on the link and fill it in. I fear the majority of respondents will be those sympathetic to the cause. I do not expect a similar survey on their pathetic portrayal of things Christian.

Lords defeat Govt over church staff

I saw no BBC reports on this but it seems it was, perhaps briefly, on the BBC site. This is the Christian Institute report.


Monday, 25 January 2010
The Government has lost in the House of Lords over its attempt in the Equality Bill to alter the law on who churches and other faith-based groups can employ.

Peers voted 216 to 178 in favour of Lady O’Cathain’s amendment to keep the current law unchanged.

Then in an extraordinary move the Government broke with House of Lords convention in a bid to damage Lady O’Cathain’s victory.

But in two further votes Lady O’Cathain won by 195 votes to 174 and by 177 votes to 172.

In the debate before the votes, the Government claimed its plans would simply ‘clarify’ the law.

But churches said the plans would narrow important safeguards designed to help religious employers defend their ethos.

The Government’s defeat means no change to the current law, which permits churches and other faith-based employers to protect their ethos by insisting staff live consistently with the religion’s doctrine on sexual behaviour.

At this stage it is not known whether the Government will try to overturn the defeat in the Commons.

The Christian Institute’s Mike Judge said, “We are delighted that the House of Lords has voted to protect freedom of association for churches.

“It is a shame that the Government didn’t listen to churches earlier. It’s almost as if they don’t care.”

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said during the Lords debate: “You may feel that many churches and other religious organisations are wrong on matters of sexual ethics.

“But, if religious freedom means anything it must mean that those are matters for the churches and other religious organisations to determine for themselves in accordance with their own convictions.”

He added: “Where are the examples of actual abuses that have caused difficulties? Where are the court rulings that have shown that the law is defective? If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”

At the weekend Church of England Bishops expressed deep concern about the Government plans.

The bishops said the Government has produced words that “create difficulties for churches and religious groups”.

They added: “This despite our raising the problem many months ago and offering various ways of resolving the issue.”

Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church have also opposed the Government proposals.

Most Revd Peter Smith, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff, voiced his regret at the Government’s refusal to “sit down earlier with religious groups and work out an amendment with the right wording”.

He continued: “As it is, legal advice indicates that a court might construe the wording too narrowly and if there was a doubt about the legal effect then the only prudent course is to support the rival amendment which deletes the definition entirely.

“That is the only sure way of guaranteeing this Bill neither widens nor narrows the scope of the current exemption.”

Ahead of tonight’s vote a Government spokesman said: “The Equality Bill will not change the existing legal position regarding churches and employment.

“It simply clarifies the current law to ensure a balance is maintained between the rights of people to manifest their religion and the right of employees not to be discriminated against.”

However, the Lords opposed the Government plans and voted to keep the present law unchanged.

The story from Jos

I have recently received messages fron different Christian sources complaining about the biased media coverage of the Jos killings and the governmental bias against Christians. This is one such message.

Mon 18 Jan 2010
FRESH VIOLENCE IN JOS CLAIM SCORES OF LIVES

(Please pray for the following bretheren from ECWA Jos Jarawa where members were worshipping on that Sunday and the muslim guys went attacking: Azi Matthew Dandi, Francis Dung,Luka Musa, Yohanna Francis, Odun Ileseumi, Bobi Tangale, Ibrahim Azi, Gideon A. Nyako, Emma Kaze Peter, Azi Atsi, Felix. We are not presently sure of their whereabouts.
These others were in ECWA Nasarawa Gwom on Monday, 20 Jan. trying to stop destructtion of the church by muslims. These brethren had only sticks and stones when Gen. Sale Maina, GOC, 3 Armoured Div Jos - ordered their arrest. 7 of them were dumped in muslim concentrated areas of Nasarawa and they became a feast in the hands of the muslims. The following three are still being detained: Samson Bala, Emmanuel Danyaya and Azi Matthew Dandi. Pray for their release, please.)
___________________________________________________________________________
Jos the Plateau state capital is witnessing another round of violence which has already claimed many lives estimated so far at 125 persons with hundreds of people injured and displaced from their homes. Hundreds of houses have also been burnt and destroyed. A dusk to down curfew running between 6pm to 6am earlier imposed by the state government was reviewed to 24 hours following an escalation of the violence on Tuesday. The State Governor who has been holding a joined security meeting with top security agents and members of the state inter-religious council announced the measures in a statewide television and radio broadcast.

The Governor also announced that a committee has been set up to help bring immediate relief to the internally displaced persons who are taking refuge in various camps.

The resumed violence began Sunday 17th January 2010 about 10 am when some Muslim youths attacked a church at Nasarawa Gwong area in Jos while in a worship session causing worshippers to scamper for safety. The Islamic youths destroyed the church and thereafter launched further attacks on non-Muslim/non-Hausa homes who are minority residence in the community. The attacks continued against the helpless minority Christians who were mostly away in church service or returning with security agents unable to intervene claiming they had not received orders to do so.

The muslim youth claimed they were reacting to the refusal of some people to allow a muslim man rebuilt his house in Christian populated area which was destroyed during the November 2009 violence in Jos. Unfortunately, this version of the story has been maliciously changed in the international media controlled by the Muslims to mean refusal to build a mosque possibly to gain sympathy from their Muslim folks around the world and escalate the crisis. The city of Jos has become polarised along religious lines of settlements following three violent clashes in the past.

The heavy military presence in the city at the moment has not pacified the situation either. The state government efforts to secure presidential orders for the joint military intervention in the violence have not yielded any positive result as at the time of reporting.

Unfortunately, the Muslims who control the military in Nigeria have taken advantage to infiltrate the system by aiding armed Muslim youths in military uniforms to attack Christians in their numbers. The uniform Soldiers have also been invading the Christian churches and ransacking them hoping perhaps to find arms and ammunitions.

A similar invasion on Christian worship places by military personnel took place at ECWA Church Nasarawa where the Pastor’s office and bedroom were forcefully entered after destroying the door locks. The operatives ransacked the file cabinets and drank up the drinks purchased for guests who were attending a leadership seminar in the Church and thereafter arrested and took away six Christian youths in the Church.

Unconfirmed sources indicated that over 125 persons have been killed, over a thousand injured, while more than 3000 people have been displaced from their homes leading to a pathetic humanitarian problem. The casualties are more in the Christian camp who were caught unprepared in a Sunday worship day.

The Red Cross supported by the Nigerian Civil Defence Corp has been working to take the injured to hospitals, clear away dead bodies, which litters the streets and also helping to attend to the displaced persons.


Four ECWA Churches namely, ECWA Rikkos ( destroyed in the last crisis but rebuilt), ECWA Bishara 1 Bukuru ( one of the oldest church buildings in Jos), ECWA Jos-Jarawa where completely destroyed while that of ECWA Mai –Adiko Ray Field was partly burnt as it was rescued by the Church youths who promptly responded and put off the fire.

Several Church worship places belonging to other denominations have also been destroyed.

The authorities of the Jos ECWA Theological Seminary, JETS in consultation with the ECWA Leadership have also announced a closure of the school following the death of one of her Students who was killed in the crisis by a stray bullet. JETS Provost, Rev. Ass. Prof. Bulus Galadima, noted that a date of resumption would be communicated in due course when the security situation improves.

The State police Commissioner, Mr. Greg Ayanting who has been very overwhelmed by the violence confirmed to newsmen how hundreds of Muslim youths attacked a Church during a worship hour which led to the current crisis and appealed to citizens not to take the law into their hand as the police is doing everything possible to contain the situation. He disclosed the he had requested for reinforcement for more armed police men from other states to help quail the violence.

Meanwhile, powerful Muslims in high political authority who have commenced a grand plan to sack him from his job are criticizing the frank and bold revelation of the cause of the violence by the Police Commissioner.

Sound of gunshots thrill the city as Muslim youths heavily armed with guns and sophisticated weapons engage a battle with Christian youths who had only stones and the likes, causing people near the fighting areas to flee their homes.

This brings us to the issue as we are forced to wonder why it is always the Muslims working so hard to ferment troubles wherever they find Christians in Nigeria. We are yet to know of any of the cases past and present where any Christians started aggression of any sort against Muslims in this nation, whether the former are either overwhelming majority or insignificant minority in those areas? Why do Muslims begin every trouble always, even on the Plateau? Why must the Church as a people, her property, and Christian homes and businesses be the target of each unprovoked attack by Muslims in this nation? Why does it seem, to say the least, like a grand design from most angles in this nation to smother Christians and Christianity?

Now, why should Nigeria not be listed among the nations of interest in terms of terrorism by the US government? The facts are clear we need help. Nigeria should admit that we have challenges of terrorism from the Niger Delta uprising, the Boko Haram upsurge, the various kidnaps that have become a thriving industry in Nigeria and the continuous religious hatred and violence which have resulted in the death of thousands of innocent Nigerians.

Our opinion might be termed unpatriotic but it is a fact that we have to deal with putting sentiments aside and asking for God’s wisdom to help us out of the problem.

Please pray for the peace of Jos and Plateau. Pray for people displaced in Jos.

Signed: ECWA General Secretary

Lisa Alther - christiansquoting.org.uk

Any mother could perform the jobs of several air traffic controllers with ease - Lisa Alther born July 23, 1944 American author and novelist.

Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani - christiansquoting.org.uk

Jihad is a precept of Divine institution. Its performance by certain individuals may dispense others from it. We Malikis [one of the four schools of Muslim jurisprudence] maintain that it is preferable not to begin hostilities with the enemy before having invited the latter to embrace the religion of Allah except where the enemy attacks first. They have the alternative of either converting to Islam or paying the poll tax (jizya), short of which war will be declared against them.- Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani,(922 – 996) (a Maliki scholar from Al-Qayrawan in Tunisia.) La Risala (Epitre sur les elements du dogme et de la loi de l'Islam selon le rite malikite.) Translated from Arabic by Leon Bercher. 5th ed. Algiers, 1960, p. 165. [English translation, in Bat Ye'or, The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam, Cranston, NJ, 1996, p. 295]

Al- Mawardi, (d. 1058 ) - christiansquoting.org.uk

The mushrikun [infidels] of Dar al-Harb (the arena of battle) are of two types: First, those whom the call of Islam has reached, but they have refused it and have taken up arms. The amir of the army has the option of fighting them…in accordance with what he judges to be in the best interest of the Muslims and most harmful to the mushrikun… Second, those whom the invitation to Islam has not reached, although such persons are few nowadays since Allah has made manifest the call of his Messenger…[I]t is forbidden to…begin an attack before explaining the invitation to Islam to them, informing them of the miracles of the Prophet and making plain the proofs so as to encourage acceptance on their part; if they still refuse to accept after this, war is waged against them and they are treated as those whom the call has reached….Al- Mawardi, (d. 1058 ), Shafi'i jurist , The Laws of Islamic Governance [al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah, (London, United Kingdom.: Ta-Ha, 1996, p. 60).

Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Habib al-Mawardi ( أبو الحسن علي بن محمد بن حبيب البصري الماوردي ), known in Latin as Alboacen (972-1058 CE), was an Arab Muslim jurist of the Shafii school; he also made contributions to Qur'anic interpretations, philology, ethics, and literature. He served as judge at several Iraqi districts, including Baghdad, and as an ambassador of the Abbasid caliph to several Muslim states.- Wikipedia

This is an insight from a scholar of 'The religion of Peace'. This morning I was talking on the phone to a friend in Nigeria and lamenting recent events in Jos. We agree that the causes are political but ultimately religious. Islam must rule wherever it is. It is a religion of peace only on its own terms. Submit to Islamic rule and you will have peace. The people of the Jos Plateau have always resisted this. They did it before colonial rule and will continue to do so, therefore there will be no real peace.

Violence spreads in Nigeria's Jos, curfew imposed

19 Jan 2010 09:24:52 GMT Source: Reuters
'JOS, Nigeria, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Clashes between Muslim and Christian gangs broke out again on Tuesday in the capital of Nigeria's Plateau state, killing dozens and forcing police to impose a 24-hour curfew on the city.

A police official, who declined to be identified, said as many as 60 people may have been killed since Sunday when clashes started.

Police initially imposed a nighttime curfew on Jos on Sunday to ease tensions and prevent a repeat of the November 2008 clashes that killed hundreds of residents. But violence flared up again on Tuesday, forcing the police to extend its curfew.

"In view of this situation in town, I hereby declare a 24-hour curfew starting from now," said Gregory Anyating, the state's police commissioner.

Residents said sporadic gunfire could be heard in many neighbourhoods and several houses were on fire.'

So why is the BBC silent on this?

Trevor Allin - christiansquoting.org.uk

It is the reformed attitude, rather than the reforming one, that I think has caused more damage to the Church than most things in current days. In possessing the keys to the kingdom, we are in danger of hitting other pilgrims on their journey to the celestial city with those keys, instead of trying to unlock more truth together.- Trevor Allin

Victory for 600-strong London Church in Lambeth Council ‘noise’ Battle

Christian Legal Centre reports, 'A 600 member strong London Church won its legal battle this week against Lambeth Borough Council in a last minute out of court settlement.

The All Nations Centre in Kennington was served by Lambeth Council with a noise abatement notice on 25 September 2009, preventing the Church from amplifying their music or sermons to the congregation on threat of prosecution.

Although the Church has been at its current location for over 45 years, a small number of residents began complaining to the Council about noise levels shortly after the Church began a leaflet drop in the local community. A noise abatement notice was then served against the Church in September without any warning or discussion.

Church leaders believed the timing of the notice and the procedural irregularities meant that there were motives involved in the case. In October 2009, senior Pastor Abraham Sackey said: “The complaint has nothing to do with the noise and everything to do with our faith. Lambeth Council are driving us out and we feel harassed.”
The Church sought the advice of the Christian Legal Centre. The All Nations Centre decided to go to court with the help of the Christian Legal Centre in order to appeal the notice issued against them but at the last minute the notice was withdrawn.

The use of Noise Abatement Notices is an issue of concern as recently it is being used effectively to categorise worship/the singing of hymns as Noise Pollution. At the Christian Legal Centre we are concerned that this law is being misused and could close down Churches. Paul Diamond, Barrister, led the legal team at the Christian Legal Centre and CLC has asked him to closely monitor the situtation.

Pastor Sackey said: “The Church believes that the Council’s withdrawal is an attempt to conceal what happened and which has been ongoing for some time, not only in Lambeth but nationally. The leaders of the Church maintained from the very outset that the notice had nothing to do with noise but rather was further evidence of the ongoing campaign of religious hatred and intimidation against evangelical Christians.”

Local MP Kate Hoey has backed the Church throughout. In December 2009 she said:

“They have been serving the local community for many years, consistently helping to improve the quality of life and overall well-being of people within the local community…It was therefore with a mixture of surprise and concern that I learned that they were served with a noise abatement notice.”

Onn Sein Kon, Case Manager at the Christian Legal Centre, said: “Regrettably, our case-load is increasing with Councils issuing noise abatement notices resulting in the curtailing or closure of Churches in London. Success in this case sends out a clear message that this method will not work. These Churches are vibrant and growing and play a critical part in their communities.”


A Petition of 15,000 signatures was delivered to the Office of the Mayor of London Boris Johnson on Tuesday asking him to fulfil the pledge made to the London Churches that Churches would be able to gain appropriate planning permission and premises in London.'

Andrea Minichiello Williams
020 7935 1488
Christian Legal Centre
http://www.christianlegalcentre.com

Fair Pay Ratio Test for Senior Council Officers

'Fair Pay Ratio Test for Senior Council Officers Promised by Christian Peoples Alliance

Local councils will be pressed to adopt a fair pay strategy for their employees
if the Christian Peoples Alliance succeed in winning control of local authorities
in elections on May 6th. Under plans outlined by the leader of the party, all
senior Council officers will have their pay linked in the range of 8 to 16 times
the lowest employee salary, set according to local circumstances. The party
will also set-up new forums to bring together workers from the top and bottom
of local authority officer pay-bands during negotiations over salary levels.

Opposition Leader on the London Borough of Newham, Cllr Alan Craig, who
also leads the Christian Peoples Alliance nationally, told local activists:

"Leadership comes from the top. With many local authorities having to cut back
on budgets, sack staff and impose above-inflation council tax rises on a hard-
pressed public, we need fairness and justice in the wage structure. That means
excessive senior officer pay has to be curbed.

"This policy will generate a powerful link between the best paid and those at the
bottom of the pay scale - who are often those dealing on a day-to-day basis with
the public. It will create solidarity and fresh incentives to improve performance
across the organisation."

The CPA is pointing to findings last year from the TaxPayers' Alliance pressure
group which showed the number of local authority chief executives earning more
than £100,000 a year had soared by 27% since 2008, with 1000 receiving six-
figure salaries.

The Christian Peoples Alliance ran candidates in 17 local authorities in 2006 and
is looking to win more seats this year in London. The party is committed to tackling
social inequality and the excesses of boardroom pay. It is also pointing to
international evidence that Britain is out of step in both the private and public sector in the ratios between the highest and lowest paid.

Former chief executive of an international group of manufacturing companies
employing 2,500 people, Alan Craig said the public and private sector in Britain
should learn from Warren Buffett, chief of Berkshire Hathaway, who is an outspoken
critic of executive pay. Despite being worth over 60 billion dollars, in 2008 he drew an annual salary of $200,000. Assuming a minimum employee salary of $25,000 per
year, this made his pay ratio 8-to-1. As a contrast to the United States, the CPA is
pointing to figures which show that average chief executive pay ratios were about
11-to-1 in Japan, 15-to-1 in France, 20-to-1 in Canada and 22-to-1 in Britain in 2006.

As part of its Fair Pay Policy for Local Authorities, the CPA is drawing on Christian Democratic principles of workplace councils, which are popular in Germany and which bring together representatives of all the main grades of employment throughout a company structure.

Under CPA plans, local authorities would have to convene a round-table meeting at
least once a year, to discuss pay increases for all sections of the workforce from the bottom to senior Council officers at the top. Each main group would present its own case for a rise and the reasons to justify it and be subject to cross-questioning by other groups.'

An example of ridiculous red tape

Half way through the month I get this. NCSO is No Cheaper Supply Obtainable.

'Drug Tariff News
NCSO January 2010
The following products have been given NCSO status for the month of January 2010

Diltiazem 60mg modified release tablets
Pseudoephedrine 60mg tablets
It is essential that contractors endorse the prescription fully with the letters ‘NCSO' and full details of the product dispensed (e.g. manufacturer, brand name or price if it is an uncommon item and pack size). The endorsement must also be signed and dated. If any of this information is missing, payment will be based on the Drug Tariff price rather than the endorsed product.

The NCSO concession only lasts for the month it is granted. If at the beginning of the following month the situation is not resolved, a new application is made NCSO status .'

Why in the name of efficiency cannot I merely endorse the brand I gave out? The rest is time wasting superfluous work inflicted on the private sector by bums on public sector seats. Why are they so inefficient as to take half the month to realise these drugs which have been unobtainable in generic form for months are still not to be had? PRATTS.

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Part 8 - Family, Sport and Work

I have gained a daughter in law, son in law and five grandchildren. I have lost a cousin. My wife has lost her father, two aunts and an uncle. My greatest joy is my children love the Lord and have married spouses from good stable Christian families.

Now over 11 years in the same job and friends keep asking when I will retire. The answer is, when health determines. There is no big pension fund and I believe work is therapy. I continue to try and find enjoyment in my toil. I am blessed with good staff and am pretty much my own boss. I remain very critical of NHS pharmacy with the endless paper trail and official lack of trust. We were given a new onerous contract with some idiotic requirements. But it is secure employment.

Sporting highlights are England winning the Rugby World Cup and the Ashes, twice. I have been a regular visitor to the Oval and Lords. Highlights are ODIs with over 650 runs in a day losing to India and tying with the Aussies, both at Lords. Football highlight, beating Germany 5-1 in Munich. My Leeds went from the top of the Premiership to the depths of League 1. Debbie and I took up the cause of Sale rugby and saw them champions. I espoused this unlikely cause from Lancashire because of Jason Robinson whose retirement was a sad loss.

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Past 7 Health and Holidays

This may seem a strange title but having twice been ill just after or while on holiday it seems a natural combination to me and an account of health deteriorating with age would be most depressing. The depressing holiday thing was being taken for a ride and a four figure sum by a fraudulent discount holiday company. We also had a booking with a Christian tour firm that went bust but there ATOL came to the rescue. For most of the decade I had to holiday with a supply of antibiotics lest the cellulitis caught in Slovakia returned. We did have a recurrence but no more hopitalisation for it.

2000 we holidayed in self catering accommodation near Llanelli, Wales and Nairn, Scotland. We have never been back to Wales. The rugby was good but the pushing of their minority tongue to the top of road signs I find irritating, even dangerous to safety. In 1990 this was not the case in Scotland but is increasingly so even there. Totally ridiculous when barely 1% of the people speak Gaelic. But Scotland I love and we returned several times in the decade. Nairn is near so much history, e.g. Culloden and near Speyside with its multitude of distilleries. We returned there in 2001. I love the land north of Inverness, particularly the sadly cleared Highlands of the north west.

2002 we had two weeks in Bucharest, Romania. I was teaching prospective elders a course in church history. Romania was more like the developing world than Europe. It suffered greatly form communist misrule. We were helping a Korean missionary.

2003 We had a week self catering in Instow, North Devon and a hotel week in County Durham. Three weeks were on the West Coast, the first in Canada then we motored to Los Angeles and back to Vancouver 3650 miles in 10 days' driving. The highlight was Crater Lake, Oregon.

2004 we had a week in a Kent hotel awaiting the arrival of our third granddaughter. We enjoyed a cruise on the Rhine, Cologne to Strasbourg and back. Then we were in the US, DC and states north east enjoying friends' hospitality.

2005 first with family in Kent, Yorkshire and Staffordshire. I went on my own to Timosoara, Romania by train after flying to Budapest, Hungary. This was a church visit.

2006 we had two weeks in a hotel by lake Lucerne and went to our most unfriendly church ever. If it was not for beautiful scenery no-one would go to Switzerland. Locals in Afghanistan are more friendly. We stayed with friends in Kabul then enjoyed a couple of days in Dubai. For the second time in the decade I lost a camera.

2007 I received treatment for sleep apnoea. The machine stopped me forever falling asleep. I even once fell asleep while reading aloud in house group. It also cured snoring. We enjoyed a great week in a friend's apartment in Rovinj, Istria, Croatia, our first Mediterranean holiday, a gift for our 60th birthdays. Katy retired from school teaching so we were, in midsummer, able to do what I had wanted for years, a holiday in the Outer Hebrides. We were B & B but half way through I was transferred to different accommodation, threee night in the Hospital of the isles, Stornoway. Thanks to Ealing hospital haematology changing my hypertensives without monitoring I had heart failure induced by uncontrolled hypertension. Ealing was treating me for too many red and white cells. Nevertheless I reckon the islands to be heaven on earth if the sun shines and the midges do not bite. The Golden Road on Harris had one intoxicated by the beauty of creation. Later in the year we stayed in the gold rush country of northern California and visited Yosemite. But Scotland beats them all for me. We returned to Nairn for a winter weekend and the most sumptuous wedding ever. We were told the reception cost was six figures. Too much of a good thing was wonderful. This proved to be a start of a year of weddings.

2008 After Easter we took all 14 of the family to the Pas de Calais then Katy and i went for a week with missionary friends in Belgium. We had a week in Riga, Latvia for the Wedding of a Bulgarian friend. We stayed in Durham Castle for a second wedding the Graham alone flew to Sacramento to be toastmaster at another wedding. Later we had a family wedding in Staffordshire.

2009 started with Graham suffering abdominal pain which several quacks failed to diagnose as a return of heart failure, this time caused by atrial fibrillation. Hammersmith hospital was very good. It helps to have a consultant friend. We had a week self catering in Glossop, Derbyshire hunting Katy's ancestors. Graham enjoyed a very expensive week in geneva celebrating the 500th birthday of John Calvin. A wedding took us to Ireland for a week. Finally we flew to Verona, Italy then Belgrade, Serbia. From there we went by train to Timosara, Romania before returning from Belgrade by car with hotels in Austria and Germany en route.

All in all having surveyed the decade one can say that a benefit of being older, no mortgage, most children flown the nest, is that one can travel more. I much prefer going where we have friends.

My chronic health problem is obesity. I am a comfort eater. Part of my reason for this decade's observations is the awareness that I may not reach the end of the next one. Intimations of mortality. My father died at 75 but he was fitter than me. My grandfathers were both much younger when they went. Katy has chronic neurological pain because despite two spinal operations she was not treated promptly enough by the NHS. Over the decade I have learned better how to live with spells of depression. Why it comes and goes is often a mystery but I am coping better now and am more disciplined - except in diet.

Yemen Negotiates Release of Christian Hostages

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Government Claims to Know Whereabouts of German Family and British Engineer
By Wolfgang Polzer
Special to ASSIST News Service
SANAA, (ANS) -- The government of Yemen has started negotiations for the release of six Christian hostages.

A German family of five and a British engineer are held captive in the Northern province of Saada, according to foreign minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi. He was quoted by the German television channel ARD.

Johannes and Sabine Hentschel (both 37) and their children Lydia (5), Anna (3) and Simon (1) as well as the engineer were kidnapped six months ago during an outing near Saada. They were with two German bible school students and a South Korean teacher. They were found murdered on June 12. The nine Christians had been working at the Al Jumhuri hospital in Saada.

German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle has paid a surprise visit to Yemen. After a meeting with President Ali Abdullah Saleh, January 11, Westerwelle told reporters that the Yemeni government had obtained new information about the whereabouts of the hostages. If the information was correct, it would be “hopeful news”, said the minister.

Earlier the Yemeni deputy Prime Minister Rashad al-Alaimi had confirmed reports that the hostages are in the hands of Shiite Houthi rebels. The Germans were forced to care for wounded fighters, he said. The foreign office in Berlin would neither confirm nor deny the information.

Relatives of the East German family are still cautious about the news from Yemen. The reports were just “unconfirmed rumors”, brother in law Rev. Reinhard Poetschke told the evangelical news agency “idea”.

It is not the first time that Muslim extremists have murdered hospital workers in Yemen. Two men killed three US-citizens at a Baptist hospital in Jibla, December 30, 2002. Another American was wounded. The culprits were later convicted and sentenced to death.

Yemen is one of the strictest Islamic countries. 99 percent of the 21 million
inhabitants are Muslims. Small groups of Christians gather in secret.
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

Books read in January 2010

1. Towards Islam by Alistair Duncan

Written in 1978 for Christians in contact with the Muslim world these four essays will also be informative for Muslims concerning festivals and art. A balanced non polemical presentation which I would only criticise for stating that the Koranic text has never been altered in 1400 years. This is not in line with modern textual criticism, a subject hidden from public view it seems. Also, not all Islamic art has been averse to the human form. I do not think the Mughals alone permitted it.

2. Escape from Islam by Hass Hirji Walji, Jaryl Strong

I have heard and read and even translated the testimonies of Muslims who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. This is among the best. The story is riveting. A Muslim family, in Uganda for nearly a century, experiences the horror of Amin's lawless brutality. Accepted as immigrants to America they are to their surprise welcomed by a Lutheran church with furnished housing, food and money. The author, a student, was attracted by the lives of Christians and when befriended by them wanted to convert them to Islam. Instead he was challenged by the truth of the gospel. He fought. Pushy Christians were no help but patient friends were and eventually he comes to faith with none of the dreams which are often part of Muslims' testimonies. My only slight criticism would be that there is no mention of repentance and baptism of Jesus as Lord. It is interesting the witness was through friendship and the corporate aspect of a para-church student group.

Once he told his family they threw him out. The carrot of the offer of pilgrimage to mecca did not succeed. Nor did a beating and attempted murder. He was tempted but stood firm and enjoyed a measure of family reconciliation. The gospel is clearly explained and the differences between the faiths. He centers that on Islam as a religion of legal observances while Christians know a personal relationship with the father through his Son and Spirit. A good book to give to a Muslim or a Christian seeking to understand witness to Muslims.

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Part 6 - The Church

I called this The Church not Christianity as I have a high view of the corporate nature of my faith. My view of what is church is that of the classic reformed tradition. She is catholic and apostolic, local and universal, invisible and visible, militant and triumphant and the gates of hell will not prevail against her. She is the bride of king Jesus and his appointed means to fulfill his great commission of preaching the gospel and baptising all the nations.

This decade has seen a further southward move of global Christianity. It is no longer a largely European based faith and the vitality of confession and witness had moved south especially to Africa. Western churches are increasingly paralysed by their abandonment of biblical faith. Liberals do not evangelise and grow. Evangelicals and charismatics do. So in the UK traditional liberal dominated churches have declined. Evangelicals and charismatics, black churches and Roman Catholics see growth. The Anglicans have been beset by the ordination of homosexual clergy, especially in the USA where they are now among the episcopate. Developing world Anglicanism will have no truck with this. The American church has been split and the intransigence of the face of ugly American episcopalian imperialism is likely to split the world wide Anglican communion. The Church of England is unlikely to see any significant exodus. Ever since 1662 the C of E has never expelled ministers and very few have repudiated its communion. Most who have left have moved to Rome, the natural destination from a church that was never fully reformed. Most have gone recently over women's ordination. More may go if women in England become bishops. Evangelical continue to stay. The cost of leaving is very considerable.

The Church of Scotland faces a similar crisis over ordination of homosexuals. Some there may leave but again, the cost especially in property is a consideration. The smaller Free Church would be a natural haven for these prospective refugees from the established church but exclusive psalmody would appear a real barrier. The Free Church which has also had a split and battles over property does show encouraging signs of questioning the exclusive psalmody stance which is encouraging for the prospect of its growth.

South of the border we have seen growth in the two small evangelical Presbyterian denominations. I have had two spells of two year terms as moderator of our presbytery. We have seen growth with two new congregations in England and six plants in progress. We have new congregations among Turks in Belgium and in Romania. There are plants in Romania, Italy and Azerbaijan too. The historic moment of being moderator came when we were able to have a presbytery meeting in the Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster Abbey. That also got one free admission to see all the abbey FOC.

Our local church in Ealing started the decade losing its pastor back to America then a time with no-one full time except a new graduate which I found difficult.Our pastoral search specified as high among our priorities a man with a British wife happy to settle in London. Too many Americans do not appreciate the strains involved in residence where though the language is allegedly in common, ways of living are different. A man applied who had no real tertiary education of any description so we did not invite him to preach. Dick Lucas heard and told us we had to hear him preach. We did. he has been our pastor for over six years now and we have seen unprecedented growth. He is an evangelist at heart, committed to staying until God calls him elsewhere, a godly young man with a great gift for contemporary expository preaching which attract people to the gospel. Under his ministry morning congregations have grow to more than our chapel can hold, evenings have gone from single figures to over 50, youth work has flourished and lunch time evangelistic services commenced in the Town hall. We have taken on an assistant pastor and a missionary to Farsi speakers. We have also been blessed with two Mission to the World families settling and the men being called as elders. Our denominations worked has also been blessed by other colleagues from the PCA working in England and other European countries. Our own session now numbers six men. Note we still are male. The only two things that prohibit consideration for eldership in our denomination are being female or a Baptist. The first qualification happily goes against the trends of the world which have invaded churches. We still believe in a male headship of loving servant authority in the spheres of family and church.

The second qualification led to the secession of most of our largest congregation. The elders wanted to ordain Baptists as elders in what was a Presbyterian church. Failing over several years to resolve the situation all the elders and most of the congregation left. Of course Baptists can be elders. But not in a church called Presbyterian.

As a denomination I do not think we have been beset by problems from emergent church, new perspective on Paul or Federal Vision. Theonomy, never a problem for us, seems to have gone downhill with the departure of RJR.

The demons of elf and safety and other arcane legislation ire upon us. Pot luck lunches are deemed unhealthy lest some visitor is poisoned. CRB checks are for all, even some of us who do not minister to children. Windows must be in all church doors. Queen Elizabeth would not have them in men's souls but the state must have them in our doors together with No Smoking signs in buildings where no visitor has ever been seen smoking. In a society not ruled by ten commandments our laws are legion.


The development of our church site has been blighted by the uncertainties of the property market. The old convent building next to us is derelict. The Chinese Embassy never gave us the requested opportunity of first refusal. It went through a couple of property developer, one of whom in total disregard of a preservation order, felled the pine tree which was over 100 years old and next to our chapel. The church though feels constrained not to repeat the procedure with one tree which will be in the way of any proposed redevelopment.

After it was declared that our last PM did not do God, it appears that our public sector is with him. Christians are increasingly marginalised. Registrars cannot opt out of the unchristian civil unions, counsellors cannot opt out from advising homosexuals in perverted acts, teachers and health care professionals offering to pray for or bless the needy face dismissal. Preachers who openly oppose homosexuality or Islam face arrest. Those who complain about public promotion of homosexuality are visited by Plod. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

Most notable loss of the decade: Ed Clowney, friend, theologian and preacher par excellence. Anniversary of the decade, Calvin 500 in Geneva which I attened in July 2009.

North Korea Top Persecutor of Christians for Eighth Straight Time

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA reports on Sunday, January 10, 2010

North Korea Top Persecutor of Christians for Eighth Straight Time
Iran Jumps to Second Spot on Open Doors World Watch List

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries
SANTA ANA, CA (ANS) -- Two of the most notorious and restrictive regimes in the world top the Open Doors 2010 World Watch List (WWL) of 50 countries which are the worst persecutors of Christians.

According to an Open Doors USA news release, North Korea is in the No. 1
Kim Jong-Il

spot for the eighth straight time. This reclusive country declares that every religious activity is recognized as an insurrection to the North Korean socialist principles.

In 2009, the North Korean regime of Kim Jong-Il targeted Christians all over the country. That resulted in arrests, torture and killings. North Korean leaders are desperately trying to control society in order to eradicate all Christian activities. There are an estimated 200,000 North Koreans in political prisons, including 40,000 to 60,000 Christians.

A veteran North Korean watcher, who can’t be identified due to security reasons, states: “Christians are the target of fierce government action, and once caught, are not regarded as human. Last year we had evidence that some were used as guinea pigs to test chemical and biological weapons.”

Iran is now No. 2 on the list. Iran was previously No. 3 on the WWL for many years, behind Saudi Arabia. The wave of arrests of Christians which started in 2008 continued even stronger during 2009, resulting in the arrest of at least 85 Christians. It is suspected that the arrests are a way for the Iranian government to distract attention from internal problems, including the domestic turmoil after the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Most of those arrested were mistreated in prison. The turmoil and rioting continued at the end of 2009.

Of the countries on the top 10 list, eight have Islam as their dominant religion – Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Maldives, Afghanistan, Yemen, Mauritania and Uzbekistan. North Korea and Laos are communist countries. Also, 35 of the 50 countries on the list have Islamic governments.

“It is certainly not a shock that North Korea is No. 1 on the list of countries where Christians face the worst persecution,” says Carl Moeller, President/CEO of Open Doors USA. “There is no other country in the world where Christians are persecuted in such a horrible and systematic manner. Three generations of a family are often thrown into prison when one member is incarcerated.

“Iran jumping to No. 2 is noteworthy. Iranian Muslim Background Believers Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirzadeh were arrested simply for being Christians and refusing to recant their faith in Jesus Christ. They were released almost two months ago, helped by an advocacy campaign by Open Doors and other Christian organizations. But these two brave women along with hundreds of other believers still remain at risk inside Iran.”

Moeller adds that despite the growth of persecution in many regions of the world, Christianity continues to flourish. “There is a strong group of Christians in North Korea and actually the number of Christians in North Korea has grown in the last 10 years. Many are coming to Christ in the Muslim World. But we need to continue to embrace them in prayer in 2010.”

Saudi Arabia at No. 3 remains unchanged in the situation of religious freedom for Christians. However, no reports of Christians killed or physically harmed for their faith were received, and only one report of a Christian arrested was noted.

Open Doors USA says that Somalia moved up one spot to the No. 4 position as religious freedom for Christians became worse. In April the Parliament voted unanimously to institute Islamic law.

Rounding out the top 10 are Maldives No. 5, followed by Afghanistan, Yemen, Mauritania, Laos and Uzbekistan.

The Yemeni Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but it also declares that Islam is the state religion and that Sharia Law is the source of all legislation. The Yemeni government allows expatriates some freedom to live out their faith, but Yemeni citizens are not allowed to convert to Christianity (or other religions). Converts from Islamic background may face the death penalty if their new faith is discovered. Last June nine expatriate Christian health workers were kidnapped by armed men. A few days later the mutilated bodies of three of them were found. The fate of the remaining six aid workers remains unknown.

New to the top 10 this year is the North African country of Mauritania, holding the No. 8 position. Mauritania jumped 10 spots, the biggest increase of any country in the poll. The situation deteriorated due to the murder of a Christian aid worker in June 2009, the arrest and torture of 35 Mauritanian Christians in July and the arrest of a group of 150 of sub-Saharan Christians in August.

The lone country to drop out of the top 10 list is the tiny African country of Eritrea, which fell from No. 9 to No. 11. Open Doors recorded fewer reports on persecution of Christians in Algeria, India, Cuba, Jordan, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, which dropped from No. 41 to No. 48 – the biggest improvement of any country in 2009.

The World Watch List, started by the Open Doors Research Department in 1991, seeks to understand the unique persecution fingerprint of each country. This is to ensure effective intervention since Open Doors ministers to the persecuted church in more than 45 countries worldwide. The data is derived from a questionnaire containing 53 questions sent to Open Doors co-workers, key church leaders and recognized experts in 70 countries. The questionnaire examines every aspect of persecution, including the degree of legal restriction, state attitudes, how free the church is to organize itself, as well as noting incidents of persecution, such as church burnings, anti-Christian riots and even martyrdom. Open Doors is uniquely positioned to provide this research as it is the world’s largest mission agency working on behalf of the persecuted.

For more information, including a list of all 50 countries, go to www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.

(For more information or to set up an interview, contact Jerry Dykstra at 616-915-4117 or email jerryd@odusa.org).

Woody Allen - christiansquoting.org.uk

In California, they don't throw their garbage away - they make it into TV shows.~Woody Allen

In my house I'm the boss, my wife is just the decision maker. - Woody Allen

Some drink deeply from the river of knowledge. Others only gargle.---Woody Allen

There are two types of people in this world: good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more. Woody Allen

You can judge a society by the kind of people it celebrates. - Woody Allen

It (sex) was the most fun I ever had without laughing. -- Woody Allen, Annie Hall

Eighty percent of success is showing up --Woody Allen in Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman _In Search of Excellence_(1982)

I've often said, the only thing standing between me and greatness is me. -- Woody Allen, New Yorker 1996

The Westminster Assembly

This was my talk given on the 350th anniversary of the Westminster Assembly and repeated at a special place in 2003 the the form below. Click on the title for photos.

The Westminster Assembly
In February 2003 the First Presbytery of the International Presbyterian Church in England was privileged to meet in the Jerusalem Chamber of Westminster Abbey, by kind permission of the Dean of Westminster. As moderator of the presbytery I gave this short address on the significance of our meeting place.

Believing that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, and that God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth, we know that ever since the curtain of the Temple was ripped from top to bottom, there have been no holy places. However, there are places of special historic significance, For us Presbyterians, the Jerusalem Chamber is the special of special places., not holy, but very special.

In 1647 the newspaper 'Perfect occurrences of everyday journal in parliament' had something of a scoop. It was the first ever newspaper advert. It was for a book, 'The divine right of church government' This was indeed a different age to our own but it was the most formative one in English history . That was the verdict of historian Christopher
Hill on the 17th century. in general and 1640-50 in particular.

1643 was a year after civil war started in England. In 1642 in the battle at Edgehill there was no clear victory for Charles I nor for Parliament. The king was victorious at Marlborough , Parliament at Winchester, and Turnham Green In 1643 Bristol, Bradford, Grantham Leeds, Reading Warfield, and Gainsborough all saw parliamentary forces victorious.
Theatres were closed, income & property taxes introduced, Hobbes was writing and
Milton too was busy with "The doctrine and discipline of divorce", Rembrandt painting in Holland and in Italy, Galileo died, This year , Isaac Newton was born. Coffee drinking was popular in Paris, Four colonies formed the Confederation of
New England, Tasmania and New Zealand were discovered, Portugal ceded the Gold Coast, now Ghana, to the Dutch. Gillespie, a Scottish commissioner to the Westminster Assembly, said an age of righteousness was to be inaugurated as per the prophet Ezekiel and it could be could be 1643. There was much millennial fever. This was the age of the Westminster Confession.

Our elders' ordination promise is 'To sincerely receive and adopt the Westminster Confession as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures and to approve of the Presbyterian form of church government.' The confession is our subordinate standard after Scripture. The early church formulated the catholic creeds. The Reformation produced national confessions, but in 1618-19, the Synod of Dordt received as true by all reformed churches.

In 1643 England and Scotland were two different countries with one king. Both were united in hatred of Archbishop Laud who was imprisoned in 1641 and executed in 1645. In November 1641 the Long Parliament wanted to ban bishops and have representatives of both countries plus some from abroad to consider 'all things necessary for the peace and good government of the church'. A synod was to report to Parliament. Charles refused assent. The bill was passed without. Royal consent and 1st July 1643 was set for 'an assembly of learned and godly divines and others to be consulted with the
Parliament, for the setting of the government and liturgy of the Church of England' The Assembly met in the Henry VII Chapel of Westminster Abbey. By October it was very cold so they moved to the Jerusalem Chamber. Nearly all saw society as one
with none of modern concept of separation of church from state. They held a Puritan vision of a united Reformed Christendom as previously it was Catholic. All of England was to live in obedience to God. They wanted a national church establishment to encourage national obedience in a united society. Theirs was a different. view of the coercive power of church councils from today. They saw the entire nation to be in covenant with God. The future of the nation, not merely the church was involved.
All members were Calvinists. There were121 divines, all Church of England ministers, plus four Scottish commissioners, 10 Lords and 21 Members of Parliament.
Some didn't come because of the king, e.g. Archbishop Ussher. They met in theJerusalem Chamber until 23.March 16.52, first to revise the 39 articles of the Church of England. But the Scots, Baillie Gillespie, Rutherford and Henderson had sworn to uniform reform by the National Covenant of 1638. Baxter was not there
But said for eminent learning godliness, ministerial abilities and fidelity it was the best Synod, together with Dordt, since the days of the apostles. They had 1163 meetings.
The Scots with the right to speak but not to vote were influential for the divine
right of presbytery. The majority of the English said that Presbyterianism was most agreeable to the Word of God though their church had been Episcopalian, They were not prelatists, seeing bishops are princes of the church but as overseers of several churches. Many were still for moderate episcopacy. Some became Presbyterian.
Independents numbered 5 only, among them Goodwin and Nye . All had been exiled to Netherlands and had links with American Colonies. They were not separatists but accepted establishment though not as strongly as New England. Theirs was an influence beyond their numerical strength in the Assembly, possibly because they enjoyed widespread support in the Army, right up to Cromwell himself. There were no Baptists of any kind nor separatists who wanted no link between church and state. There were though Erastians, Coleman Lightfoot with Selden MP. They believed that pastors are teachers not church rulers. Authority rests with the state. The state is the final arbiter of discipline, excommunication. The church is under state authority. This was the view of many in Parliament. The Assembly was called by Parliament, and prohibited from publishing anything without parliamentary approval. Parliament could and did alter the All Assembly participants had implicit Erastianism.

They took an oath to maintain doctrine "most agreeable to the Word of God" and discipline "most to the glory of God and the good and peace of His Church."
Dissent was allowed but it was to be reported to parliament. Plenary sessions met and committees, Monday to -Friday, 9 to 2 except fast days. They met less frequently later. In the first year they debated meeting on December. 25th as the Scots wanted to decry
superstition and so they did meet on what had formerly been Christmas day. Initially there were three afternoon committees. Members were assigned to one but free to
go to any. All eventually discussed the same material. The Grand Committee, a joint one with the Scots, had about 20 members to report to parliament.
Baillie complained of "the unhappy and unammendable prolixity of these people,
inclined to differ from all the world and from one another and shortly from
themselves. No people had so much need of a presbytery." This Scottish opinion of the English is still relevant today. There was wearisome procrastination. It was difficult to progress in orderly fashion because of members' diversity and state influence. The
English had looked to civil authority for unity and order, but the Scots to the church. Baillie said weekly preaching before parliament and on Fast Days was with profound reverence that took the edge off all exhortation and made all applications to them toothless and adulatorous. There was a battle over liberty versus order. It spread to all society. The Scots were stricter than the English. No one said parliament was restricted to civil matters only.

Concern was raised at a book by Williams, The Bloody Tenet of persecution for cause of conscience, published 1644, and at Milton on Divorce. Palmer suggested the result of Willims' teaching would be all manners of heresies. Every man Jew, Turk, pagan, papist, Arminian, Anabaptist, would to be left to his own free liberty of conscience. Milton wrote his Areopagitica for such liberty of expression.

The Solemn League and Covenant pledged to maintain Presbyterianism in Scotland and reform the churches of England and Ireland according to Scripture and the examples of 'the best reformed churches'. Parliament and the Assembly signed it in September 1643. There was to be a uniform reformation in doctrine, order and worship. It was the price Parliament had to pay for Scotland's help against Charles I . This was why the Scottish commissioners were present. Later the political alliance failed and by 1650, the future Charles II was signing the Solemn League and Covenant, so he could enlist Scots support against Parliament.

Between July and October 1643 revising the Assembly was revising the 39 Articles. By 24 April 1644 a directory for ordination and proposition for church government was finished. It was not accepted by parliament but was by the Church of Scotland. There was church discipline for drunkenness, swearing, blasphemy, image worship, duels, dancing, gambling, Sabbath breaking, going to mediums. extortion, bribery and fraud. In
1644 a big parliament victory at Marston Moor established the authority of Oliver Cromwell. His secret was his disciplined cavalry, the only ones who would reform and charge again instead of the customary cavalry habit of riding off after one charge in order to loot the enemy's baggage train. "God made them as stubble to our swords", Cromwell would write. He was a godly man with a keen sense of the providence of God in all events. His army took York. The Queen fled to France. That year Rutherford published Lex Rex, to show God's law rules, even over Kings. But the assembly was bogged down in eclessiology. There was a breach in the spring of 1645 between Presbyterians and Independents. It is significant that this happened when the army triumphed. In 1645 Naseby, Bristol, Winchester, Carlisle, Basingstoke were all victories for Lt-General Cromwell.

1645 accepted the Directory for Public Worship by the churches and parliament. It was not a liturgy. Preaching was emphasised. Parliament told the Assembly to go on to the Confession and stop the church government. debate. There was trouble over the relation of church courts to parliament and Chapter 30 declared the church free from
parliament overruling excommunication. This clash with the Erastian parliament reopened the church government dispute. The Assembly never formally answered parliament's queries. The Confession's most notable omission is any clear statement of Presbyterian church government. This is understandable once one knows the history of conflict in the Assembly and with parliament.

1646 saw Oxford fall and Charles captured. The Confession not the Assembly's prime task but it was done by April 1647. The king at Carisbrooke agreed to abolish
Episcopacy and restore Presbyterianism. November 5th 1647 saw the completion of the Shorter Catechism. On 13 October 1647 Parliament established a Presbyterian Church of England for one year but Cromwell did not favour this.
14.April 1648 the Longer catechism was finished and approved by the Church of Scotland. But by now Scotland and England were at war. The English were victorious at. Preston and later at Dunbar

1649 saw civil approval of the Westminster Standards in Scotland .Bur when Charles was executed the Scots proclaimed his son king in Edinburgh.
22 February 1649 was the end of the Assembly's numbered sessions but until it continued until 16 52 as ministerial training committee.

In 1660 a modified, less Presbyterian version of the Confession was accepted by parliament but the mood had changed in England by this time 2 years after Cromwell had died

1658 saw the Savoy Declaration, the Congregational confession and in 1689 Baptist Confession Both based on the Westminster Confession. In 1729 it was adopted by the original synod in North America

Now or Confession enjoys the voluntary adhesion of multitudes where this English nation failed to confess it. Now liberals fail to confess while we fail to teach it. Our Confession is a product of its age. But what an age, and what a product.

Solei Deo Gloria

Churches Attacked In Malaysia

Friday, January 8, 2010 Developing story by Michelle MY Chan
Special to ASSIST News Service
KUALA LUMPUR, WEST MALAYSIA (ANS) -- Three churches were attacked here in the early hours of yesterday morning, an act which had been linked to a High Court ruling to allow the use of the word Allah in Christian publications.
None were injured in the attacks on Metro Tabernacle, Assumption Catholic Church and the Life Chapel (Brethren) Church, but the incident caused a stir of unease throughout the country, where the High Court on 31st December 2009 allowed the publication of the word Allah.
The country’s Home Ministry, which had initiated court proceedings, had appealed against the decision, and applied for a stay of execution which had been granted.
Meanwhile, Muslim groups unhappy with the court’s decision planned nationwide protests, which were allowed by the government. The attack on churches happened after permission was granted to hold protests.
..
Metro Tabernacle, an Assemblies of God denomination, had the first of its three-floor building gutted by a homemade firebomb. The other two churches discovered Molotov cocktails that failed to explode on their church grounds.
The Allah controversy in Malaysia interlinks the political, judiciary and religious landscapes. The debate has escalated with furore online, with arguments from both sides over the exclusivity of the word. Muslim groups are concerned that the usage of Allah in bibles will cause confusion to Muslims as to who God is.
The word Allah had been used in pre-Islam times as a translation for “God”, according to the Bible Society of Malaysia. In a statement, it said that Christians in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei - and other places in Asia and Africa where languages are in contact with Arabic - have been using the word Allah to refer to the “Creator God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In Malay and Indonesian, the word Allah has been used continuously: first, in the printed edition of the Matthew’s Gospel in Malay (Ruyl, 1629); then, in the first complete Malay Bible (Leijdecker, 1733), and in the second complete Malay Bible (Klinkert, 1879) and the translations since.
Across the South China Sea in East Malaysia (Borneo), indigenous tribes had embraced Christianity and used Allah in their bibles for many decades.

The controversy and subsequent outbreak of violence on churches have caused concern, amid the police requesting the public to keep calm.
In a press statement, the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), said, “It should be noted that in both East and West Malaysia, there are many churches conducting their religious services in Malay as well as in their own mother tongues. The use of the word Allah is in consonant with their traditional usage all these while and should be continued in the interest of preserving national unity and harmony.”
NECF urged all parties to uphold the court's decision and not to turn the issue into a religious debate nor politicized as a racial or religious affair. “The High Court decision should be respected for its bold and rational judgment based on sound constitutional principles and due considerations,” it continued.
Prayer Points by NECF:
1. Body of Christ in Malaysia to rise up and stand in the gap for peace, order and calmness in the nation. Diffuse all confusion, speculation and subdue all voices that promote unrest and tension.
2. Church leaders and Body of Christ to be clear-minded and filled with His love, wisdom and courage in the midst of intimidation.
3. Forgiveness and conviction on the part of those responsible.
4. Protection upon all churches and Christians in the nation.
5. Quick and decisive action on part of enforcement authorities, and for understanding and peace to prevail.
6. Uphold the Prime Minister, Home Minister and leaders of the country for wisdom to handle the current situation, and for God’s will to prevail.
Note:
Malaysia consists of West (Peninsula) Malaysia and East Malaysia (Borneo). It is a multi-racial country with a constitution that protects the freedom of religion for its citizens, while Islam is the official religion.
However, it also has a dual judicial system, with the federal courts operating alongside the Syariah (Muslim) courts. Matters relating to a Muslim individual’s religion are often referred to the Syariah court. Under Syariah law it is very difficult to leave the religion.
Christians make up about 10% of the population. Buddhists and Hindus complete the religious landscape.
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The Most Newsworthy Events of 2009

Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary lists these.
1. The Inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States
2. The Uprising in Iran
3. The Travail of the Global Economy
4. The Death of Michael Jackson and the Nation's Addiction to Celebrity
5. The Rise of Twitter and the Growing Domination of Social Media
6. The Battle over Heath Care Reform
7. The Leftward March of Liberal Protestantism
8. The Climate Summit in Copenhagen
9. The Swine Flu Epidemic and the New International Hygiene
10. The Spotlight on Private Scandals and Public Consequences

I am English so mine are different. I will also choose from an individual Christian perspective as if I was a news editor.

1. The banking scandal. Not just the bonuses and pensions but stealing our money while cheques clear.
2. Parliamentary expenses scandal. Too many snouts in too big a trough.
3. Anti-Christian, secularist dhimmi media bias, especially the BEEB.
4. The Islamist threat compounded by the human rights act.
5. Loss of British lives in Afghanistan where Christians have to be in secret.
6. The scandal of membership of an undemocratic super state which has no audited accounts.
7. The rise of the Nutories and the decline of Nulabour with the rats wanting to change the captain of a sinking ship but no party wanting to roll back the state and dependency culture.
8. The loss of freedom of speech due to hate crime folly.
9. A thermosceptic climate mania critique.
10. The southward move of Christian orthodoxy.

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Part 5 - Technology and Science

When I was a child in the fifties I thought how the world had changed since my grandparents were young. The major revolution was in transportation, going from horses on the ground to jets in the air. How could the world change so much in my lifetime? The answer is in the technology of communication. When I was young there was not even a phone in the house. Now everyday life is interrupted by the noise of others on their mobiles. We had no TV. After we got one around 1959 there were no live broadcasts from other continents. I remember the first live broadcast from the US via the Goonhilly Down receiver. Now geostationary satellites inform my Sat Nav. Getting a GPS has been one of my advances this decade.

But the advance of the decade is broadband. I was on dial up 10 years ago. Now we are quicker. Skype is a new boon. New friends are now on Facebook.

In science the major debate is global warming. I write in the coldest time in England for 37 years. We are told this is weather not climate. Climate change seems to be a non-falsifiable article of faith for many. The media bombard us with it. We are told it is eithical to travel. We are to save the planet. The government bombards us with advertisements and relishes the imposition of green taxes the way the 18th century one taxed windows. Children feel their future threatened. I am a thermosceptic. There is warming but there always have been cycles. Is it to do with CO2 emissions. I doubt it as mars is warming up too and they have no emissions from fossil fuels. I am as sceptical about scientists predicting the future as about them pontificating on the unobservable past. For that reason, that science can say nothing without observation I am also a sceptic about evolutionism. Natural selection is observable. The start of the universe was not. The former is science. The latter is mere speculation. God only knows. He alone observed and gave us His account. I put not my trust in princes nor in scientists like Dawkins when they stray beyond their fields of competence.

SECRET - Conservative & Unionist/UKIP Deal ???

Alliance for Democracy Bulletin by Steve Uncles


CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP IN SECRET DEAL TO OUST BERCOW

A highly ranked source on UKIP's NEC (UKIP's governing body) has
confirmed the existence of a deal between the Conservative
leadership and Nigel Farage, ex-leader of UKIP and currently the
UKIP leader in the European Parliament.

Apparently Farage is being secretly backed by the Tory
leadership, as a proxy, to oust John Bercow, Speaker of the
House.

John Bercow is very unpopular with the Conservative
Parliamentary Party for his expressed sympathies for
'New Labour'. His election to the office of Speaker was only
possible because of overwhelming support from the Parliamentary
Labour Party, calculated to embarrass the Conservative front
bench.

John Bercow's wife has also confirmed her ambition to represent
Labour in the Commons, which has caused further irritation
amongst Conservative MPs.

According to the UKIP NEC member: "If the wheeler-dealer Farage
is elected, Bercow will lose his seat. Farage will then resign
shortly afterwards, creating a by-election which the
Conservatives will win, thereby adding to their number in what
may be an extremely thin Conservative majority or possibly a
hung Parliament."

Under new rules, MPs are not permitted to serve in the European
Parliament. Farage would be loath to resign his European
Parliamentary seat and the generous salary, perks and allowances
he receives, and not least his co-leadership of one of the
groupings within the Parliament. He will therefore resign his
Westminster seat, repeating a claim he has often stated that
real power lies in the EU anyway.

The existence of such a deal is likely to cause disagreement
within UKIP. Already, UKIP’s new leader, Lord Pearson, has faced
considerable opposition from rank-and-file membership. This
follows the revelation of a deal where Pearson proposed to stand
UKIP down in the general election in return for a promise by the
Conservatives to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The
Conservatives dismissed the approach, which will have been made
with Farage's knowledge.

This time, however, the Conservative leadership is particularly
keen to see the back of John Bercow.

According to sources in the local Conservative Constituency
Association in Buckingham, "Something untoward is going on
behind the scenes but if it is true Farage is involved, we
must appreciate that he is heavily tainted in his own expenses'
controversy involving £2m. He is not someone we would want to
represent Buckingham, deal or no deal."

Our source speculates that if Farage is elected in Buckingham
and then duly resigns, he will receive a Peerage a year or two
later. Under the new rules, Peers are permitted to sit in the
European Parliament.

Equality Bill Petition

I wish to alert you to amendments to the Equality Bill that are to be voted on in the House of Lords on 14th Jan which potentially will take away the right of every citizen to live according to their religious faiths and consciences, especially with regard to employment and the way their places of worship operate. The Equality Bill will strike out all exemptions on the basis of religion which will mean that all will have to conform to secularist values and ideology. Whether in our places of worship, the workplace and even the home.
Please sign the on- line petition to the Prime minister asking for the removal of Schedule 9, Paragraph 2, subsection 8 of the Equality Bill which can be found at: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/harryhammond/
This petition reaches out not just to Christians, who will be most affected by this legislation, but to people of all faiths and none: all those who value the freedoms that have cost the lives of millions of our ancestors over many centuries to live according to their consciences. We are looking for at least a million signatures by the 14th of Jan but the petition will remain open until the election, in three months time, so as to send a strong message to the contesting parties.
By not signing the petition you are inviting your own oppression.

The Equality Bill's employment provisions reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of faith and the religious life. To commit oneself to a faith or follow a religion is much more than to give intellectual assent to a particular set of doctrinal propositions or express a desire to worship in particular ways. In their truest form the life of faith, the religious life, is just that - a way of living in which people manifest the values and beliefs about God and humankind. These values and beliefs are incorporated into the lifestyle of persons following a religion; they are not an 'optional extra to formal worship and/or doctrinal instruction. So to attempt to separate behaviour, ethics and way of life from 'doctrine' or 'formal worship' is to strike at the heart of what constitutes faith. To insist on such a distinction in law, as the Equality Bill's current proposal does, is actually to deny people the fundamental right to freedom of worship and religion.

The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 provide exceptions relating to sexual orientation where the employment is for the purposes of organized religion.

The Church of England and the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales have pointed out that if enacted the current bill will restrict the 2003 regulations substantially so that they only apply to employment where it concerns formal worship activities (liturgy) or the promotion or explanation of doctrine.

There is a range of posts, paid or voluntary, where it is essential that a religious organisation should have the right to prefer a candidate whose life is in accordance with its ethos (with particular reference to its requirements for sexual conduct). For example, youth workers are specifically stated in the guidance notes of the Equality Bill as not being covered by the narrowed exemption. Leading worship and teaching doctrine is in most cases not the main task of youth workers. The proposed legislation could leave organizations in the unacceptable position of having a person leading worship services or teaching doctrine among young people who does not comply with the sexual ethos they are required to teach.

The Bill could result in the legal obligation to employ individuals whose sexual practice or beliefs are directly opposed to the teaching which the organization professes and follows. The Bill as drafted would deny to religious organizations the freedoms afforded to others, for example political parties, to employ only those who comply with their beliefs and values.

We therefore invite you to sign the enclosed petition and encourage others so to do.
As people from all walks of life, political parties, professions and religious faiths, we the undersigned have joined together to commit ourselves to reaffirm the value and necessity of religious and civil liberty and the rights of conscience across the UK today.

We believe that religion and civil liberty must include the right to live and speak according to one's conscience privately and in the public sphere, both individually and collectively, without harassment or the fear of civil or criminal penalty.

In particular, we ask that the current employment provisions set out in Schedule 9, Paragraph 2, subsection 8 of the Equality Bill (the occupational requirements relating to sex, marriage and sexual orientation for the purposes of organised religion) be removed. These restrict the rights of religious bodies to employ personnel who conform to their teachings only if their duties are confined to worship activities or the explanation of doctrine.

The proposed subsection mistakenly set out in Schedule 9, Paragraph 2, subsection 8 of the Equality Bill seeks to deny integrity and authentic practical religion by separating religious belief and observance from behaviour and denies to religious groups rights that are extended to all other organisations, to employ only those who conform to their beliefs, practices and ethos.
The petition reads as follows:
Remove the current employment provisions set out in Schedule 9, Paragraph 2, subsection 8 of the Equality Bill (the occupational requirements relating to sex, marriage and sexual orientation for the purposes of organised religion). These restrict the rights of religious bodies to employ personnel who conform to their teachings only if their duties are confined to worship activities or the explanation of doctrine.
As people from all walks of life, political parties, professions and religious faiths, we the undersigned have joined together to commit ourselves to reaffirm the value and necessity of religious and civil liberty and the rights of conscience across the UK today.

We believe that religion and civil liberty must include the right to live and speak according to one's conscience privately and in the public sphere, both individually and collectively, without harassment or the fear of civil or criminal penalty.


The proposed employment provisions set out in Schedule 9, Paragraph 2, subsection 8 of the Equality Bill (the occupational requirements relating to sex, marriage and sexual orientation for the purposes of organised religion) mistakenly seeks to deny integrity and authentic practical religion by separating religious belief and observance from behaviour and denies to religious groups rights that are extended to all other organisations, to employ only those who conform to their beliefs, practices and ethos.

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Part 4 - The English are all criminals until proven otherwise.

The presumption of innocence – being considered innocent until proven guilty – is a legal right that the accused in criminal trials has in both countries This presumption is seen to stem from the Latin legal principle that ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat (the burden of proof rests on who asserts, not on who denies committed the crime with which he is charged. The presumption of innocence is in fact a legal instrument created by the law to favor the accused based on the legal inference that most people are not criminals—whether the crime charged was committed and whether the defendant was the person who committed the crime—the state has the entire burden of proof.
With respect to the critical facts of the case, the defendant does not have any burden of proof whatsoever. The defendant does not have to testify, call witnesses or present any other evidence, and if the defendant elects not to testify or present evidence, this decision cannot be used against him.
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of the Council of Europe says (art. 6.2): “Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law”. This convention has been adopted by treaty and is binding on all Council of Europe members.
In the United Kingdom, statue law provides for criminal penalties for failing to decrypt data on request from the Police. If the suspect is unwilling (or unable) to do so, it is an offence. [6] Citizens can therefore be convicted and imprisoned without any proof that the encrypted material was unlawful. Further, the onus is on the defendant to decrypt the data, and having lost the key or the password is not considered reasonable excuse.
Modern practices aimed at curing social ills may run against presumption of innocence. Some civil rights activists feel that pre-employment drug testing, while legal, violates this principle, as potential employees are presumed to be users of illegal drugs, and must prove themselves innocent through the test..

More pressing for me is that in England I am now a paedophile, money launderer and illegal immigrant unless I prove otherwise..

After the murder of two young girls in Soham, a crime which could have been prevented if police forces shared information, anyone working with children has to have a criminal Records Bureau Check. Our church complied. You correspondent resisted as he has no more contact with church children than does any visitor to our fellowship. But the church needed to register with the Charity Commission. They require all church charity trustees to have a CRB check. Elders are ex officio trustees. So in what I regard as an interference of state in church, this elder has had to have a CRB check. I was not aware that the pastoral Epistles list this as a qualification to be a presbyter. Of course once you introduce silly laws stupidity knows no bounds. If you pass a CRB check for your church you will have to take another for any other contact you have elsewhere with children. It turns out someone with a resemblance to me has a criminal record so my CRB clearance requires fingerprinting. Does Plod really have a record of someone with my full name and the same date and place of birth?

After 9/11, to prevent money laundering by Islamists, I have to have my identity checked when opening a bank account and even to give money to my son to buy a house. The latest fiasco I unearthed when I was told to check the identity of all my employees. I asked it this was only non British citizens. No I was informed. Equal Opportunities means you must have ID from everyone and best check it each year.

I am also suspected of drink driving. Plod can pull me over at any time for no reason whatsoever and make me blow into a breathalyser.

I nearly forgot. I am a suspect terrorist too. I photographed the pub after I took my stall for lunch there. I was questioned by a police officer as to why I was using my camera. The Chief Rabbi’s office is down the street and Islamists placed a bomb there some fifteen years ago. Well I suppose I do have a big beard as well as a camera.

Our innocence has gone. A bishop about to place his hands on a child to give his blessing was shocked to hear the child say,'Get your hands off me dirty old man'. A cardinal archbishop no less was told by parents they had trained their child not to accept an embrace from any stranger when their toddler ran from his approach. We have become an unfriendly police state.

Last of all my professional competence is questioned. When I qualified as a pharmacist, that was it. No more checks. Now there is annual fitness to practice declaration, compulsory continuing education and a paper trail for all my activities including an annual report of written complains when I have never had one in 41 years since I qualified. I have to make an annual survey of customer satisfaction when anyone not satisfied can merely go to the next pharmacy. The country is run by bureaucrats to keep public sector bums on seats. All professions are expected to do more writing about work than actual work. Trust is no more.

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Part 3. Where is freedom of speech today?

Back in the mid sixties I was an undergraduate in London studying pharmacy. One of my friends in hall of residence was a post-doctoral student from the then Czechoslovakia. One day I asked him what one thing from England he would like to take home. He told me it was Speakers Corner, Hyde Park.

The UK has long been home to freedom of speech. In the 19th century Karl Marx and Engels found liberty here when hounded out of Germany for revolutionary views. England is now a refuge for many Islamists who face persecution in their own lands. But now our freedoms are being eroded. Supposed hate speech laws are restricting public discourse. Even our supposed free press is afraid. Why else did no-one here have the courage of Denmark to publish the Mohammed cartoons? They were afraid of the consequences. These days, if a Christian street preach dares to mention Islam or homosexuality in a critical manner he or she may face arrest. Nor only preachers are at risk. A hotelier expressed to a Muslim guest his criticism of Islam. He is to be prosecuted for religiously aggravated public disorder. So I think I must be careful what I write here.

It is also reported that we will soon come under an EU law which means that if I publicly read Bible texts on homosexual sin and someone is offended, I may be charged with hate speech and the burden will be on me to prove it not hateful. The offence to the complainant will be being accepted as he or she has complained. This is an intolerable affront to the legal presumption of innocence until proven guilty. As a Christian I believe God alone knows our hearts, so for courts to judge motivation as aggravating some crimes is a peering into men's souls which no human court is competent to do. Recently a homosexual friend was beaten up walking home. I asked if it was a homophobic attack. He said he did not know. He agreed with me that his attackers’ motivation was irrelevant. If found guilty they should be sentenced according to the severity of the assault. Why they may have done it was irrelevant unless their was robbery too.

Twenty three years ago I started out in local politics because I was against my local council telling schoolchildren that homosexuality was an equally valid lifestyle choice. Mrs Thatcher passed a law prohibiting local councils from promoting homosexuality. Blair repealed the law and he has the support of present leader of the Conservatives. I left that party when it departed from Christian sexual ethics. Things I then openly talked about in public will now be regarded as criminal offences.

A Christian pensioner, Mrs Pauline Howe, 67, said she was the victim of a number of sexually explicit verbal attacks while she handed out Christian leaflets a a gay pride parade.
So she he complained to the Chief Executive of Norwich City Council because of the abuse she suffered at the homosexual carnival in the city on 25 July.
Two police officers came knocking on her door saying her letter was homophobic and might be be treated a ‘hate incident’.
Mrs Howe had written.“It is the public display of such indecency on the streets of Norwich which is so offensive to God and to many Norwich residents.”
She used biblical language to describe homosexual acts saying, they had contributed to the downfall of empires and that they were a cause of sexually transmitted infections .
Bridget Buttinger, deputy chief executive at the council, wrote to Mrs Howe , warning that she could face the charge of a criminal offence for such views.
“As a local authority we have a duty along with other public bodies to eliminate discrimination of all kinds,” she wrote.
“A hate incident is any incident that is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by prejudice or hatred. A hate crime is any hate incident that constitutes a criminal offence.The content of your letter has been assessed as potentially being hate related because of the views you expressed towards people of a certain sexual orientation.Your details and details of the content of your letter have been recorded as such and passed to the Police.”
The police defended the decision to send officers to question Mrs Howe. They said anything reported as a crime must be investigated.
Where is freedom of speech today?

SWISS MINARET BAN - LEADS TO THREATS AGAINST CHRISTIANS

Barnabbas Fund reports 'While Muslim leaders are criticising the Swiss vote to ban the construction of minarets in Switzerland, Christians in some Muslim-majority countries face severe restrictions on the building and repair of churches. In countries such as Saudi Arabia and the Maldives there are no church buildings at all. In a number of other countries, there are church buildings for foreigners but none for the indigenous Christians themselves.

The referendum decision on 29 November 2009 in Switzerland is beginning to have ramifications in other countries around the world. In Egypt there has been a huge outcry against the Swiss decision, which concerned only minarets, not mosques themselves. But Egypt is a country where it is normally extremely difficult for Christians to get permission to build new churches or even repair the existing ones. Christians are forced to travel long distances to worship or must meet in secret in their homes due to an insufficient number of church buildings. Furthermore, recent months have seen a spate of attacks on church buildings.

In Turkey, on 4 December 2009, the leader of a church with a bell tower was approached by three people who threatened him, saying "Switzerland is banning minarets and we will ban bell towers to you. You will demolish the bell tower by next Friday." The police were informed of the incident and are now providing security for the church. A recent survey in Turkey has found that nearly 40% of the population has negative views of Christians, while over 50% of those surveyed said non-Muslims should not be allowed to hold open meetings where they can discuss their ideas and should not be allowed to publish literature that describes their faith.

A recent review of prominent events posted on various Islamist terrorist internet forums in December 2009 highlighted the following comment, "Switzerland is a fragile country which has always kept away from the conflict arena, but now is like other heretic countries in Europe and is placing itself at the top of the list of the sheep to be slaughtered by the Mujahideen".

• Pray for all Christians who are living in countries where they are the minority faith and facing such prejudice against them. Pray that they may know the peace and guidance of the Lord Jesus.

• Pray that officials in Egypt and Turkey will act justly to uphold religious freedom for all and provide protection for local Christians and the buildings they need for worship and ministry.'

When will Western governments speak out on behalf of persecuted Christians?

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Part 2 Politics

The politics of the past decade in the UK have been dominated by Blair and his New Labour. Blair espouses a privatised kind of Christianity which does not seem to refresh the parts of his being which decide his voting on matters of sexual morality. I do wonder how his politics would have been different if he was an atheist. He was sensible enough to delay announcing his conversion to Rome until after he left office.

His fall from esteem with the electorate co-incided with his decision to join the invasion of Iraq. Ironically this was his only major policy I supported. My support was because I favour the overthrow of murderous tyrants. With 20-20 hindsight I would not now be in favour of any invasion of an Islamic country to try and do it a favour. Muslims will never thank kafirs for such an intervention. The exception here is the Kurds. They are happy to have been liberated. Ironically Christians still in Iraq are more fearful than they were under tyrant Saddam.

Why did we invade? The reasons given are various. WMDs were not there except for some chemical or biological weapons.Was it for oil? Regime change was not a sufficient reason. Mugabe is still on seat as we say in Africa. It cannot surely have been to stop Alqaeeda.The other reason I have heard is that the US wanted a middle eastern base outside of Saudi for their presence in that holy land is so unpopular with Muslims. Whatever the reasons, forward planning for after the invasion seems to have been lacking.

The invasion of Afghanistan was to destroy Alquaeds's base and find Osama. But the Pashtuns still support the most oppressive Islamic regime ever and the war does seem increasingly unwinnable. Public opinion is moving away from support as we daily hear of our boys being killed. As to an exit strategy, what can there be in a country that had only ever been a place of waring tribes, except for those times when it was invaded and the tribes united to defeat the invader?

Zimbabwe remains a scandal. Mugabe has the support of fellow African leaders because turkeys do not vote for Christmas.

The US had three presidents in the decade. Slick Willy Clinton was the darling of our liberal media as is the new messiah, Obama. Bush was denigrated as stupid because he lacked the facility for oral communication evidenced by the other presidents.

The world has gone into recession because of irresponsible bankers who continue to be paid inordinate amounts. Governments intervened because when trust is faltering paper currency must be supported lest the whole house of cards falls down.

The EU continues to expand and demand more conformity from member states. It sees itself as a rival world power.It has no audited accounts. Its parliament does not make the rules. It is a trough for the snouts of politicians and bureaucrats. We should be out of it. If the electorate frustrate it, they are made to vote again as in Ireland.Babel is now in Brussels.

Venal politicians have been exposed at Westminster too. The House of Lords remains unreformed because an elected upper chamber would be a greater challenge to the executive running the Commons. As it is the Parliament Act has been used with unprecedented frequency to push through legislation the Lords rejected.

Mrs Thatcher changed Labour forever. They had to move from the left towards the centre to be elected. So Blair was Maggie's creation. Similarly, Cameron's NuTorys are Blairs doing. He has moved them to the centre ground. Cameron voted to remove the legislation which prevented the promotion of homosexuality in schools. He does not deserve the name Conservative. There is no clear blue water. If he wins the next election he will be in deep economic mire.

Devolution is a farce with a Welsh talking shop that cannot legislate and a Scottish one that can but refuses to tax. There and in N Ireland we have devolved governments for places with a population a fraction of the Greater London area. Meanwhile Scottish MPs can vote on legislation for England in matters where they have no say in Scotland. Is this representative democracy? University fees and residential care are paid for Scotland. Prescription charges have gone in Wales and soon will go everywhere except England. Why are the English so supine as not to protest? The biggest shock of devolved government is NI power sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein. This is the world's most unlikely civil partnership brought about by the Good Friday Agreement with Uncle Tony's 'get out of jail free cards'. But the troops are off the streets. The road blocks are no more. This one bit of good news.

The state continues to be the idol of the people and it welcomes their adulation encouraging the dependency culture. We have a surveillance society with more CCTV snooping than any other country. We are due to have ID cards. We are not free to photograph in public places without police questioning. We are paedophiles, money launderers, illegal immigrants and drunken drivers until we prove otherwise but that is another article

I am a member a the Christian peoples Alliance, a Christian political party. We have three councillors in one London borough but it is a difficult task to convince Christians of the need for a distinctive Christian witness. main line parties are secularist and humanistic. A Christian party is to witness to Christ in the sphere of politics. Christians do not see it. Politics cannot be separate from faith. The CPA is far to the left of many of my views but I am in it because I believe in the principle of Christian witness in politics.

I have found this article most depressing to write. Put not your trust in princes is a text all too little taken to heart.

Man U 0 Leeds 1

LEEDS UNITED - giant killers, devil slayers, at odds of 18 to 1 we exorcised the red devils out of t'cup!!!!!!!!!!!!! First thrill of the decade. We did what we had not done since 1981 and what no lower league club has ever done, putting ManUre out of the FA cup. FRABJOUS JOY. KALOO KALAY.

How the world changed in the Past Decade. Part 1. Islam.

The defining event of the decade was 9/11. Until the planes hit the twin towers Islam was around us in the form of many immigrants but it was not seen as a major challenge to Western civilisation. The World Trade Centre changed all that.

The person claiming responsibility for mass murder was Osama Bin Laden, a wealthy Arab who like Saddam Hussein had at times been funded by the USA as he had attacked their enemies in Afghanistan. Now in one stroke he had become world public enemy number one and was hiding in Afghanistan. Two things then happened. The US invaded Afghanistan supporting the Northern Alliance against the Taliban who were Osama's allies. Secondly, Western leaders declared Islam to be the religion of peace. Ironically it took mass murder to produce the biggest political lie since the UK was told that the then Common Market was not about politics but economics. Have as high a proportion of the people swallowed this second lie? Hard to tell as Joe public is usually ignorant and/or apathetic.

Why do I say this is a lie about Islam? Two reasons. Islam does not mean peace. It means submission, submission to the inevitable. Whatever Allah wills must be accepted. What he wills is taught by the Quran, hadiths and whatever Islamic teacher you wish to follow That is unless you are a Westernised Muslim who wants the mainly economic benefits of the West and has abandoned the dream of a world umma under shari'a and a Khalif. The westernised or liberal Muslim who is in a majority in Western Muslims, is a person of peace with the West. He knows how his bread is buttered and does not want to rock the boat with a pipe dream of a universally Islamic world. After all, like most migrants throughout history, the Muslims in the West are economic migrants . They do not want to destroy that which has attracted them away from their poor and/or oppresive Islamic countries. So most Muslims in the West ae people of peace and we have been told their's is the religion of peace so that the peace of our countries is not disrupted by civil unrest. After all it was only 90 years before that dachshunds were being killed in England for being symbols of the murderous Huns. I believe that when Muslims are people of peace it is despite their faith, not because of it. I believe the only good Muslim is a bad Muslim, one who has compromised his faith This is because as a Christian who applies his faith to all of life and to live without compromise in an ungodly world, I believe the Muslims who live in a similar uncompromising way are the true good Muslims, good from an Islamic perspective, and the dangerous one for us kaffirs. I recognise Islam like Judaism and Christianity, is a broad church. But as with Judaism, my sympathies are with the strictly orthodox, for that is where I am as a reformed evangelical Christian.

The history of Islam is one of different strands. There have always been the more peaceable and then those who are all for a jihadist expansionist Islam. I believe true Islam wants world domination with those of us not Muslims, merely tolerated as second class people. For this reason my views on Islam have hardened. I once believed in the British Muslims' call for their own faith schools. believing education is the responsibility of parents not the state, I favoured faith schools for Muslims as well as other religions. I now favour faith schools for everyone with the exception of Muslims. Let them have their madrasas but their children need to be part of schools which encourage social cohesion not ones of religious apartheid.

Why has militant Islam come to the fore? I do not believe the root causes are either povtery or Zionism, the oft blamed roots of Islamism. I believe the root of the violence is Islam itself. It is rooted in the behaviour of their beloved leader who was ruthless towards his enemies. He taught Islam is the only true religion and all the world must submit to Allah. Islam must rule. Life is not dualistic but holistic. Politics and religion are not divorced. There must be one world religious and political order, Islam, the only true way. But since 1917 and the fall of the last Islamic empire and caliphate, Muslims have fallen under the colonial yoke of unbelievers. But with the end of colonialism and the wealth from oil a resurgent militancy has come onto the world stage. Saudi has used oil dollars to promote uncompromising Wahabbism, begetter of hatred and terrorism. Young, rebellious Muslims frustrated by the yawning chasm between Islamic claims and achievements, between aspirations and reality, have been encouraged to the ultimate in violence, self destruction. It is an envy and hatred of the West. As a Christian I share their hatred of some characteristics of secular Western civilisation: dualism with religion privatised, secularism, sexual immorality, perversion, lust for power, exaltation of the trivial and celebrity, abortion, greed and materialism, multiculturalism = relativism, evolutionism and post-modernism. However, because I am a Christian I can distinguish culture from faith in a way the Muslim cannot. I can separate church from state. I do not equate the West with Christiantiy but with godless Enlightenment rationalism. The young men who become suicide bombers may be a surprise to family and friends. You cannot tell if your Muslim friend might be secretly radicalised. Knowledge of the Muslim doctrine of deceit, taqiyya leads to further wariness. Islamists are like homosexuals. Some may shout aloud what they are but others do not disclose what they do in secret. I am pleasantly surprised by the easy going tolerance of indigenous Westerners towards Muslims.

Some in the West have sought to warm about the threat of Eurabia. Our intelligentia scornfully dismiss their fears. Ghaddafi has claimed that Islam will conquer Europe by demography alone. Liberals deny it. When will these multiculturalists realise that Islam is a different beast from all other religions. Good Muslims do not want to integrate, they want to dominate. Immigration should be better controlled. Religious profiling should be part of airport security.

Lest some one conclude I am Islamophobic let me say that sometimes I am with Islam against the West. See above. If I was not a Christian I would be for banning all Muslim immigration. i am a Christian and welcome the opportunity to evangelise Muslims in my home country. I have friends from Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan who have left Islam for Christ. Islam and Christianity are both missionary religions but Christians do not regard apostasy as a capital crime. If you ask me the biggest difference between Muslims and Christians I would say Muslims are always better than their faith. Christians are always worse than their beliefs. I want to encourage friendship and dialogue. I want to see Meetings for Mutual Understanding between Christians and Muslims. I want us to be co-belligerents politically against abortion, immorality and perversion.

Politically I want to see Western states far more vocal on behalf of Christians suffering in Islamic states,;more active support their human rights;. no more mosques here until Saudi and Afghanistan have church buildings; no more funding of questionable Muslim groups and scrap all legislation that protects Islamists from repatriation to Islamic states.

Fear of offending Muslims is very real. Theo Van Gogh was murdered. The BBC admits it will insult Christian sensibilities in a way it will not treat Islam. The Danish cartoons have not been publish by any main line UK or USA media. The Simpsons have no Muslims to laugh at only Christians, Jews and Hindus. The liberal media are frightened dhimmis and with present day trends in hate crime legislation one wonders how long one will be free to blog like this, name the false prophet and critique false religion.

One thing I have noticed is that Christians who are Muslim background believers, have in general a harder line approach to matters Islamic than do other Christians. Many missionaries would believe Allah is the Arabic name for the one true God. Most MBBs take a harder line saying we worship different Gods. I now believe Muslims seek to submit to their creator but are total strangers to the only true God. For he is what they explicitly deny. One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christians alone know the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christians are sinners. I will confess one of my failings. I am irritated by the in your face uncompromisingly imperialistic nature of Islam. When my wife and I visit an Islamic country like Afghanistan, we adapt to local Islamic cultural mores and cover our bodies accordingly. But many Muslims in the West insist on more than the modesty in dress their faith requires, far more then Western standards of modest dress. Muslim women particular proclaim their religion by covering up. I find this irritating but now sublimate my irritation. I pray for, not curse the Muslims I see on the street. I have also taken to wearing a cross.

Finally a very personal observation. I am a confrontationalist. My blog is read in Muslim lands. Yet the few people who respond critically to my musings are the other group I confront, the homosexualists.

James Allen (1849 - 1925) - christiansquoting.org.uk

The birds are moulting. If only man could moult also -- his mind once a year its errors, his heart once a year its useless passions. - James Allen (1849 - 1925) American novelist

With the majority the ship of thought is allowed to "drift" upon the ocean of life. Aimlessness is a common vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and destruction.- James Allen

Work joyfully and peacefully, knowing that right thoughts and right efforts will inevitably bring about right results.- ibid

You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.- ibid

2009 Stats

2009 with 2008 in brackets


MonthPosts Books read Blogger hits Comments
January 59 (201) 6 (7) 1207 8
February 61(234) 3 (6) 2373 32
March 49(139) 5(4) 1619 5
April 28(55) 3(10) 1275 2
May 8(82) 4(5) 1048 2
June 9(44) 3(9) 884 1
July 39(36) 7(9) 1140 12
August 3 (69) 3(9) 825 0
September 38 (21) 3(6) 1117 4
October 50 (12) 2(5) 1507 5
November 51 (11) 28(2) 1573 13
December 39 (30) 8(6) 1468 2
Total 435(944) 75(78)

I think my blogging decline is due to moving more to Facebook in general but specific low months are the black dog of depression, which does now bark as often he once did.

Previously 2007
2006 in brackets

Month Posts Books read
January 27 (6) 10 (3)
February 21 (7) 8 (5)
March 30 (7) 4 (7)
April 46 (13) 10(8)
May 40 (14) 22(14)
June 10 (4) 11(12)
July 30 (30) 6 15)
August 9 (10) 5 (11)
September 8 (37) 4 (15)
October 29 (49) 8(17)
November 25 (37) 9 (2)
December 18 (26) 10(13)

Total 293 (240) 107(122)

Hervey Allen,- christiansquoting.org.uk

Every new generation is a fresh invasion of savages. -Hervey Allen, "Anthony Adverse" 1889 – 1949 American author.

Fred Allen - christiansquoting.org.uk

Advertising is 85% confusion and 15% commission. Fred Allen

I like long walks - especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. Fred Allen

Hanging is too good for a man who makes puns; he should be drawn and quoted. -Fred Allen E. B. White (1894-1956) In "1,911 Best Things Anybody Ever Said," ed. Robert Byrne, 1988. American Comedian

The arrest and the unknown condition of a Christian Iranian in Mashhad

Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), reports that at 8 am on December 16, 2009, several security officers entered the home of Hamideh Najafi, a Christian lady who resides in the city of Mashhad, and not only searched her home thoroughly, but also arrested and took her away to an unknown location.

According to this news three security officers, two female and one male, who carried an order for arrest from the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad, entered the home of this lady and after searching the her home seized her personal belongings along with books, CDs, and hand painted portraits of Jesus Christ that were hanging on her walls. According to these officers the existence of these pictures will be sufficient evidence that would convict her in court.

Even though Mashhad is the birthplace of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, and is considered one of the holiest centers of the Shiite faith (Ghom being the other center in Iran) and also a center of pilgrimage and theological schools, in the recent years there have been significant growth of the underground home based churches.

Mashhad is an ultra-religious city where Rev. Hossein Soodmand, one of the recent Martyrs of the church in Iran was executed on December 3, 1990 at the Mashhad prison and was buried in a trash dump site outside of the city.

According to FCNN, after 10 days of her arrest there has been no telephone contact or visitation granted to the family of Hamideh.

Despite the worries about her well-being and the location of her detention, coupled with her husband’s frantic efforts to contact the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad in order to have information as to the nature of the charges against Hamideh, unfortunately as of now the officials have refused to provide any answers or information. When her husband finally decided to retain a lawyer in order to investigate his wife’s condition, the court officials notified him that the accusations were political in nature and she would be charged for contacting foreign Christian television networks.

This incident is based on the yet-to-be-defined laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding what constitutes a political crime and calling a religious television program does not constitute a political crime.

Its is probable that Hamideh Najafi is currently being held at a detention center on the Vakil Abbad Blvd., next to the Mashhad prison, in order to be fully interrogated and confessions be obtained for future court trial.

She has a 10 years old daughter that is currently suffering from a severe kidney and bladder infection that only her mother is capable of nursing her. According to news received this little girl’s condition, due to missing her mother and being away from her, is not well at all and during the last 10 days, she has not been able to attend school.

The Committee of Christian Activists of the Human Rights in Iran, not only expresses its serious concerns regarding the condition of this Christian woman and the baseless accusations of political crimes that have been filed against her, but it is equally worried about the physical and psychological condition of the 10 years old daughter of Hamideh Najafi who needs her mother, and demands an immediate investigation and speedy freedom of this Christian lady.

contact us
info@fcnn.

Charles L. Allen-christiansquoting.org.uk

In his book _The Meaning of Faith_, Harry Emerson Fosdick gave the account of John Quincy Adams, then 80 years old as he met a friend on a Boston Street. "Good morning," said the friend, "and how is John Quincy Adams today?" "Thank you," the ex-president replied. "John Quincy Adams himself is well, quite well, thank you. But the house in which he lives at present is becoming dilapidated. It is tottering upon its foundation. Time and the seasons have nearly destroyed it. Its roof is pretty well worn out. The walls are much shattered, and it trembles with every wind. The old tenement is becoming almost uninhabitable, and I think John Quincy Adams will have to move out of it soon. But he himself is quite well, quite well." This attitude has been called "body transcendence." It means you do not judge yourself solely on the state of your body. Aging does not automatically cause one to be less of a person. We can still maintain many of our abilities. As we grow older, we can continue to acquire wisdom, to love more deeply and to continue to contribute to the life of the world about us. -Charles L. Allen

The Christian is not one who has gone all the way with Christ. None of us has. The Christian is one who has found the right road. --Charles L. Allen (1913- )

When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God. --Charles L. Allen

Archibald Alison- christiansquoting.org.uk

'What think ye of Heaven and Glory that is at the back of the Cross?' The hope of this makes me look upon pale death as a lovely messenger to me. I bless the Lord for my lot this day.... Friends, give our Lord credit; He is aye good, but 0! He is good in a day of trial, and He will be sweet company through the ages of Eternity. - Archibald Alison was born in 1656 in Carnduff, Avondale, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Archibald participated in the Battle of Bothwell Bridge in June of 1679, and the Battle of Aird's Moss in July of 1680, that saw the death of Richard Cameron, one of the leaders of the Covenanters. He was taken prisoner at Aird's Moss and sentenced to death. He was hanged at the Grassmarket in Edinburgh on August 13, 1680.Archibald's dying testimony, is extracted from the old Scottish book, "A Cloud of Witnesses for the Prerogatives of Jesus Christ", written anonymously.

Isabel Alison - christiansquoting.org.uk

What shall I say to the commendation of Christ and His Cross I bless the Lord He has made my prison a palace to me. And what am I that He should have dealt thus with me? I have looked greedy-like to such a lot as this, but still thought it was too high for me when I saw how vile I was.- Isabel Alison executed 26 January 1681
http://www.truecovenanter.com/reformedpresbyterian/cloud/cloud_alison_isabel.html

My ESV.

I requested and received an ESV Study Bible as my main present. It looks comprehensive and is on-line too. This is my fourth version.

Up to 1964 AV = KJV
64-86 RSV 65-76 I wore out my Eyre and Spotiswoode Study Bible so bought a wide margin RSV without notes
86-09 NIV Zondervan Study Bible
2010 ESV Study Bible

I do not anticipate needing another sword.

Muhammad Ali (1942-____) - christiansquoting.org.uk

Float like butterflies, sting like bees!-- Sgt Casius Clay to his MIKE Force unit in Vietnam

If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you. -- Muhammad Ali

It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up. --Muhammad Ali (1942-____)

The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.--Muhammad Ali (1942-____)

Omar Idn Al-Halif - christiansquoting.org.uk

Four things come not back: the spoken word, the spent arrow, the past, the neglected opportunity. - Omar Idn Al-Halif

Al-Ghazali (d. 1111) - christiansquoting.org.uk

Just as scholastic theology is used with thinking people concerning the truth, the sword is used with the infidels after informing them with the truth ... so just as it cannot be said that the sword was Mohammad's most eloquent argument, neither can it be said that scholastic theology is the ultimate science. - Ihy'a 'Uloum ed-Din by al-Ghazali, Dar al-Kotob al-'Elmeyah, Beirut, Vol. V, p. 35

…one must go on jihad (i.e., warlike razzias or raids) at least once a year...one may use a catapult against them [non-Muslims] when they are in a fortress, even if among them are women and children. One may set fire to them and/or drown them...If a person of the Ahl al-Kitab [People of The Book &endash; Jews and Christians, typically] is enslaved, his marriage is [automatically] revoked. A woman and her child taken into slavery should not be separated...One may cut down their trees...One must destroy their useless books. Jihadists may take as booty whatever they decide...they may steal as much food as they require, - Al-Ghazali (d. 1111). Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi'i, Beirut, 1979, pp. 186, 190-91. [English translation by Dr. Michael Schub]

My daily quotes mailing

11 years ago today I started sending out daily mailings, So far my list has seen 8015 posts and we have 112 members. To get daily quotes send a blank email to Christiansquoting-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
At present I have 112 members and would love to welcome more.

Chanan Alexander - christiansquoting.org.uk

We have succeeded so completely in expelling particularistic religious beliefs from modern schooling and in providing a dispassionate, objective, scientific, value-free education, that our success is becoming our demise. For when put into practice, dispassionate value-freedom comes to mean that no institution is worth defending and no ideal of ultimate significance. With no conception of things sacred,we can communicate neither a social vision nor a sense of purpose to our youth. -Chanan Alexander

With no conception of things sacred,we can communicate neither a social vision nor a sense of purpose to our youth. ~Chanan Alexander .Director of the Leaders Training Fellowship at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

Indian Believer jailed for 'crime' of praying for a friend in hospital

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA reports

Friday, December 18, 2009

Indian believer jailed for ‘crime’ of praying for a friend in hospital and getting beaten up

By James Varghese
Special Correspondent in India for ASSIST News Service
KARNATAKA, INDIA (ANS) -- In another bizarre police interpretation of Indian law, a Christian believer who went to pray for his sick friend at a local hospital, and was then beaten up by a Hindu radical, has been charged for this terrible “crime”.
You would imagine that the man who did the beating would have been the one who was arrested, but that logic often doesn’t work in India.
So for this “crime” of praying and then getting beaten up, the Christian man was arrested and jailed by Karnataka state police after a complaint was registered against him on Tuesday, December 15.
According to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), Bhaskar was visiting his friend at the hospital and prayed for him. However, he was not aware of a Hindu radical who was present at the hospital and was observing his activities. The Hindu radical then caught hold of Bhaskar and beat him up.
A GCIC source also said that the attacker then informed the local leader of the Hindu radical group, Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS), and others, about Bhaskar’s visit to the hospital and the prayer he had made for his friend.
It is understood that Bhaskar was then taken to the nearest police station by the RSS leaders and one of them filed a false complaint of “forced conversion” against him.
The source said, “After an inquiry, Bhaskar was charged under different sections of the law and he is being kept in Mandya Central Jail.”
As soon as GCIC was informed about what had happened, they immediately began the process of seeking bail for the believer.
In a latest update from GCIC, ANS has learned that Bhaskar, who is married with three children, was released from jail on December 17 at 3.00 pm after their intervention.
Dan Wooding, founder of ANS and a regular visitor to India, said, “If you are planning to pray for a sick person at an Indian hospital, be warned that you may get beaten up and then get charged with a ‘crime’. In most countries, it usually works the other way around.”
END

In the UK you can merely lose your job if you share your faith with patient or client.

Partying Presbyterians

This is for those who think Calvinists to be dour kill joys.

Lest the ladies wonder what men get up to. Lest they think we men are like the foolish Freemasons, men with secrets. Lest the brothers who did not come remain ignorant of what they missed. Lest Mr Cradock go un-thanked, Here is the Men's Party Report.

It was a night of mussels and meat in abundance. Caterer Cradock is so good I have booked him for the 2010 Valentine's party. He promised salmon. As to liquid refreshments, our Cokeaholic pastor observed, albeit not totally accurately, that it was the first church event with no soft drinks.

But it was not all about food and drink. There was serious games playing. Our fastest thing on two wheels proved he is our best Boy Racer on four virtual wheels too. Though it is whispered that it is his game. The advantage of game ownership did not apply to your correspondent who should have had a second advantage too playing Chronology. He must humbly bow to the superior historical knowledge of young Messrs Barnes and Patterson. Roll on next year to try and regain some pride, and perhaps imbibe some too.

440 miles to say farewell to Brian.

On Monday 7th December I was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of my friend Brian Boddy. He was only 69 and in apparent health until a sudden collapse. A post-mortem revealed brain abscesses due to septicaemia. I left home 6 a.m. with a couple of inches of snow on the ground and paying attention to news of roads affected by snow. The journey was 220 miles north. The M1 was clear but I was held up by a jack knifed lorry blocking a lane of the A1. Once into North Yorkshire I hit heavy snow and off the A1 the road was snow covered. Approaching the village for the funeral I was behind a snow plough and had great difficulty getting enough traction to drive up a slight hill. There was aboy five inches underfoot as I walked up to the church where the hearse was already parked. I had hoped to give a tribute afterwards at the crematorium but was surprised to be told by the vicar, after the service, that due to the snow we were not going to the crematorium. Instead I paid my tribute in the village hall where refreshments were abundant for many mourners had not made it due to the weather. Only two other Nigeria colleagues were there. I had known Brian since our two years together at All Nations Missionary College, 1967 to 69. We both went to Nigeria in 1970 and studied Hausa together in Kano in 1971. We left Nigeria in 1982 but Brian continued there in rural development work until he retired, Well done good and faithful servant. Brian hailed from Bedford originally. We sang Bunyan's,'Who would true valour see'.The trumpets have sounded on the other side for Brian. I was back home by 5 p.m. It had been strange saying farewell in thick snow when we had been together in temperatures up to around 120 F in Nigeria.

Archibald Alexander (1772-1851 - christiansquoting.org.uk

All my theology is reduced to this narrow compass-- Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.-Archibald Alexander (1772-1851)

Do not for a moment suppose that you must make yourself better, or prepare your heart for a worthy reception of Christ, but come at once - come as you are.- Archibald Alexander

Saint Nicholas

From Mark Driscoll, Preaching Pastor at Mars Hill Church

'The larger-than-life myths surrounding Santa Claus actually emanate from the very real person of Saint Nicholas. It is difficult to know the exact details of his life with certainty, as the ancient records are sparse, but the various pieces can be put together as a mosaic of his life.



Who was Saint Nick?
Nicholas was born in the third century in Patara, a village in what is now Turkey. He was born into an affluent family, but his parents died tragically when he was quite young. His parents had raised him to be a devout Christian, which led him to spend his great inheritance on helping the poor, especially children. He was known to frequently give gifts to children, sometimes even hanging socks filled with treats and gifts.

Perhaps his most famous act of kindness was helping three sisters. Because their family was too poor to pay for their wedding dowry, three young Christian women were facing a life of prostitution until Nicholas paid their dowry, thereby saving them from a horrible life of sexual slavery.

Nicholas grew to be a well-loved Christian leader and was eventually voted the Bishop of Myra, a port city that the apostle Paul had previously visited (Acts 27:5-6). Nicholas reportedly also traveled to the legendary Council of Nicea, where he helped defend the deity of Jesus Christ in AD 325.

Following his death on December 6, 343, he was canonized as a Saint. The anniversary of his death became the St. Nicholas holiday when gifts were given in his memory. He remained a very popular saint among Catholic and Orthodox Christians, with some 2,000 churches named after him. The holiday in his honor eventually merged with Christmas as they were celebrated within weeks of one another.

Reformation Controversy
During the Reformation, however, Nicholas fell out of favor with Protestants, who did not approve of canonizing certain people as saints and venerating them with holidays. His holiday was not celebrated in any Protestant country except Holland, where his legend as Sinterklass lived on. In Germany, Martin Luther replaced him with the Christ child as the object of holiday celebration, or, in German, Christkindl. Over time, the celebration of the Christ child was simply pronounced Kriss Kingle and oddly became just another name for Santa Claus.

Santa Myths
The legends about Santa Claus are most likely a compilation of other folklore. For example, there was a myth in Nicholas’ day that a demon was entering people's homes to terrorize children and that Nicholas cast it out of a home. This myth may explain why it was eventually believed that he came down people's chimneys.

Also, there was a Siberian myth (near the North Pole) that a holy man, or shaman, entered people's homes through their chimneys to leave them mushrooms as gifts. According to the legend, he would hang them in front of the fire to dry. Reindeer would reportedly eat them and become intoxicated. This may have started the myth that the reindeer could fly, as it was believed that the shaman could also fly. This myth may have merged with the Santa Claus myth and if so, explains him traveling from the North Pole to come down the chimney and leave presents on the mantle over the fireplace before flying away with reindeer.

These stories of Santa Claus were first brought to America by Dutch immigrants. In the early 20th century, stores began having Santa Claus present for children during the Christmas season. Children also began sending letters to the North Pole as the legends surrounding an otherwise simple Christian man grew.

At the Resurgence, we keep the center of Christmas focused on Jesus; it’s probably what Nicholas would have wanted.

Alcuin (735-804)- christiansquoting.org.uk

What makes bitter things sweet? Hunger. Alcuin (735-804), in R Lacey and D Danziger, The Year 1000, Little, Brown and Co,GB, 1999, p57 He was responsible for inventing lower case letters.

Amos Bronson Alcott - christiansquoting.org.uk

Observation more than books, experience rather than persons, are the prime educators. -Amos Bronson Alcott

Thought means life, since those who do not think so do not live in any high or real sense. Thinking makes the man.- Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888)American teacher, writer and philosopher, father of Louisa May Alcott

One must be a wise reader to quote wisely and well. - Amos Bronson Alcott, "Table Talk"

Acquittal of Pakistani father and daughterMonday

Acquittal of father and daughter caught up in a discriminatory law of Pakistan

By Anjum Paul and Dan Wooding
Special to ASSIST News Service

FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Following prayers by Christians around the world, a Pakistani father and daughter have been acquitted and freed after being accused of desecrating the Qur’an, the Muslim Holy book.

Gulsher Masih was a prisoner in the Faisalabad District Jail, while his 20-year-old daughter Ashiyana, was imprisoned in the Jhang District Jail.

Both were victim of section 295-B of Pakistan Penal Code which says, “Whoever willfully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Qur’an or of an extract there from or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall be punishable with imprisonment for life.” Section 295-B was added by P.P.C. (amendment), ordinance 1 of 1982 during the reign of former dictator of Pakistan General Muhammad Zia ul Haq..

The father and daughter are residents of Gunah Gojra, a village in Chak Jhumra Town of Faisalabad District of Punjab, Pakistan with a 12,000 Muslim population and 13 Christian families, and had been charged with the alleged desecration of the Qur’an.

The complaint was made last year by Muhammad Farooq Alam, who alleged that Gulsher Masih and his daughter had torn the pages of the Qur’an, which they strongly denied. During the court case, when a prosecution witness admitted that he had a personal grudge against the father and son.

Mr. Khalil Tahir Sindhu. Advocate and Parliamentary Secretary of Minorities Affairs and Human Rights of the government of Punjab and a prominent Human Rights Activist was a pro bono-publico in this case.

While talking to ANS he stated that last hearing was completed on December 10, 2009 and a decision was announced today (December 14, 2009) by Mr. Raja Ghazanfer, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Faisalabad.

He said, “One of the prosecution witnesses had admitted before the court that he had a grudge against Gulsher and Ashiyana, his daughter, and that while he and others were in the mosque to offer their prayers, the father and daughter used to put on the loud speaker in the nearby church.”

Mr. Khalil Tahir Sindhu further said that he was hopeful that the case would be in his favor as this was a “baseless allegation” against the victims.

Two other Christians, Mr. James and Boota Masih, have recently been released by the Lahore High Court by the decision of Honorable Justice Najam ul Zaman and Justice Rana Zahid Mehmood who were charged in the same controversial Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code. Mr. Khalil Tahir was also a pro bono-publico in the case.

Rev. Father Aftab James Paul, Director of Interfaith Dialogue of the Diocese of Faisalabad said that there has been a “victory of the truth” and a “message of hope and merriment not only for the Gusher’s family but for all the Pakistani Christians.” He further demanded the government of Pakistan to abolish all discriminatory laws especially section 295 B and C of the Pakistan Penal Code which many Christians believe are wrongly used by the Muslims.

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA

Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810-870) - christiansquoting.org.uk

Allah's Apostle said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror, and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Apostle has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures. - Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810-870), Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220 one of the six canonical hadith collections of Sunni Islam, aka , the religion of peace.

Kehlog Albran - christiansquoting.org.uk

Arguments with furniture are rarely productive.- Kehlog Albran, 1933-?, Author born in Brest-Litovsk, "The Profit"
Is this bio true or is he a joke?

Akhenaton - christiansquoting.org.uk

Those who gave thee a body, furnished it with weakness; but He who gave thee Soul, armed thee with resolution. Employ it, and thou art wise; be wise and thou art happy.- Akhenaton, Egyptian pharaoh c 1350 BC

Scorn also to depress thy competitor by any dishonest or unworthy method; strive to raise thyself above him only by excelling him; so shall thy contest for superiority be crowned with honour, if not with success.-Akhenaton

Christmas cake

Christmas cake recipe from my friend Judy.


It's not too late to make your own christmas cake. Here is a recipe that will taste good, even if made at the last minute!


Ingredients:

* 2 cups flour
* 1 stick butter
* 1 cup of water
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 cup of sugar
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 cup of brown sugar
* Lemon juice
* 4 large eggs

* Nuts
* 2 bottle wine
* 2 cups of dried fruit

Sample the wine to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the wine again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.
Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.
At this point it's best to make sure the wine is still OK. Try another cup... Just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy.
Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Pick the fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner.. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the wine to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Check the wine. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or some fink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.
Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the wine and wipe counter with the cat.
Go to Tesco and buy cake.

Bingle Jells!

Christian Democrat Leader Warns Against Islamic Radicalism

Thursday 10th December 2009

Christian Democrat Leader Warns Against Islamic
Radicalism at Muslim "Big Debate on Islamification"
Authorities must down-size West Ham mega-mosque to neighbourhood mosque

A Muslim-organised 'Big Debate on the Islamification of Britain' in central London tonight will hear a warning by Councillor Alan Craig, Leader of the Opposition on Newham Council, that not enough is being done to tackle militant Islam in the capital. He will cite "naive and misguided" tolerance of separatist groups over how places of worship are used to radicalise young muslims. And he will attack the millions of pounds being spent by the government
through The Preventing Violent Extremism Initiative to local Islamic groups and associations which promote a religion incompatible with the values of an open and democratic society. The panel discussion will include representatives from the Church of England, radical political Islam,
the far-right BNP and from the secular British Humanist Association. Councillor Craig - who leads the Christian Peoples Alliance group on Newham Council - will
criticise Labour-run Newham for the support they have given to a proposal by Islamic sect Tablighi Jamaat for the construction of a mega-mosque at West Ham, close to the site of the 2010 London Olympics. He will point out how men convicted of planning terrorist attacks suchas the Transatlantic Bomb Plot were associates of Tablighi Jamaat.

Alan Craig will say:

"We live in a democracy and Muslims are fully entitled to mosques. But this secretive separatist Islamic group must not be allowed to construct a huge national landmark mosque that will further promote their divisive and intolerant form of Islam. Labour are both misguided and naive in the support they have given this organisation."

Alan Craig will tell his fellow-panelists that Tablighi Jamaat - just like the BNP - divides communities, builds barriers and spawns hostility and intolerance. And he will cite support for his stance against the mosque by many local muslims and national Islamic leaders. Earlier this year Newham Council gave Tablighi Jamaat a January 2010 deadline to submit their plan for the mosque:

"In our democracy we allow the BNP to promote their odious ideology. Equally we must permit Tablighi Jamaat to promote theirs. But in the masterplan their mega-mosque must be scaled down to the size of a neighbourhood mosque to reduce its anti-social impact. Alternatively the authorities should compulsorily purchase the 18 acre site for wider housing and community use."

In the Islamification debate tonight, Cllr Craig will warmly praise Muslims for putting religion back into public debate in the UK.

He will also argue for zero tolerance of Sharia (Islamic) domestic law in the UK as it is incompatible with European human rights and with equal rights for women; and for a debate to start about banning the anti-social, anti-integration niqab (face-veil) - an issue first raised three years ago by Jack Straw MP and more recently in France by President Nicholas Sarkozy.

The panel debate tonight on the Islamification of Britain has been organised by the Muslim Debate Initiative and will be held at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 2RL starting at 6.15pm.

Representatives from the British Humanist Association, the British National Party, the Christian Peoples Alliance, The Church of England, English Democrats and the Muslim Debate Initiative will sit on the panel.

Child prostitution in India

The last Divya* trial update



Over the past few months, we have updated you several times during the final stages of the trial against Divya’s aunt. Over three years ago, Divya was rescued from her aunt’s brothel, and the trial has now come to a peculiar and unexpected end.



The closing arguments were scheduled for Tuesday. Before the hearing, the judge apparently indicated to Freedom Firm’s public prosecutor and to the brothel keeper’s defence lawyer that he was likely to convict Divya’s aunt on four of the five counts against her. He said that he planned to issue his decision on December 15. After that, the public prosecutor gave her closing argument, followed by the defence lawyer. But as the defence was speaking, Kanchan Undale, the woman on trial for selling her own niece as a prostitute, fell over...dead! She had a heart attack and died right there in the courtroom.



Her death was a dramatic, abrupt, and unexpected end to her trial. Please pray that this exceptional ending will have its own deterrent effect in discouraging others from selling minors into prostitution.



Thank you for your many prayers and your consistent interest throughout this trial.



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



Girls locked up by brothel keeper to keep from rescue



Two girls were rescued by Freedom Firm and the Pune Crime Branch this past Tuesday. When word of a raid reached the brothel, the girls were hidden and locked on the terrace of the building. After some time, the team was able to locate them and break the lock to rescue them.



The two brothel keepers were also arrested and are now attempting to get out of jail on bail. Please pray for the rescued girls to adjust well to the government aftercare home and respond well to the Freedom Firm social workers who will be visiting them regularly. Also pray that the brothel keepers will be denied bail for several weeks, if not longer.



* Not her real name.
Freedom Firm
78/85, Indu Sadan
Glenrock
Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India
643 001
Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.

My most unusual speaking invitation ever

If I remember correctly it was about 17 years ago I was invited to address the West London Campaign for Homosexual Equality, my most unusual speaking invitation ever. The invitation came via a borough councillor on the opposite benches who was openly of that orientation and I had entered politics in opposition to such things. Their brochure listed former speakers, a veritable Who's Who of media and arts etc. The only name I recognised who would have stood where I did was Lord Longford. They met in a pub and told me I was to be preferred to his lordship for I only supped their beer not whisky. It was a very civil meeting. I gave a Christian basis for opposing what they wished to do. Since then I think they have achieved most of their aims and the Conservatives, whose councillor I then was have ceased to oppose such things with Cameron voting to repeal Section 28 of the Education Act which outlawed the promotion of homosexuality in schools. I too have seen the light and left the Tories for the Christian Peoples Alliance.

Euronating

in order to meet the conditions for joining the Single European currency, all citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland must be made aware that the phrase "Spending a Penny" is not to be used after 31st December 2009. From this date, the correct terminology will be "Euronating". Thank you for your attention.

Health & Safety and Equality Considerations for Christmas Songs

The Rocking Song
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir;
We will lend a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you:

Fur is no longer appropriate wear for small infants, both due to risk of allergy to animal fur, and for ethical reasons. Therefore faux fur, a nice cellular blanket or perhaps micro-fleece material should be considered a suitable alternative.

Please note, only persons who have been subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check and have enhanced clearance will be permitted to rock baby Jesus. Persons must carry their CRB disclosure with them at all times and be prepared to provide three forms of identification before rocking commences.


Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O ' er the fields we go
Laughing all the way

A risk assessment must be submitted before an open sleigh is considered safe for members of the public to travel on. The risk assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly if passengers are of larger proportions. Please note, permission must be gained from landowners before entering their fields. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.


While Shepherds Watched
While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around

The union of Shepherd ' s has complained that it breaches health and safety regulations to insist that shepherds watch their flocks without appropriate seating arrangements being provided, therefore benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available. Shepherds have also requested that due to the inclement weather conditions at this time of year that they should watch their flocks via cctv cameras from centrally heated shepherd observation huts.
Please note, the angel of the lord is reminded that before shining his / her glory all around she / he must ascertain that all shepherds have been issued with glasses capable of filtering out the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows.

You are advised that under the Equal Opportunities for All policy, it is inappropriate for persons to make comment with regard to the ruddiness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from the Reindeer Games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence. A full investigation will be implemented and sanctions - including suspension on full pay - will be considered whilst this investigation takes place.


Little Donkey
Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load

The RSPCA have issued strict guidelines with regard to how heavy a load that a donkey of small stature is permitted to carry, also included in the guidelines is guidance regarding how often to feed the donkey and how many rest breaks are required over a four hour plodding period. Please note that due to the increased risk of pollution from the dusty road, Mary and Joseph are required to wear face masks to prevent inhalation of any airborne particles. The donkey has expressed his discomfort at being labelled ' little ' and would prefer just to be simply referred to as Mr. Donkey. To comment upon his height or lack thereof may be considered an infringement of his equine rights.


We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

Whilst the gift of gold is still considered acceptable - as it may be redeemed at a later date through such organisations as ' cash for gold ' etc, gifts of frankincense and myrrh are not appropriate due to the potential risk of oils and fragrances causing allergic reactions. A suggested gift alternative would be to make a donation to a worthy cause in the recipients name or perhaps give a gift voucher.
We would not advise that the traversing kings rely on navigation by stars in order to reach their destinations and suggest the use of RAC routefinder or satellite navigation, which will provide the quickest route and advice regarding fuel consumption. Please note as per the guidelines from the RSPCA for Mr Donkey, the camels carrying the three kings of Orient will require regular food and rest breaks. Facemasks for the three kings are also advisable due to the likelihood of dust from the camels hooves.



Away in a Manger No Crib for a bed - This is definitely one for Social services

Jonathan Aitken ( 1942- ) - christiansquoting.org.uk

'I will cut out the cancer of bent and twisted journalism with the simple sword of truth'. These were insensitive words of pride which came back to haunt me. - Jonathan Aitken in The Tablet. 12 June 1999

I was in Chelsea police station where I was charged with perjury and conspiracy to pervert public justice. I spent the next five hours alone in a police cell while waiting for the various formalities such as finger-printing and photographs. I used that time to pray, to meditate and to read all sixteen chapters of St Mark's Gospel, something I had long meant to do at one sitting. This should have been a time of deep despair. The worst day of my life. Not so. For I had such an overwhelming sense of God's presence in the cell with me that I was at peace.- Jonathan Aitken in The Tablet. 12 June 1999

Pride is the deadliest of sins, but I was bursting with pride. -Jonathan Aitken in The Tablet. 12 June 1999

Then Isaiah heard the wonderful words: 'This has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for.' And the Scripture goes on: 'Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? And I said: Here am I! Send me.' Note the total unconditionality of that response, 'Send me'. It does not mean, 'Send me, I was going that way anyhow', or 'Send me, I was planning to do that', or 'Send me, I rather like the sound of that idea'. It may mean something much more disagreeable. In my case it means, 'Send me to prison'. -Jonathan Aitken in The Tablet. 12 June 1999

To my eternal shame, I even got my wife and daughter to back me up with witness statements supporting my lie. But then my opponents ambushed me in the middle of the trial with clear documentary evidence that I had told a lie on oath. My credibility as a witness was shattered. I had to withdraw from the libel case. And within 24 hours my whole life was shattered too. The former Cabinet Minister had impaled himself on his own sword of truth, with explosive and apocalyptic consequences. Some people have expressed surprise that I am still in one piece after being so torn to shreds in the onslaught of media vilification and castigation I received at the height of my dramas. A great deal of the criticism of me was vitriolic; some of it was vicious; and I deserved most of it. When these thunderbolts were raining in on me from all directions, I turned to my Christian faith,imperfect though it was, and began to ponder more deeply than ever before on the great themes in the gospels of love, penitence, redemption and resurrection. Although I am sceptical of fox-hole conversion, nevertheless the time when I was at the nadir of my misfortunes was the time when I turned more humbly and penitently than ever towards Our Lord Jesus Christ. -Jonathan Aitken in The Tablet. 12 June 1999

Aitken is a man who fell far to find grace. His writings are great and he is a rivetting speaker.

Omar M. Ahmad and Akbar Ahmed - christiansquoting.org.uk

Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran . . . should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth. -- Council on American-Islamic Relations Chairman Omar M. Ahmad, speech, July 1998


Interesting to juxtapose with


In the repressive cultural and intellectual milieu that prevails in the modern Muslim state it is wiser for a writer not to write, for a thinker not to think; it is prudent to be a coward.....It is no wonder that most original writers are either abroad or broken or silenced.....Paradoxically a home is provided for them in the West, usually in the USA and the UK which attracts the highest number of intellectual writers from the Muslim world. - Akbar Ahmed, Islam Today, I.B.Tauris, 1999 p150

Books Read in December 2009 (8)

1. The Pale Horseman (Alfred the Great 2) by Bernard Cornwell

'When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.'— Revelation 6:7-8 NIV This is what the title alludes to but Cornwell never quotes it. His young Northumbrian warrior is in Wessex. He pretends to be a Viking raiding Cornwall when Alfred and the Danes have a truce. This brings down the wrath of Alfred and our hero only survives a trial by combat when the Danes destroy this contest by attacking again. Alfred loses his kingdom and hides in the Somerset levels from where he gathers an army which was to defeat the larger Danish army at a battle which was the pivotal one in the formation of England. Without victory at Ethandun in 878 we would now be speaking Danish. Our hero, wounded in the battled had been bereaved of an infant son, left the mother and lost his mistress in the battle. he fights for but does not respect pious Alfred. He is a pagan at heart like the Danes who raised him.

2. The Lords of the North (Alfred the Great 3) by Bernard Cornwell

Once again our pagan Northumbrian is fighting. He becomes a king maker, slave and victor conquering Durham with his Danish friend. Saxon still clashes with Dane in the north but Alfred has peace in Wessex with the Danish challenger now a Christian. This history continues as a conflict between religions as much as peoples. The author portrays Christianity as a superior magic manipulating relics like sorcery. This series has grown on me. Slight geographical criticism. When was Thirsk ever near a lake? The nearest, Gormire, is 10 miles or so distant.

3. Cry of the heart and Quest of the mind - Anees Zaka and Diane Coleman

This is subtitled, 'an analysis of Muslim and Christian women's search for Truth and Honour'. It is particularly suitable for any non-muslim woman considering marriage to a Muslim or for any Muslim woman also. There is detailed teaching on woman and man from the Bible and the Quran. The place of women in the two religions is contrasted. The Christian gospel is proclaimed. Many Muslim sources are cited to give a fair picture of the inferior status of women in Islamic societies.

4. The King's Son, Or, a Memoir of Billy Bray by Frederick W Bourne

Billy Bray was a drunkard 19th century Cornish tin miner. The book opens with his spectacular conversion. Billy was a man filled with the joy of his Lord. He shouted and danced praise to God. He was poor in this world but rich in spirituality. He preached, built chapels, visited and sick and had a gift for striking pithy words. His was a unique witness.

5. The Ghost by Robert Harris

I found this like a firework that did not go off. At first I was riveted watching the touch-paper burn but the end seemed to lack a proper bang. I see this as a fictional attack on Blair, a man reckoned to have a wife brighter than him though in this case the similarity with Cherie ends there.

6, Sword Song (Alfred the Great 4) by Bernard Cornwell

In the fourth of the series Alfred's reluctant warrior captures London from the Dane's and then rescues the king's daughter. Uhtred is still far from his ambition to take his home castle of Bamburgh from his usurping uncle. He is in Mercia, pagan servant of Christian king. I did not find this as gripping as the previous two volumes but I want to go on to the fifth.

7. The Wicked Wit of Winston Churchill by Dominique Enright

A Christmas present for which I am grateful. It makes one laugh. It cheers one up. I may have read half the quotes before but there are new ones and new anecdotes. Great man. Great wit. Great mastery of the language.

8. Nevertheless 2008 by John Kirkby

This is an amazing story of a man who prospered in the financial services industry then was saddled with huge debts. This led to divorce then a second prosperous career in finance. Then he became a Christian, gave up his job and started Christians Against Poverty, a charity which has helped many people out of debt with many becoming Christians in the process. It is a story of remarkable faith, commitment and blessing. It is the story of a man with remarkable financial expertise and perseverance through trials and an organisation which has grown throughout the UK and to the Antipodes. However the story does raise questions. There is an evident strong reliance on words from the Lord, both Scripture texts and prophesies. I believe God has given us 66 books of His word to rely upon rather than direct impressions of what is relevant to our situation. The direct methods of appealing for funds are far from those of men like Mueller and Schaeffer who appealed to only the Lord for direct financial assistance. I am not saying direct appeals are wrong, but here they are abundant including forms in the book itself to enrol contributors. What I believe many Christians will be unhappy with is a preparedness to take unsecured loans at times and also lottery funding. The book is not terribly well written with so much being a diary of the charity's financial crises. However it is a story of a faith work which has been and is a blessing to many.

Eurostar to Brussels

Yesterday morning I was to take the early train to Brussels. Other Presbytery members were going too on the same train so i asked one to book a cab. He said it would be 5.40 am from church. At 5 a.m. I thought I should check my ticket To my horror I realised the train left at 5.55. Mt friends were on a later train. Throwing my packing in my case I phoned for a cab. It was slow coming, arriving about 5.20. I thought I had missed my train. Check in was ending in 5 minutes. I got to the station about 5.45. Approaching the check in I said I was too late. No they said, phoned the train and told me to go through security. I ran to the train. I was in carriage 17, farthest but one. I boarded breathless and a minute later we were off on the 2 hour trip.

Eurostar is one of the world's best transport experiences, smooth, quiet and the fastest way to the continent. It beats flying hands down. You cannot get on a plane a minute before it takes off.

Justice for Duke

(The links to click will not work)

Please stand with CLC and people everywhere to support a good man in his fight for justice

Petition, Campaign, special website and Candlelight Vigil 15 December 2009

In July of this year, Bible-believing Christian Duke Amachree, married and father of 3 children who had served Wandsworth Council as a Homelessness Prevention Officer diligently for 18 years, was dismissed in circumstances Christians and non-Christians alike across the country rightly view as completely outrageous. Please take a few minutes to read this almost unbelievable story and then to take action to help him and to stand up against an injustice that is as appalling as anything I have seen in my many years in this work.


Duke’s story

In January of this year, Duke was helping a client with her housing situation. The client had seen various doctors who had told her that she had an incurable medical condition. Out of compassion for her, Duke commented that sometimes the doctors don’t know everything –and encouraged her to consider putting her faith in God.

The client did not complain to Duke, but did go to his managers to report him. Two days later the managers knocked on Duke’s door as he was conducting another interview, asked him to finish up and then report to the Director’s office.


When he arrived, Duke was told that there had been a complaint and that he was being suspended with immediate effect. His pass was taken away and he was told not to make contact with any of his friends and colleagues or to come near the offices. He was then marched off the premises.


You can see a very short film clip about Duke by clicking here.


Why we must take action in the days to come to help Duke Amachree

At CLC and CCFON we all believe, that this is one of the most appalling if not the most appalling case we have ever seen. The way Duke was treated anyone would think he had been caught viewing pornography on an office computer. Yet all Duke did was extend the hand of compassion to a fellow human being in distress. What’s more, there was nothing in his employment contract to indicate that he was in any way not to speak about God.


Don’t say ‘God bless’ or we'll sack you…

Incredibly, when our solicitor who represented Duke in the initial meeting with the employer asked what would have happened if Duke had simply said ‘God bless you’ to a client, the spokesperson for Wandsworth Council said it would have been advisable not to say that either.

Duke Amachree, a gentle, intelligent and kind-hearted family man living in Britain in 2009 has been found ‘guilty’ of an ‘offence’ which would amaze a visitor from any previous time in the history of Christianity in this country. Out of compassion he offered the hope of God to a woman in need. He breached no part of his contract. Yet he was marched off the premises and, after a period of suspension, was dismissed.


Please help by joining our ‘Justice for Duke’ Campaign in these following ways:


Keep Duke and his family in your prayers over the coming days. This is not an easy time for them and they will be greatly moved to know that there are hundreds or perhaps thousands of people praying for them every day.

Keep an eye on the special website for developments as we count down to 15 December 2009, www.justiceforduke. com

Take a few seconds to add your name to the ‘Justice for Duke’ petition. This will help raise awareness and make a statement that Christians and non-Christians alike will not stand by whilst a good man is treated this way. We hope any reasonable person would agree that a man who has served an employer honestly and diligently for 18 years should not be thrown out of his job just for mentioning God whatever their own beliefs may be, especially when he has no reason to believe his employer would view his words as being a problem. So please forward on to as many of your friends as you can.

If you live in Wandsworth, please write to your MP. A model letter can be found by clicking here for you to adapt, print off, sign and send if you would like to. Please see this link also to find out who your MP is and where to write to them.

Join the Candlelight Vigil outside Wandsworth Town Hall on 15 December (details on the www.justiceforduke. com site as well as on www.ccfon.org and www.christianlegalc entre.com). Please let us know if you are planning to come and if you are planning to bring friends by clicking here.This will give us an idea of numbers. There is a map available on the special site. http://www.justicef orduke.com/ prayervigil. php

Make a small donation to the Christian Legal Centre if you would like to help us with the cost of the campaign and similar work. You can make a secure Paypal donation on line in seconds by clicking here (other options are also available). All the work we do is free of charge to our clients who are suffering because of living and speaking their Christian values in their everyday lives. Please stand with them and with the work by making a small gift to cover the costs of that work today if you can.



With my thanks and best regards to you all, as always






Andrea Minichiello Williams
Barrister, Director, The Christian Legal Centre & Christian Concern for Our Nation

020 7467 5421
http://www.christia nlegalcentre. com
http://www.ccfon. org

BTW, a police inspector accused of shoplifting remains at work. No suspension.

Christian Arrested for Distributing Tracts

Compass Direct reports.'Protestant Copt, 61, illegally detained then released without charges after four days.

ISTANBUL, October 6 (CDN) — An Egyptian Christian arrested in Cairo for handing out gospel leaflets and held in prison illegally for four days has been released, the freed Protestant Copt told Compass.

Abdel Kamel, 61, was arrested on Sept. 23 in downtown Cairo for handing out copies of a Christian leaflet. As they arrested him, police told Kamel it was “unlawful” to hand out religious information on public roads. When Kamel countered that Muslims commonly hand out Islamic literature, police told him it was “more unlawful” for Christians. Kamel also didn’t have his identification card with him.

Nabil Ghobreyal, an attorney who worked to gain Kamel’s release, said there is no law in Egypt forbidding the distribution of religious material.

Police handcuffed Kamel, put him into a police car and seized his leaflets. Authorities then took him to a police station for interrogation. While in custody, Kamel said, he remained in handcuffs for hours, was thrown to the ground, spit upon and threatened with violence.

Kamel said he wasn’t tortured, but when asked to describe his treatment, he wept uncontrollably.

The lay preacher said he was proclaiming repentance and forgiveness in Christ because he views it as a service to others.

“I love my people,” he said. “I love Egypt, and I feel my service is directed toward the people I love and the country I love.”

Authorities held Kamel for four days without charge and did not allow him to see family members or a lawyer. He said officers did allow him to receive food, medicine and written messages.

Attorney Ghobreyal said that Kamel was an “honest and innocent man” who was arrested illegally. When Ghobreyal approached an assistant attorney general to ask for Kamel’s release, the prosecutor asked him to wait for three days, which Ghobreyal immediately challenged. Ghobreyal said that in free speech cases involving religion, state attorneys are often “loathe” to keep police from breaking the law, or at best “complacent” about letting them make baseless arrests.

Sometime close to midnight on Kamel’s second day in jail, police continued their investigation by going through his apartment and removing all written materials in his house. Describing his apartment in Al-Nakhl as being “ransacked,” he said it was what most angered him about his arrest.

“[The gospel] is all about a message of love, a message of peace,” he said. “There is nothing illegal about it, and it is annoying that they know that, but in spite of that they came there in this manner. It is very bad.”

Kamel said there is a double standard in Egypt when it comes to freedom of religion. He said Muslims in Egypt are allowed to promote Islam using “books, pamphlets and loudspeakers,” but Christians are often forbidden from sharing their faith.

“Why, when we are doing it, are we not even allowed to put our view across?” he said. “Why aren’t we treated the same?”

Eventually Kamel was transferred to a jail in Al Minya, where he was interrogated a second time for two and a half hours. Investigators told him that the pamphlets he distributed did not “insult Islam,” a serious charge commonly on the law books of Islamic-majority countries.

Police made it clear to Kamel that they did not want to release him, Ghobreyal said. They released him grudgingly because they were worried about reports in the media and from human rights groups. He was released without charge.

“The pressure in the media and the announcements made on the Internet helped me a lot,” Ghobreyal said.
Kamel, who describes himself as being a committed Christian for 30 years, said he does not plan to file a complaint against the police but will rather “leave it to God to reward them accordingly.”

His 29-year-old daughter, Mariam Kamel, said that even though she is afraid that police will continue to harass her family, she is thankful to God that police released her father.

“I’ve seen God’s hand in every crisis we’ve had over the past 30 years of his work preaching the gospel,” she said.

She said she was sure her father would return to preaching. Still shaken, her father said he was not so sure.

“Who can carry on in a situation like this?” Kamel said.

Barnabas Fund tells of more suffereing Christians

IRAQ - BOMBS EXPLODE IN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

At least six bombs were detonated across Iraq on Thursday 26 November, killing five people and wounding at least 28. Two Christian buildings were targeted in the city of Mosul. A senior Iraqi church leader reported that the bombs "caused major damage and we cannot pray there." Although there were no casualties at the Christian sites, another Iraqi church leader commented that "these attacks are aimed at forcing Christians to leave the country." At the time of the 2003 US-led invasion, around 800,000 Christians lived in Iraq. But their number has shrunk by a third or more as members of the community have fled the violence and persecution directed towards them.

• Pray for all those injured and bereaved in the recent spate of bombings and that peace and stability will be established in Iraq.

• Pray for Christians in Iraq, that they will find strength and support in our faithful Saviour, and that they will continue to meet together to worship Him in spite of the recent attacks on their churches.


EGYPT - "MASSIVE CHAOS" AS VIOLENCE ERUPTS BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS

Christians in Egypt have become targets of violence yet again in the early hours of Saturday 21 November, as a Muslim mob attacked Christians and Christian property in the town of Farshoot and neighbouring villages, forcing Christians to seek refuge indoors.

The violence was prompted by reports of sexual abuse against a Muslim girl by a 21-year-old Christian on 18 November. Witnesses say that up to 3000 Muslims gathered outside the police headquarters in Farshoot where the alleged attacker was being detained, pending the results of an investigation and forensic tests, in an effort to kidnap and murder him.

Ten pharmacies and 55 Christian-owned shops and businesses were looted, vandalised and burnt, cars were attacked and some Christian families were thrown out of their homes. At least seven Christians were injured in the violence, including one Christian leader who is currently in hospital with a fractured skull. The mob made wooden crosses and burnt them in the street. According to one witness, "We have never been so frightened and humiliated in all our lives ... our religion, and our Lord, were openly insulted."

Although security forces were deployed, witnesses report that they took no action to stop the violence and were stationed simply to protect the Farshoot police headquarters after the angry mob showered it with stones, entered and attacked officers.

No Sunday services were held on 22 November in the area owing to concerns over the safety of Christian congregations. Christians condemn the alleged rape and protested at the scale of the retaliation. One prominent Christian leader reported that the attacks were apparently pre-planned, which would suggest that the allegation of "rape" was used as a pretext. He also commented, "An individual incident does not call for an attack on masses of peaceful Christians."

• Pray for the Christians in Farshoot and neighbouring villages, that they will be able to rebuild their lives without fear of further attacks.

• Pray that the attackers will turn from their violence and come to know and love the Lord Jesus.

• Pray that the Egyptian police will protect all citizens from violence, whatever their religion.


CHINA - CHRISTIANS PERSEVERE IN MEETING FOR WORSHIP DESPITE ALL OPPOSITION

Members of Wanbang Missionary Church had to meet outdoors for worship on Sunday 22 November after having been forcibly evicted from their church building earlier that month. On Thursday 12 November Chinese Public Security officials sealed off the doors and locked the church.

On the morning of 22 November, three pastors of Wanbang church were summoned to a Shanghai police station for interrogation on suspicion of "engaging in illegal organisation and activities". They were held until the afternoon. Despite intimidation from local authorities and the detention of the pastors, more than 500 dedicated church members gathered outdoors to continue the scheduled worship services.

Since the building's closure, the authorities have been unsuccessful in preventing meetings of the church. On 15 November ten police officers attempted to obstruct Pastor Cui from attending church. Members also received threatening text messages defaming the church and saying that the service had been cancelled. In spite of this, over 700 people turned up to the outdoor prayer meeting that day.

In preparation for the mid-November visit of President Obama to China, the Shanghai authorities launched a city-wide search for members of Wanbang church, attempting to break up prayer and worship gatherings. All seven pastors were also issued with official notices to stop their "illegal religious activities", which declared their pastoral status as "self-claimed illegal preachers". On 8 November, the church website was forcibly shut down by the government's censorship office to prevent negative reporting prior to Obama's visit.

• Pray for Christians in China, that they will know the comfort and strength of the Lord Jesus at this time, and that they will continue to have the courage to meet in the face of such opposition.

• Pray that the Shanghai authorities will reverse the ban on Wanbang church and stop hounding it.


SUDAN - CHRISTIAN GIRL LASHED FOR "INDECENT" SKIRT

A 16-year-old Christian girl, Silva Kashif, was walking alone near her home in Muslim-majority Khartoum, when she was arrested by police for wearing a knee-length skirt, which is considered 'indecent' in Sudanese law. She was immediately presented before a judge, who sentenced her to 50 lashes. Although the law states that under-18s should not be lashed, Silva's parents were not even aware that their daughter had been arrested until after the punishment had taken place.

Silva is originally from the South of Sudan, which is Christian-majority. The skirt and blouse she was wearing were normal for Southern Sudanese. But sharia (Islamic law) is in force in North Sudan, including strict regulations about women's clothing, which are applied to Christians as well as Muslims.

• Pray for healing for Silva and that she and her family will be able to forgive those who imposed and carried out the punishment. Pray that the Khartoum government will soften the impact of sharia for the mainly Christian Southerners who are living in North Sudan.


INDONESIA - CHRISTIAN STUDENTS EVICTED FROM REFUGE

In late October security forces in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, began evicting hundreds of Christian students from their temporary accommodation in the city. Some 700 were expelled from a municipal building and others from a campground.

The students belong to SETIA Bible College, which was forced to vacate its own campus in July 2008 following a violent attack by a Muslim mob. The college had taken refuge in the temporary locations, which provided housing and classroom space. But recently the Indonesian Supreme Court ruled that the land and buildings belonged to a foundation, and the police moved in to clear the site.

The provincial government has offered to house students at an office building in the city, but SETIA officials said that it was unfit for habitation. "A barn for water buffalo is much nicer than that place," said the college secretary.

• Pray for the students and staff of the college, that satisfactory accommodation will be provided for them, and that they will soon be able to return to their own premises without fear of further violence.

• Pray for Christians in Indonesia facing obstruction, harassment and physical attacks because of their faith.


EGYPT - DAUGHTER OF CONVERT APPEALS TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

Please keep praying for Maher el-Gohary and his 15-year-old daughter Dina, who are now in hiding because of several fatwas calling for a death sentence on Maher, and who have been banned from leaving the country. Dina has written a heartfelt letter to US President Obama asking him to use his influence to help them. Dina writes, "Mr President Obama, we are a minority faith in Egypt. We are treated very badly ... we are imprisoned in our own home because Muslim clerics called for the murder of my father, and now the government has set for us a new prison, we are imprisoned in our own country."

Maher, an Egyptian Christian convert from Islam, applied to have his identity card changed to reflect his conversion. Identity cards are vital in Egyptian society, and being considered legally as "Muslims" creates huge practical problems for Egyptian Christians from a Muslim background. Like all Egyptian converts from Islam, Maher was unsuccessful in applying for the change.

• Thank God for Maher and Dina's strength in the Lord Jesus. They have said they will not revert to being Muslims "even if we have to live on the streets. We love our Lord Jesus and we have left Islam for good." Pray that Egypt will grant recognition of their new faith to converts from Islam to Christianity and will allow Maher and Dina to live openly as Christians.

• Pray that Western political leaders will use their power and influence with political leaders in Muslim countries to work for the good of Christian minorities, particularly converts from Islam

IRAN - GOOD NEWS STORY

Praise the Lord for the safe release of Maryam and Marzieh, two Iranian Christian women arrested in March for converting to Christianity from Islam. The women were released without bail on 18 November after 259 days in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran. In October the charge of anti-state activity against the women had been dropped by the Revolutionary Court, and their case was transferred to a general court for consideration of the remaining charges: converting from Islam and propagation of Christianity. These charges have not yet been dropped.

Maryam and Marzieh say, "Words are not enough to express our gratitude to the Lord and to His people who have prayed and worked for our release."

• Give thanks for the release of the two women, and continue to pray as they recover from their ordeal and face the future.



International Website: www.barnabasfund.org
United Kingdom Barnabas Fund, 9 Priory Row, Coventry, CV1 5EX
Tel: +44(0)24 7623 1923, Fax: +44(0)24 7683 4718, email: info@barnabasfund.org

A sermon on the skyline.

I find the City of London depressing. If you look at old paintings, one building dominated the skyline: St. Paul's Cathedral. Cathedrals are usually on the highest ground of a city, like Durham, and dominate the landscape like Ely. They are architectural statements of the lordship of Christ over all life. But now in The City it is the temples of mammon which dominate and give us dark shade on the streets. Money rules and not only in the West. Visiting Dubai I noticed how insignificant are the mosques compared with all the newly built tower blocks in this Babel of the Gulf.

I understand that no-one in the Muslim world should build a minaret higher than the ones in Mecca and that in a city, the minaret should be the tallest tower. Certainly no church building should be allowed a taller spire or tower.

Now the citizens of Switzerland have voted to prohibit new minarets. I can understand why but there is something there that I find to be a denial of liberty, albeit of the liberty of those who repress other religions when they rule the roost. I think another solution could have been found. Christian countries could restrict the height of minarets in any given town tho at least 20 feet lower than the tallest church. That sends out a suitable message I believe.

But let me end on a positive note. There is a church in the City where one may stand on its front steps and see the figure of Justice with her scales on top of The central Criminal Court, The Old Bailey. Looking above and beyond is the golden ball atop the dome of St Paul's, and on top of the globe, the cross. The line of sight is up from Justice to the cross. Grace triumphs over judgment. There is a sermon on the skyline.

A Message from the President of the Christian Peoples Alliance

This week has seen yet further attacks on the conscience and liberties
of Christians in the workplace. Secular intolerances of all kinds are
trying to close down the public space in which Christians can act and
speak. No political party in Parliament is standing up against this.

We can expect the Equalities Bill to make life harder for Christians
and churches who wish to stand by biblical values.

At the same time, we see public disaffection with the secular parties
and a turning to apathy, despair and extremist positions.

The Christian way is to witness to a different possibility - of lives
changed by the power of the Gospel and communities transformed by
faithful Christian service and action. (See how the CPA does this by
visiting www.cpaparty.org.uk )

In Britain, Christians have a duty to hold fast to what is good. We must
not give up in bringing transformation and the spirit of hope to our local
neighbourhoods. Overseas - in places such as Pakistan, Nigeria and
Egypt - we see the reality of true Christian sacrifice as they face real
persecution.

As a party in the Christian Democratic tradition, the Christian Peoples
Alliance is regularly contacted by Christians overseas who say they are
inspired by our political witness. It is no con-incidence that in the past
few days these have come from the 'frontline' - from Pakistan and from
Lebanon.

With the UK General Election not far away and local elections coming at
the same time, how will politics make a difference here? Let me tell you.

Not long ago I was at the AGM of a major Christian charity. A senior member
of its leadership team told me that the answer to the mood of anti-Christian
intolerance in Britain is for millions of ordinary churchgoers to stand up and
be counted. He thought some kind of collective statement on Facebook
might achieve this. Of course, lots of different answers are needed. But the
easiest way for Christians to stand up to the secular onslaught whilst serving
in the gentle Spirit of Christ is to use your vote and to offer an alternative.

At the darkest times in our nation's history, Christians have come forward
to make a difference and be the change our country needs. In other countries
in Europe, Christians across the denominations have formed parties to stand
in elections. By God's grace, that is what the Christian Peoples Alliance is
doing in Britain. We have a moment of change coming. We need you and those
you know in your church to play a part.

The CPA has councillors elected in London who demonstrate the difference
Christian Democracy can make. But we want to see more elected. It costs
nothing to be a local Council candidate. And it is amazing how the other
parties and the newspapers respond! Where I live in Kingston upon Thames,
13 members of my church allowed their names to go forward as candidates
in Council elections 3 years ago. We made front page newspaper headlines
and showed practical Christian alternatives to current problems. In other
boroughs, secular politicians started to notice the difference churches make.

Will you consider doing the same in your Council district? Do you know people
in your church who will be the difference this country needs? Even if they don't
get elected, CPA Council Candidates are a beacon of hope and a good way
of making the secular parties sit up and notice the work of the Christian
community. The CPA team is small and made up entirely of volunteers. But we
can help you in the process of standing for election. Just email me and I will
put you in touch with others where you live. Together we can make an impact.

So far in London, where every borough has elections next May 2010, we have
people coming forward wanting to make a stand. But we need more willing to
be candidates. And we need more co-ordinators. And of course we want to
see candidates standing outside London in other districts where there are
elections.

Lastly, there is the General Election. Please pray for Christians in all parties.
And please consider whether God is calling you to run for Parliament. Today
on the radio there was a discussion of the likely possibility of a 'hung' Parliament
where no party has a majority. In these circumstances, parties have to work
together. The objective of the CPA in the future is to enter coalition government
to pursue Christian aims and values. By standing today, we intend to make a
major impact in the politics of tommorrow.

Yours with Advent greetings,

David Campanale
CPA President
press@cpaparty.org.uk
07873 625396

SPIRO AGNEW - christiansquoting.org.uk

A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals. -SPIRO AGNEW, Denouncing Moratorium Day protest against Vietnam War; in NY "Times," 20 Oct 69

In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism. -SPIRO AGNEW, Speech, San Diego, 11 Sept 1970.

‘Equal Opportunities’ means that Homosexual Rights Trump Christian Rights

Christian Legal Centre reports,



‘Equal Opportunities’ means that Homosexual Rights Trump Christian Rights in Employment, Court rules.



Christians in employment in the UK will no longer be able to act according to their consciences and the rights of homosexual couples trump those of people of faith.



This is the clear message from the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling issued today.



The Employment Appeal Tribunal has today ruled that Gary McFarlane, a Christian counsellor who worked for Relate, was not unfairly dismissed or discriminated against when he was sacked for his orthodox views on sexual relationships which meant that he could not give an unequivocal commitment to help same-sex couples improve their sex lives.







The 48 year old father of two, who is also a solicitor and a former elder of a large multicultural church in Bristol, believes the Bible teaches that same-sex sexual practice is contrary to biblical teaching and therefore that he should do nothing which endorses this activity. Mr McFarlane had no objection to others in Relate counselling couples needing advice on same-sex activity, but for him it was a simple issue of conscience.




After managers at Relate made the decision to sack Mr McFarlane in March 2008, and after internal procedures had been exhausted, Mr McFarlane took his case to the Employment Tribunal claiming unfair dismissal and discrimination contrary to the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. In January 2009 the Tribunal ruled that he had not been discriminated against or unfairly dismissed. Mr McFarlane then appealed to the Employment Appeal Tribunal which ruled today to dismiss Mr McFarlane’s appeal.



Mr McFarlane, a father of two children said: “This decision is a stark warning to people of conscience in this nation that as a result of 12 years of Labour rule, the British establishment no longer values the democratic rights of its citizens to hold conscience as a matter of principle”.



“Society is the worse for not allowing people of conscience to be free to exercise legitimate rights”



Mr McFarlane was supported in his appeal by the Christian Legal Centre which instructed leading human rights barrister, Paul Diamond, and Mr Thomas Cordrey to represent him.



Andrea Minichiello Williams, director of CLC said: “Mr McFarlane was quite prepared for other counsellors to help same-sex couples in psychosexual counselling. He simply asked that on the rare occasions he was asked to do the same, his employer roster another counsellor to handle the case. This would have respected both the best interests of the counsellor and client”.



“The seriously worrying underlying point in this case, which the Court has refused to accept, is that for religious belief to be protected it is necessary to uphold the right to manifest that belief. The effect of this judgment is to rule out any expression of deeply-held conscience, even when the expression is limited to a very reasonable, practicable and sensible request to be assigned work such that worker and client are best served and that the work is tenable for the worker. This ruling goes against all notion of religious conscience protection and also against common sense”.



“Time and time again in British Courts we see that freedom of religion, Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, offers no protection whatsoever to Christians and other people of faith with a conscience.”



“Mr McFarlane will be appealing this decision. We will take this as far as is necessary, even if we have to go all the way to the Supreme Court and then Europe. We will press on until justice prevails”

Christmas not holidays

One my way to church I see two hube billboards which raise my temper. Coc-Cola says happy Holidays and Waitrose tells me its the only place to be at Christmas. I should love to deface the ads but instead, there is this.

*Twas the month before Christmas, When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying, Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away, the reason for Christmas - none could say.* *The children were told by their schools not to sing, About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say, December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod, *Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa, *In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down, At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears, You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty, Are words that were used to intimidate me.* *Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen* *On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter* *To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded* *The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'* *Sipping your Starbucks, You listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!*
Please, all Christians join together and wish everyone you meet MERRY CHRISTMAS Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

Jonathan Agnew - christiansquoting.org.uk

He didn't quite manage to get his leg over. ~ Jonathan Agnew (with Brian Johnston - after Ian Botham had spun around off balance and tried to step over the wicket unsuccessfully. (1991)

Agesilaus - christiansquoting.org.uk

If all men were just, there would be no need of valor~Agesilaus (444-400 BC) from _Plutarch, Lives, Agesilaus_, sec. 23., king of Sparta, of the Eurypontid dynasty, ruling from approximately 400 BC to 360 BC

As he was dying on the voyage back from Egypt, he gave instructions to those close to him that they should not be responsible for making any image of his person, be it modeled or painted or copied, "For if I have accomplished any glorious feat, that will be my memorial. But if I have not, not even all the statues in the world—the products of vulgar, worthless men—would make any difference."

Pakistani Christian on Run from Taliban Death Threat

Islamic extremist sermonizing leads to altercation at barbershop in South Waziristan By Dan Wooding Founder of ASSIST Ministries

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Compass Direct News (www.compassdirect.org) has revealed that a young Christian man is in hiding in Pakistan from Taliban militants who are seeking to kill him for “blasphemy” because he defended his faith.
The Compass story says, “In February Jehanzaib Asher, 22, was working in a barbershop his family jointly owns with his cousin in Wana, South Waziristan – a Taliban stronghold in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan’s northwest – when the Islamic militants showed up to try to convert him to Islam.
“It was not the first time the Taliban’s Noor Hassan had delivered strident sermons to him and his relatives, and this time Asher decided not to listen silently. He defended Christianity by citing verses from the Bible, and Hassan and another Islamic militant viciously beat him – breaking his left leg and some ribs and leaving his left hand non-functional.”
He told Compass that he only defended Christianity and did not comment on Islam. “One can bear the death of one’s father or mother, but can we keep listening to insults of our religion?”
Asher said that the Taliban militants began spreading the word to local residents that Asher and his cousin Christopher Masih had blasphemed Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. His picture was posted at check-points in an attempt to help the Taliban and other Islamists identify and kill him.
Earlier this month, Asher told Compass that he had disguised himself as a Muslim with a long beard and left Wana.

John Paul II - christiansquoting.org.uk

It is not possible to speak of the right to choose when a clear moral evil is involved, when what is at stake is the commandment Do not kill!- John Paul II (1920-)

It is important to speak of suffering and death in a way that dispels fear. Indeed, dying is a part of life. - Pope John Paul II in Austria: Message to the sick and suffering June 1998

I confirm that euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person.- Evangelium Vitae- Gospel of Life- Pope John Paul II - 1995

While it is true that the taking of life not yet born or in it's final stages is sometimes marked by a mistaken sense of altruism and human compassion it cannot be denied that such a culture of death, taken as a whole, betrays a completely individualistic concept of freedom, which ends up by becoming the freedom of " the strong" against the weak who have no choice but to submit. - Evangelium Vitae-Gospel of Life Pope John Paul II- 199

The right to profess the truth must always be upheld, but not in a way that involves contempt for those who may think differently. ~John Paul II

Did you ever read the Koran? I recommend it. What the Koran teaches people is aggression; and what we [Christians] teach our people is peace. . . . Christianity aspires to peace and love. Islam is a religion that attacks.If you start teaching aggression to the whole community, you end up pandering to the negative elements in everyone. You know what that leads to: Such people will assault us. ---Pope John Paul II [Karol Wojtyla] (1920- ) (In Carl Bernstein and Marco Politi's _His Holiness: John Paul II and the Hidden History of Our Time_ [1996])

Murder is murder is murder. - John Paul II to the IRA , Ireland, 1979, quoted in Brenda Maddox, Maggie the First Lady, p134

Power is responsibility: it is service, not privilege. --- John Paul II [Karol Wojtyla] (1920- ) _An Invitation to Joy_ [1999]

The cemetery of the victims of human cruelty in our century is extended to include yet another vast cemetery, that of the unborn.-John Paul II, London, 9 June 1991

As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.- John Paul II, 1986

The Islamic Law of Apostasy

The Islamic Law of Apostasy: join our campaign for its abolition
Throughout 2009 Barnabas Fund has been running a campaign for the abolition of the Islamic apostasy law, which imposes very serious penalties on Muslims who choose to leave their faith. All schools of Islamic law specify the death sentence for apostasy, and converts face a range of other punishments, including the loss of their families and property. The law also provokes powerful hostility to apostates among Muslims.

But change is possible. Some progressive Muslim scholars have argued that the apostasy law should be abandoned, so that people can leave Islam without fear of reprisals. And in a very encouraging development, just last month a group of mainstream Muslim leaders in Britain declared that no-one should be coerced into remaining a Muslim: “It is important to say quite simply that people have the freedom to enter the Islamic faith and the freedom to leave it” (Contextualising Islam in Britain, Cambridge: Centre of Islam ic Studies, 2009, p.75). These brave voices will be strengthened by non-Muslims also calling for repeal of the law.

Below you will find an important article by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, which explains how Christians should respond to the issue of apostasy (and blasphemy) in Islam. In response to this, we invite you to sign our petition against the apostasy law, and to encourage your church and Christian friends to sign it too. The more signatures we have, the more impact we can have.

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo
International Director, Barnabas Fund







Apostasy and Blasphemy in Islam: What should Christians Do?
From the Foreword to Freedom to Believe (McLean, VA: Isaac Publishing, 2009). Also published in Barnabas Aid Novemb er/December 2009.

Michael Nazir-Ali


The Rt Rev Dr Michael Nazir-Ali

The Qur’an is fierce in its condemnation of apostasy (ridda) and of the apostate (murtadd). Theirs, according to it, will be a dreadful penalty (‘adhbun ‘azmun). This sentiment, which occurs in Sura 16:106, is re-expressed in other ways in other suras (chapters of the Qur’an). The interesting point to note is that the various threats of judgement and of punishment seem to relate to the next world or to life after this earthly one, rather than to this world and to this life.

Against this, we have the unanimous position of the various schools of Islamic law (fiqh) that shari‘a lays down the death penalty for adult male Muslims in possession of their faculties who apostatise. Some schools also prescribe a similar punishment for women, whilst others hold that a woman apostate should be imprisoned until she recants and returns to Islam. In addition to this, should an apostate somehow escape the ultimate penalty, his property becomes fai’, i.e. it becomes the property of the Muslim community, which may hand it over to his heirs; his mar riage is automatically dissolved and he is denied Muslim burial.

How then did such a major difference arise between the prima face teaching of the Qur’an and the provisions of shari‘a as codified by the various schools of law? The answer is that the death penalty for apostasy is to be found in the hadith, the various collections of traditions about the Prophet of Islam’s sayings and doings, and it is also found in the sunna of Muhammad and of his closest companions, the reports about their practice.

Commentators on the Qur’an, both ancient and modern, sensing this tension, have attempted to find passages that could be interpreted as teaching the death penalty for apostates. Thus 2:217, which speaks of the barrenness of an apostate’s life and work, in both this world and the next, is interpreted as meaning that apostates will be punished both in this world and in the next. Similarly, passages such as 4:88-89 are taken as justification for inflicting capital punishment on apostates.

On the other hand, there are those who take as their point of departure the Qur’anic silence on penalties in this world for apostasy. They either minimise the force of the traditions that require it or reject them altogether. It is said, for example, that the traditions that speak of the death penalty for apostates are weakly attested or from an unreliable source. If they contradict the Qur’an they are to be rejected as an accurate account of what Muhammad may have said. They are also to be rejected if they do not cohere with other accounts of his behaviour or speech.

Others point to the supposed practice of the second Caliph ‘Umar, who disliked the extreme penalty for apostasy and was followed in this by some of the early fuqaha or lawyers. More recently, this view has gained currency in some circles close to Al-Azhar As-Sharif, the premier place for Sunni learning, located in Cairo, Egypt. According to these scholars, the traditional time given to an apostate to repent must be extended to the whole of his life.

Many scholars claim that the punishment for apostasy in the time of the Prophet and of his Companions arose because rejection of the Islamic faith was linked to rebellion against the nascent Islamic state. So the punishment was not so much for apostasy as for treason. The well-known scholar, Sheikh Qaradawi, whose opinions are widely studied and followed, relying on the medieval jurist and reformer Ibn Tamiyya, distinguishes between the greater and the lesser apostasy. The lesser apostate, whilst being subject to civil penalties, would not be put to death but those who proclaim their apostasy, thus destabilising Islam and the Muslim umma (or nation), would be. This may be a useful distinction to make but is hardly a manifesto for freedom of expression or of belief.

Although apostasy is punishable by death in only a few countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Sudan (Iran seems to be drawing back from putting it on the statute book, at the time of writing), in fact jurists will sometimes directly invoke the authority of shari‘a to sentence apostates to death. This has happened in both Iran and in Afghanistan. In addition to judicial process, those accused of apostasy can be killed in prison, through torture or poisoning, or by mobs attacking their home or place of work, or even by relatives!

Whilst apostasy, and its penalty, are applicable to Muslims, the offence of Sabb, of insulting the Qur’an or the Prophet of Islam, can also be applied to non-Muslims. Blasphemy against the Prophet is punishable by death, though the method of execution varies from one authority to another. It is this that led the Federal Shari‘a Court in Pakistan to rule out any other penalty but death for blaspheming Muhammad. The so-called “Blasphemy Law” has caused considerable grief for Christians and other non -Muslim minorities since even the expression of their belief can be construed as insulting the Prophet. The Law has also become a way of settling personal scores by accusing one’s adversary of blasphemy. There have been numerous convictions in the lower courts, though fortunately the higher courts have invariably, so far, overturned these verdicts. In the meantime, the family is left destitute and the community from which the accused comes left vulnerable to harassment and intimidation.

The irony is that Muslims claim that their prophet forgave those who insulted him and there are a number of stories to this effect in the sira (life of Muhammad) and in the hadith (there are also other stories that describe how those who insulted him were punished). Which of these attitudes is to prevail in contemporary Muslim societies?

A number of administrative and judicial attempts have been made to ease the lot of those accused of blasphemy and to make it mor e difficult to file charges of blasphemy against someone. None of these has been wholly successful. The law returns again and again to haunt the political establishment and the judiciary. The only solution is for a government to have the courage to repeal it or to abolish or suspend the death penalty altogether, thus leaving other penalties for dealing with alleged cases of “insulting religion” or blasphemy, as indeed existed before the current law was promulgated. Some of the ‘ulama (Islamic scholars) are bound to object to such steps, if the government takes them, and there may well be “popular” movements to resist the repeal or amendment of the law. Such resistance needs to be faced down and genuine objections, such as the claim that Islamic law prescribes qisas or retaliation for murder and that therefore the relatives of the murdered person have the right to seek life for life, or alternatively compensation, will have to be met. It is already the case that qisas cannot be carried out by an individual or group but must be left to the state. If the death penalty were to be abolished or suspended for all serious crime, could not the state order and enable compensation to be paid instead of the death penalty as part of its judicial and executive responsibility? These issues need further exploration but it is clear that the present blasphemy law is neither just nor compassionate and needs to be dealt with while there is opportunity.

Most Muslim countries have subscribed to international treaties, such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, but they subordinate such agreements to the provisions of the shari‘a, which, in many cases, negates the effect of these documents. In this connection, it is interesting to compare the UN Declaration with the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam. In the latter there is no equivalent to Article 18 (on freedom of thought, conscience and religion) of the former and all provisions are, ultimately, subject to shari‘a. This approach has resulted, again and again, in important rights under Article 18 of the UN Declaration being denied to people in Islamic countries on the grounds that they contravene the provisions of shari‘a. This situation has caused much frustration to human rights activists, constitutional lawyers and even progressive regimes as any provision in law can always be trumped by an appeal to shari‘a.

If the impasse created in this way is to be avoided, it is necessary for leading institutions in the Islamic world to undertake a major reform of shari‘a so that the principles of amelioration and of movement, which exist in at least some of the madhahib, or schools of law, are not only recognised but actually acted upon in both religious and other courts, as there is need. There is also, of course, the urgent task of ijtihad, i.e. a fundamental examination as to how the principles of law to be found in the Qur’an and other sources of Islamic law can be brought into a fruitful relationship with present-day conditions and requirements. This is the case, for example, in the areas of finance, family law, penal provisions, jihad and the treatment of non-Muslims in an Islamic state.

Christians, of course, in the context of dialogue with Muslims and with Islamic religious and political authorities, will encourage those who are struggling to maximise fundamental freedoms in Islamic contexts. They will also be active in advocacy for those who have fallen foul, both materially and spiritually, of traditional understandings of laws and customs regarding apostasy and blasphemy. It remains important to raise awareness of what is happening in so many parts of the world so that people can learn from, pray for and give to those who have become victims of these draconian laws and customs.

The Rt Revd Dr Nazir-Ali was until recently Bishop of Rochester.




“When I am visiting a country where Christians are under pressure, quite often a minister or a lay person will ask quietly whether I know about Barnabas Fund. When I say, ‘Yes,’ their eyes light up and they tell me how Barnabas has encouraged them with a church building, a school or medical assistance. It is this kind of ministry that needs to be supported by prayers and by generosity so that the situation of our brothers and sisters is eased a little by our love.”


Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali



International Website: www.barnabasfund.org | Follow Barnabas Fund:


Registered UK charity number: 1092935 | Company registered in England. Number: 4029536

James Agate (1877 - 1947) - christiansquoting.org.uk

New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time."- James Agate (1877 -; 1947) English critic, author.

Petition against the Badman Report on Homeschooling

The Government look about to implement the Badman Report which will oppress home-schoolers. See:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2009/jun/05/home-education-badman
Graham Stuart MP is organising a Parliamentary Petition which we are supporting with an online petition. There is a deadline of 30th November. Please sign the petition yourself at:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/badman/
Pray that many will sign this petition and that the Government will scrap this idea.

Click on my title for the link.

Aesop - christiansquoting.org.uk

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. -Aesop (c. 550 BC)

Oppose the state's control of the family.

Click the title to sign the petition.

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to uphold that parents have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of their child, to not undermine parents legitimately fulfilling their fundamental duties, and to assume that the best interests of their child is the basic concern of parents unless there is specific evidence to the contrary

Aeschylus (525-456 BC)- christiansquoting.org.uk

I know how men in exile feed on dreams. Aeschylus

I would far rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evils. -Aeschylus (525-456 BC)

Words are the physicians of a mind diseased. -- Aeschylus, Greek playwright

March for the persecuted Pakistan church

'Over recent months a number of attacks have been perpetrated against the Christian minority in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The British Pakistani Christian Association has organised a march from the Pakistani High Commission in 34-36 Lowndes Square, London, SW1X 9JN, to 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA. This march will take place on 19th December 2009, and will begin at the Pakistani High Commission at 11:00.

Among our partners for this event are:

Christian Social Link
Release International
Christian Solidarity Worldwide

Over the past few months a number of attacks on Christians and their properties have taken place in Pakistan, additionally a number of abduction, rape and forced marriage of female Christians, and false allegations of blasphemy against innocent Christians has taken place over the past year.

It is time we as the wider Christian comunity in Britain made our voices heard against the persecution of our brothers and sisters in Pakistan.

It is hoped that the march will have a number of benefits for those who have had their homes burned and destroyed and found themselves displaced.

It will encourage the Pakistani Government to move swiftly and decisively to bring to justice the perpetrators, inciters and collaborators of these outrages.
It will encourage the Pakistani Government to reform the Police Service in Pakistan.
It will encourage the Pakistani Government to make sure the rule of law is carried out for justice for those who have fallen asleep in Christ or are suffering as a result of these outrages.
It will encourage the Pakistani Government to repeal the Blasphemy Law, or add other amendments to the Blasphemy Law and enforce those amendments that have already been put into place.
It will reinforce the British Governments criticism of these incidents and encourage further international pressure on the Pakistani Government to act in accordance with the above bullet points.
It will encourage the UK Church to take more seriously its obligations towards its persecuted brothers and sisters.
Please feel free to forward this email on to Churches, organistaions and others to encourage them to attend this demonstration. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible to push this agenda forward.

For further information regarding the British Pakistani Christian Association, and the ongoing problems in Pakistan please feel free to visit our blog at:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com


Yours faithfully in Christ

Alex Chowdhry
07951-616-793

P.s. I attach a link the Pakistani High Commission in London's website which has directions to the High Commission.

http://www.phclondon.org/HC/ContactUs.asp

Pope Adrian IV - christiansquoting.org.uk

[S]trive to imbue that people with good morals, and bring it to pass, as well through yourself as through those whom you know from their faith, doctrine, and course of life to be fit for such a work, that the church may there be adorned, the Christian religion planted and made to grow, and the things which pertain to the honor of God and to salvation be so ordered that you may merit to obtain an abundant and lasting reward from God, and on earth a name glorious throughout the ages, - Pope Adrian IV to Henry II of England, encouraging him to invade Ireland so the Irish church would come under the See of Rome. He was the only English pope.

FREE CHURCH SUSPENDS TALKS WITH KIRK

November 18, 2009
'The Free Church of Scotland has decided to suspend its regular discussions with the Church of Scotland. The biannual talks involved representatives of both denominations and had been taking place over the past 5 years. They involved a frank but friendly exchange on the theological issues which divided the two denominations, along with an acknowledgement of the good relations which exist in many localities between congregations of both churches. However, the Free Church has said that, in the light of the uncertainty over the Kirk’s position on homosexuality following the induction of an allegedly gay minister earlier this year, which appeared to be sanctioned by their General Assembly, it cannot for the time being continue “as if nothing had happened.” The decision was communicated at a recent meeting between the representatives of both churches and accepted with regret. Rev. Iver Martin, Convener of the Free Church Ecumenical Relations Committee, said, “Suspending the talks, whilst regrettable, was the most tangible way of expressing the Free Church’s discomfort with the failure of the Church of Scotland to take a thoroughly Biblical stand on the place of marriage between one man and one woman.” The Free Church continues to value and encourage the close relationship that there is between congregations of both denominations in many areas of Scotland.'

As ever, the Frees are the orthodox. I pray that if some CoS congregations secede they find unity with other Presbyterians and do not start another denomination.

Richard P. Adler - christiansquoting.org.uk

All television is children's television.-- Richard P. Adler

Mortimer J. Adler - christiansquoting.org.uk

Sin is not only manifested in certain acts that are forbidden by divine command. Sin also appears in attitudes and dispositions and feelings. Lust and hate are sins as well as adultery and murder. And, in the traditional Christian view, despair and chronic boredom -- unaccompanied by any vicious act -- are serious sins. They are expressions of man's separation from God, as the ultimate good, meaning, and end of human existence. Mortimer J. Adler (1902- 2001) American philosopher


My chief reason for choosing Christianity was because the mysteries were incomprehensible. What's the point of revelation if we could figure it out ourselves? If it were wholly comprehensible, then it would just be another philosophy.-Mortimer J. Adler Christianity magazine: 1990

Hermann Adler - christiansquoting.org.uk

Here as in no other country, the teachings of Holy Writ are venerated...Here, as in no other empire in the world, there breathes a passionate love of freedom, a burning hatred of tyrant wrong. --Hermann Adler, dedication to memorial of Jewish soldiers killed in the Boer War, 1905Hermann Adler (30 May 1839 – 18 July 1911) Chief Rabbi of the British Empire from 1891 to 1911.


The object of education is not merely to enable our children to gain their daily bread and to acquire pleasant means of recreation, but that they should know God and serve Him with earnestness and devotion.- Hermann Adler

Felix Adler - christiansquoting.org.uk

The family is the school of duties... founded on love. Felix Adler German Educator August 13, 1851 - April 24, 1933

Few are there that will leave the secure seclusion of the scholar's life, the peaceful walks of literature and learning, to stand out a target for the criticism of unkind and hostile minds.
Felix Adler

Where the roots of private virtue are diseased, the fruit of public probity cannot but be corrupt.
Felix Adler

Maryam and Marzieh Released from Iranian Prison!

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
WASHINGTON, DC (ANS) -- Two Christian converts from Islam, held in Iran's notorious Evin prison for more than six months, have been released.

Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh
International Christian Concern (ICC) – www.persecution.org -- has learned that Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh Esmaeilabad, two Christian converts from Islam, were released from Evin Prison in Tehran on November 18 at 3:30 pm local time.

Elam Ministries told ICC that Maryam, 27, and Marzieh, 30, were released without bail, but that they have yet to face another court hearing. November 25th will mark Marzieh’s 31st birthday.

ICC says that originally arrested on March 5 by Iranian security forces, Maryam and Marzieh were charged with anti-government activities. However, it became clear that apostasy (conversion from Islam to Christianity), not anti-state activities, was the reason for the arrest.

Taken before a Revolutionary Court hearing on August 9, Maryam and Marzieh were commanded to recant their faith, and in return, would be granted their freedom. “We will not deny our faith,” the women responded, “if we come out of prison, we want to do so with honor.”
ICC says that while detained at Evin Prison, which is notorious for its brutal conduct toward women, Maryam and Marzieh have been kept in solitary confinement and have endured extended interrogations, all the while suffering from poor health.

According to ICC, Iran issued no statement explaining the verdict for Maryam and Marzieh’s release. However, the decision follows international pressure and prayers from Christians throughout the world.

“Words are not enough to express our gratitude to the Lord and to His people who have prayed and worked for our release," said Maryam and Marzieh.
Although released, eight months of abuse and mistreatment by Iranian security forces have undoubtedly taken a toll on Maryam and Marzieh’s health. Marzieh has suffered intense headaches, toothaches, and spinal pain, while both women have been denied medical treatment.

Aidan Clay, ICC Regional Manager of the Middle East, said, “We celebrate with Maryam and Marzieh, and with all Christians upon hearing the news of their release. Yet, we continue to hold Iran accountable for having unjustly imprisoned and degraded two women who committed no crime.
"We condemn Iran’s tactics of intimidation and harassment used to terrorize Christians throughout the country. We call upon Iran to uphold religious freedom by allowing all Iranians to practice the religion of their choice, and to be allowed to worship freely without being threatened or discriminated against.”
ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.
** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649,at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.

Konrad Adenauer (1876-1976)) - christiansquoting.org.uk

We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon. --Konrad Adenauer (1876-1976)

A thick skin is a gift from God. Konrad Adenauer (1876-1976)

Trident Missile Renewal Rejected by Annual Conference of Christian Peoples Alliance

'Meeting this weekend at their Annual Conference and AGM, activists with
the Christian Peoples Alliance party agreed to oppose the extension of the
Trident missile system, which forms the basis of Britain's nuclear policy.
The missiles must be replaced sometime between 2025 and 2030.

Supporting a resolution proposed by members of the Kingston & Surbiton
branch of the party, the rally for Christian Democrats in Britain decided
that not only are such weapons immoral, the estimated £20 billion cost of
Trident's renewal could not be justified. (See below for full text of resolution:
A Secure World.)

Joint proposer, Tony May, who works in public health policy, said:

"To approve the use of nuclear weapons or to hold them in reserve is a
form of blasphemy against God. It is a kind of idolatry. Like all idols,
our weapons research programme, testing, maintenance and delivery
mechanisms require continual payment. The Christian Peoples Alliance is
saying we refuse to worship this false god and we choose to support
investment in pursuing justice and tackling poverty, which cause much of
global instability."

Britain's nuclear weapons system is made up of four nuclear submarines.
Each sub carries up to 16 missiles on board and each missile carries three
nuclear bombs (warheads) on top. Each of these bombs is around eight times
as destructive as the bomb which flattened Hiroshima in 1945, killing over
140,000 civilians. One Trident submarine patrols the seas at all times.

In other developments at the Conference, members agreed a policy to seek
deep reforms of the international financial system, involving monetary
reform with the end of fractional reserve banking and the separation in Britain
of speculative investment banking from High Street banking. They also heard
from party Leader, Cllr Alan Craig and a message of greeting from a
representative of the African Christian Democratic Party, Keith Downs.


For more information: Tony May 07873 625396 or email press@cpaparty.org

Resolution to CPA AGM 2009
A Secure World

As Christian Democrats our commitment and expectations are rooted in a
vision of society which embodies the kingdom and goes beyond party
politics. Ours is a politics of peacemaking justice. Our understanding of
security is based on the view that all people are our neighbours, made in
the image of God. We reject the model of security that rests on
pre-emptive military intervention, the strength of arms - conventional and
nuclear - and the demonisation of the other. We seek a model of security
that puts life, justice and respect at its heart. Scripture tells us that
real security does not come from weaponry but from justice. "Integrity
will bring peace, justice give everlasting security" (Is 32:17). To be a
nation that is known for providing real security in the world, to be a
nation that truly defends the poor and needy, the CPA pledges to do all
that we can to bring peace and justice to the world.

The Christian Peoples Alliance agrees with the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Dr Rowan Williams, in his comments this year in Japan that "To plan a
strategy around such weapons is to be defeated by them." And we stand by
the verdict of Vatican II forty years ago that "Any act of war aimed
indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities or of extensive areas
along with their population is a crime against God and man himself."

1. The CPA will therefore expose the link between issues of security,
poverty and injustice and will redirect resources and research away from
military-based policies that take us to war and cause untold suffering
towards policies that work for the elimination of poverty and the
protection of the environment as a means of creating true human security.

2. We recognise that a nuclear weapons free world must be achieved
carefully and in a step by step manner. We are convinced of its
technological feasibility. Lack of political will, especially on the part
of the nuclear weapons states, is the only true barrier. As chemical and
biological weapons are prohibited, so must nuclear weapons be prohibited.

3. The nuclear weapons states have failed to disarm, while other countries
have harboured nuclear ambitions. The UK has a stated commitment to
nuclear disarmament, yet retains four armed and operational Trident
nuclear weapons submarines and describes these as 'the ultimate guarantor
of the UK's national security'. The CPA therefore pledges to work for
unilateral disarmament by the UK and to remove all reliance on nuclear
weapons owned by other states. We therefore oppose replacement of Trident.
We also agree with the leaders of the Baptist, United Reformed and
Methodist churches in describing Gordon Brown's plans to move from four to
three boats a "feeble and ineffective gesture" that do not reduce the
number of warheads.

4. The CPA calls upon all states -- particularly the nuclear weapons
states, declared and de facto -- to take the following steps to achieve
nuclear weapons abolition. We further urge the states parties to the NPT
to demand binding commitments by the declared nuclear weapons states to
implement these measures:

Pursue negotiations on a nuclear weapons abolition convention that
requires the phased elimination of all nuclear weapons within a time-bound
framework, with provisions for effective verification and enforcement.

Immediately make an unconditional pledge not to use or threaten to use
nuclear weapons.

Rapidly complete a truly Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with a zero
threshold and with the stated purpose of precluding nuclear weapons
development by all states.

Establish a body to deal with nuclear disarmament.

Place a moratorium on all nuclear explosions before the Treaty comes into
force.

Cease to produce and deploy new and additional nuclear weapons systems,
and commence to withdraw and disable deployed nuclear weapons systems.

Prohibit the military and commercial production and reprocessing of all
weapons-usable radioactive materials.

Subject all weapons-usable radioactive materials and nuclear facilities in
all states to international accounting, monitoring, and safeguards, and
establish a public international registry of all weapons-usable
radioactive materials.

Prohibit nuclear weapons research, design, development, and testing
through laboratory experiments including but not limited to non-nuclear
hydrodynamic explosions and computer simulations, subject all nuclear
weapons laboratories to international monitoring, and close all nuclear
test sites.

Create additional nuclear weapons free zones.

Recognise and declare the illegality of threat or use of nuclear weapons,
publicly and before the World Court.

Create mechanisms to ensure the participation of citizens and NGOs in
planning and monitoring the process of nuclear weapons abolition.

A world free of nuclear weapons is a shared aspiration of humanity. This
goal cannot be achieved in a non-proliferation regime that authorises the
possession of nuclear weapons by a small group of states. Our common
security requires the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. Our
objective is definite and unconditional abolition of nuclear weapons.

The convention should mandate irreversible disarmament measures, including
but not limited to the following:
withdraw and disable all deployed nuclear weapons systems; disable and
dismantle warheads; place warheads and weapons-usable radioactive
materials under international safeguards; destroy ballistic missiles and
other delivery systems.

The convention could also incorporate the measures listed above which
should be implemented independently without delay. When fully implemented,
the convention would replace the NPT.'

I left before the debate. If present I would have said that I felt about this motion like the man who said he would vote for his religion's party unless he thought they were about to gain power. I believe that MAD kept the peace in the cold war. Nations need arms to keep the peace. But for economic reasons I do not favour replacing Trident.

Joseph Addison (1672 - 1719) - christiansquoting.org.uk

A man must be both stupid and uncharitable who believes there is no virtue or truth but on his own side. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

Everything that is new or uncommon raises a pleasure in the imagination, because it fills the soul with an agreeable surprise, gratifies its curiosity, and gives it an idea of which it was not before possessed. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

If men would consider not so much wherein they differ, as wherein they agree, there would be far less of uncharitableness and angry feeling in the world. -

- Joseph Addison

If we may believe our logicians, man is distinguished from all other creatures by the faculty of laughter.~ Joseph Addison

It is folly for an eminent man to think of escaping censure, and a weakness to be affected with it. All the illustrious persons of antiquity, and indeed of every age in the world, have passed through this fiery persecution. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are the more gentle and quiet we become towards the defects of others. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

Men may change their climate, but they cannot change their nature. A man that goes out a fool cannot ride or sail himself into common sense. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

No vices are so incurable as those which men are apt to glory in. --Joseph Addison

Of all the diversions of life, there is none so proper to fill up its empty spaces as the reading of useful and entertaining authors. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

Plenty of people wish to become devout, but no one wishes to be humble. - Joseph Addison (Attributed)

Ridicule is generally made use of to laugh men out of virtue and good sense, by attacking everything praiseworthy in human life. -- Joseph Addison (1672 - 1719)

The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.--Joseph Addison

Loveliest of women! heaven is in thy soul, Beauty and virtue shine forever round thee, Bright'ning each other! thou art all divine! - Joseph Addison, Cato (1713) (Act III, sc. 2)

Talk not of love: thou never knew'st its force.- Joseph Addison, Cato (1713) (Act III, sc. 2)

Content thyself to be obscurely good.
When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway,
The post of honour is a private station.-- Joseph Addison, Cato (1713) (Act IV, sc. 4)

'Tis Liberty that crowns Britannia's Isle,
And makes her barren rocks and her bleak mountains smile.
Others with towering piles may please the sight,
And in their proud aspiring domes delight;
A nicer touch to the stretch'd canvas give,
Or teach their animated rocks to live:
'Tis Britain's care to watch o'er Europe's fate,
And hold in balance each contending state,
To threaten bold presumptuous kings with war,
And answer her afflicted neighbours' pray'r.
Joseph Addision, _Letter from Italy to the Right Honorable Lord Halifax_, 1701
To be an atheist requires an infinitely greater measure of faith than to receive all the great truths which atheism would deny.
Joseph Addison , Spectator, 8 March 1711

When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love and praise.
Thy Providence my life sustained,
And all my wants redressed,
While in the silent womb I lay
And hung upon the breast.

To all my weak complaints and cries
Thy mercy lent an ear,
Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learned
To form themselves in prayer.

Unnumbered comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived
From Whom those comforts flowed.

When in the slippery paths of youth
With heedless steps I ran,
Thine arm unseen conveyed me safe,
And led me up to man.

Through hidden dangers, toils, and deaths,
It gently cleared my way;
And through the pleasing snares of vice,
More to be feared than they.

O how shall words with equal warmth
The gratitude declare,
That glows within my ravished heart?
But thou canst read it there.

Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss
Hath made my cup run o'er;
And, in a kind and faithful Friend,
Hath doubled all my store.

Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the last a cheerful heart
That tastes those gifts with joy.

When worn with sickness, oft hast Thou
With health renewed my face;
And, when in sins and sorrows sunk,
Revived my soul with grace.

Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I'll pursue
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.

When nature fails, and day and night
Divide Thy works no more,
My ever grateful heart, O Lord,
Thy mercy shall adore.

Through all eternity to Thee
A joyful song I'll raise;
For, oh, eternity's too short
To utter all Thy praise!
Joseph Addison 1672-1719, The Spectator, (London: August 9, 1712).

The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame
Their great Original proclaim.
Th'unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's powers display,
And publishes to every land
The work of an Almighty Hand.


Soon as the evening shades prevai
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;
While all the stars that round her burn
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amid the radiant orbs be found?
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
Forever singing as they shine,
"The hand that made us is divine."
Joseph Addison, in The Spectator (London, England: August 23, 1712)

How are Thy servants blest, O Lord!
How sure is their defense!
Eternal wisdom is their guide,
Their help Omnipotence.

In foreign realms, and lands remote,
Supported by Thy care,
Through burning climes they pass unhurt,
And breathe in tainted air.

When by the dreadful tempest borne
High on the broken wave,
They know Thou art not slow to her,
Nor impotent to save.

The storm is laid, the winds retire,
Obedient to Thy will,
The sea, that roars at Thy command,
At Thy command is still.

From all our griefs and fears, O Lord,
Thy mercy sets us free;
While in the confidence of prayer
Our hearts take hold on Thee.

In midst of dangers, fears and death,
Thy goodness we adore;
We praise Thee for Thy mercies past,
And humbly hope for more

Our life, while Thou preservest life,
A sacrifice shall be;
And death, when death shall be our lot,
Shall join our souls to Thee.
Joseph Addison, in The Spectator (London, England), September 20,1712.

Silence never shows itself to so great an advantage, as when it is made the reply to calumny and defamation, provided that we give no just occasion for them. - Joseph Addison,The Tatler" no. 133

Amazon.co.uk reviews

Reviewer Rank: 210. Helpful votes received on reviews & lists: 74% (1,711 of 2,328)
Have a look at the books I have read and give me some votes please. I find if you do negative reviews, especially of things the world acclaims, like Pulp Fiction, you come in for some stick. But I can stick up for myself if I decide to answer the fool according to his folly.

Thomas Adams (1583-1652) - christiansquoting.org.uk

Oh, then be ashamed, Christians, that worldlings are more studious and industrious to make sure of pebbles, than you are to make sure of pearls. -- Thomas Adams.

Our mind is where our pleasure is, our heart is where our treasure is, our love is where our life is, but all these, our pleasure, treasure, and life, are reposed in Jesus Christ. -- Thomas Adams

Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace. A man feels the ache of his finger more sensibly than the health of his whole body; yet he knows that the ache of a finger is nothing so much as the health of the whole body. - THOMAS ADAMS

The Law gives menaces. the gospel gives promises. Thomas Adams

Woman takes her being from man, man takes his well-being from woman.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Woman was principal in killing the first Adam, himself being accessory. But in killing the second Adam, man was the principal and woman had not a finger in it.= Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

True obedience hath no lead at its heels.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Naked faith is no faith.= Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

We know that there is a sun in heaven, yet we cannot see what matter it is made of, but perceive it only by the beams, light and heat. Election is a sun, the eyes of eagles cannot see it; yet we may find it in the heat of vocation, in the light of illumination, in the beams of good works.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)


Many come to these holy places, and are so transported with a desire of hearing, that they forget the fervency of praying and praising God . . . all our preaching is but to beget your praying; to instruct you to praise and worship God . . . . I complain not that our churches are auditories, but that they are not oratories; not that you come to sermons (for God’s sake, come faster), but that you neglect public prayer; as if were only God’s part to bless you, not yours to bless God. . . . Beloved, mistake not. It is not the only exercise of a Christian to hear a sermon; nor is that Sabbath well spent that despatcheth no other business for heaven . . . God’s service is not to be narrowed up in hearing, it hath greater latitude; there must be prayer, praise, adoration.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

The least faith is as precious to the believer's soul as Peter's or Paul's faith was to themselves; for it lays hold upon Christ and brings eternal salvation.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652) (On 2 Peter)

The light of nature is like a spark, the light of the gospel a lamp, the light of grace a star, but the light of glory the sun itself.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Christ is the sum of the whole Bible, prophesied, typified, prefigured, exhibited, demonstrated, to be found in every leaf, almost in every line, the Scriptures being but as it were the swaddling bands of the child Jesus.= Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Religion gives riches, and riches forgets religion . . . Thus do our affections wheel about with an unconstant motion. Poverty makes us Religious, Religion rich, and riches irreligious.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)(Diseases of the Soul: A Discourse Divine, Morall, and Physicall, (London, 1616), 24)

It is a poor worship to move our hats, and not our hearts.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

One would think that punishment should procure fear, and forgiveness love; but no man more truly loves God than he is most fearful to offend Him .... we fear thee for thy justice, and love thee for thy mercy; yea, fear thee for thy mercy, and love thee for thy justice; for thou art infinitely good in both.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Devotion without instruction winds itself into superstition.= Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Lay up in the ark of thy memory not only the pot of manna, the bread of life; but even Aaron's rod, the very scourge of correction, wherewith thou hast been bettered.- Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Sins are so remitted as if they had never been committed.= Thomas Adams (1583-1652)

Return to Twickers

It is 40 years since I last saw rugby at Twickenham. That was Oxford University v South Africa, the last apartheid tour. I argued with the demonstrators saying I was going to work in Nigeria, a more practical help for Africa than their banners.

I went with my youngest, the ticket being her birthday treat. The 80,000 seat stadium is a mile from the station. Lots of enterprising homeowners have turned front gardens into fast food outlets.I have also never seen so many mounted police but I think that was for helping stop the traffic as rugby crowds are well behaved.

The game was disappointing in that the first half, at 9-9 saw no decent England try attempts. Once again all the points for us were from Johnny's boot. There was a strong wind which did not help kicking but could lift the numerous paper aeroplanes thrown towards the pitch. It you give spectators card to wave, you can expect such fun. Planes which got to the pitch gained applause. More than 14 of our team did that half.

Click on the title for photos. Second half was better and we had our try.

I was appalled by poor line of sight next to a gangway being constantly blocked by people gong to get beer. I am all for beer but when I go to a game it is to watch not to drink and pee.

Christian Peoples Alliance AGM

THe Annual Consultative Assembly and AGM of the CPA took place in Ealing yesterday and I was able to attend in the morning. Numbers were disappointing. Not quite the old story of having the party conference in a phone box though.

'In June, a quarter of a million people in Britain
voted for a Christian vision of Europe by backing candidates from the
Christian Peoples Alliance and our colleagues in The Christian Party. The
Times newspaper said the joint ticket was among the "key winners" of the
smaller parties..... Although there are 250,000 people voting for Christian
Democratic policies, the CPA has insufficient paid up members! We rely on
volunteers and the big challenge is to translate goodwill into proper
organisation and a functioning office. The reality we face is that
unprecedented numbers of people are looking for a political alternative to
the big parties. The CPA stands for values of honesty and integrity. All
that is required is for you and those like you in CPA to come forward and
be the difference the public is seeking........You can support us online by visiting:

http://www.cpaparty.org.uk/?page=help_support_us'

I leaned more about the split that took place some time ago. The CPA in Scotland put a Muslim to stand for election. Party membership is not faith based but the constitution states that candidates must agree with the Christian aims of the party. Those on the executive who supported this breach of the constitution eventually resigned. It appears they were also responsible for a great gulf between the CPA and George Hargreave's Christian Party. This rift is now healed and in June there was a joint party ticket The feeling of our meeting was that our campaign main thrust to say we not the BNP were the Christian alternative was not very helpful knocking copy.
Cllr. Alan Craig, CPA leader.