Tuesday, February 28, 2017

ISIS - N. Korean Connection?

ISIS' Barbaric Executions Actually Mimic North Korea's Public Killing of Christians?

North Korea
While much in the international news today is dominated by the utter barbarity and heinousness in how the Islamic State tortures and executes its victims, a look back in history shows that it's possible the jihadis have taken pages from the torturous playbook of the authoritarian North Korean government. CP.

Vile.

Same Old Rubbish From Traitors In The Lords.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/772896/Lords-Brexit-peers-insist-House-of-Lords-European-Union-BRexit-Bill-Theresa-May

Facebook's Apology.

Facebook Apologizes for Suspending Christian Mom Over Post on Homosexuality.

The social media giant Facebook said Thursday that it made an "error" by suspending a Christian video blogger's account after she wrote a post about the Bible's condemnation of homosexuality.

Catto.

Octavius Valentine Catto (1839-1871)

CHRISTIANS WHO CHANGED THEIR WORLD


Octavius Valentine Catto was born of mixed-race parents in slave-holding South Carolina. His mother, Sarah Isabella Cain, was a free woman from the prominent mixed race DeReef family; since one’s status at birth came from one’s mother, Octavius was born free. His father, William T. Catto, was a freed slave who had become a Presbyterian minister.
William Catto moved the family out of Charleston, South Carolina, to Philadelphia, a city that had long been opposed to slavery and where free blacks had far more opportunities than they had in the South.
Education
Octavius began his education in segregated schools in Philadelphia, though he spent some time in the otherwise all-white Allentown Academy in Allentown, N.J. In 1854, he returned to Philadelphia, where he attended the Institute for Colored Youth (ICY) run by the Quakers (later renamed Cheyney University), the country’s first historically black institution of higher education. The ICY had been founded as a trade school but had changed its curriculum to liberal arts and classics by the time Catto arrived. Catto graduated from the ICY in 1858, then spent a year in advanced studies under a black scholar in Washington, D.C. He returned to Philadelphia in 1859, where he was appointed as a teacher of English and mathematics at the ICY by its principal, Ebenezer Bassett, an African-American graduate of Yale and future ambassador to Haiti.
Along with teaching at the ICY, Catto was involved in the Banneker Institute, an African-American scholarly organization. He was also elected to the Franklin Institute of Science, over the strenuous opposition of a significant percentage of its white members.
During this period Catto also became an activist on racial issues. He argued against the common practice of appointing incompetent or racist white teachers to black schools and pointed out the difficulties that even highly qualified blacks had in finding jobs. He also began agitating for abolition of slavery and for voting rights for blacks, the latter a cause that he would continue to champion—and that would eventually lead to his murder.
The Civil War and Activism
When the Civil War broke out, Catto saw an opportunity to work for the end of slavery and expanded rights for black citizens. He went to Washington, DC, and got involved in the inner circles of the Republican Party to push for abolition. He also realized that black contributions to the war effort could build support for equal rights. He raised a volunteer regiment of black soldiers led by white officers, but the army rejected the unit since blacks were not authorized to fight. Edward Stanton, the Secretary of War, would overrule the army on this point, but by the time that happened the regiment had dispersed back to their homes.
Nonetheless, a clear decision had been made that would allow Catto and others to raise troops for the Union cause. He teamed up with Frederick Douglass to raise up 11 black regiments from the Philadelphia area that saw action in the war. Catto himself was given the rank of major, though he never saw combat.
Catto became increasingly committed to the Republican Party during the war as the only hope for blacks to gain equal rights. He joined the Pennsylvania Equal Rights League, a Republican organization dedicated to getting blacks the right to vote. In 1864, he met with black leaders from around the country in Syracuse, New York, for the National Convention of Colored Men. The Convention formed the National Equal Rights League, an organization dedicated to promoting racial equality in the United States. Frederick Douglass was elected as the organization’s first president.
Catto’s troops trained outside Philadelphia, but in areas serviced by the city’s horse-drawn trolleys. Unfortunately, the trolleys refused to carry black passengers, and so the soldiers’ families were unable to visit them. Further, black women and children were often kicked off the trolleys by conductors and white passengers in all kinds of weather. Catto was determined to see this end, and was willing to use civil disobedience to achieve his ends. Breakpoint.

Yes - But Only If Trial Was Above Board.

American Missionary Sentenced To 40 Years For Sexually Abusing Children In Kenya.

As someone who regularly funds Christian projects in Kenya, this Blogger has concerns - less about the sentence than about the conviction.

Kenya can be horrendously corrupt on occasion.

Believe.

Super News.

Czech Christian Jailed In Sudan Has Been Freed.

A Czech Christian aid worker who has been detained in Sudanese prison since December 2015 has now been released and pardoned.
Petr JaÅ¡ek, 52, had been arrested in December 2015 and was sentenced in January this year to 24 years in jail with charges of inciting hatred and spying. Now Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has ordered JaÅ¡ek's pardon and release, News24 reports.
Jašek, part of a small Protestant church called Cirkev Bratrska, went to Sudan in the hope of helping persecuted Christians in the region.
He was arrested in 2015 after attempting to support the medical costs of a Sudanese student. In January Jašek was convicted by a court of entering Sudan illegally, inciting hatred, and spying on the military. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison. Christian Today.

Birdie.

Perfidy.

The Perfidy and Contempt of the BBC
 
In November last year, following complaints of unacceptable Muslim bias and the deliberate marginalization of Christianity by its Muslim Head of Religion and Ethics, Aaqil Ahmed, the BBC announced that it was axing both the role of Head and the department of religion, bringing all religious programming and coverage under the remit of former Labour MP James Purnell, the head of radio and education.

However, on February 25, the BBC quietly announced that it had appointed another Muslim, Fatima Salaria, as its new Head of Religious Programming.

It would seem therefore that, in clear disregard of their earlier statement, the BBC has not only resurrected this role, but appears to be operating a policy of Islamic prioritization, once again ignoring the pleas of all other religious groups in the UK for proportionate and fair representation.

Ms Salaria’s most notable achievement since joining the BBC in 2015 would appear to have been to commission the TV reality show Muslims like Us, described in the press as ‘Muslim Big Brother’.  It may be remembered that in this programme, among the ten Muslim housemates - chosen to reflect the diverse views of Muslims in the UK - was included Abdul Haqq, a Muslim convert, former boxing champion, convicted fraudster … and member of the inner circle of jailed radical cleric Anjem Choudary.   But it gets worse, because Mr Haqq reportedly not only supported banned terror group Al-Muhajiroun, but was arrested in 2014 in Dover, and later charged with plotting to go to Syria to fight with Islamic State after spreading terrorist material online.

His inclusion, put forward without comment as merely one view among many, can only have served to ‘normalise’ extremism, and is an affront to all - including moderate Muslims honestly striving to integrate into British culture.

Do we really want someone who commissions programmes like this as head of religion for the BBC?   Do we trust her to give proportionate and fair representation to all religious groups?  Do we trust the BBC?  Or do we share the view of Professor Anthony Glees of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, who told The Mail: “If a BBC executive makes a programme that is notorious and then the BBC promotes them, it tells me that the BBC has in that area lost its moral compass.”  (
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/02/25/new-bbc-head-religion-gave-islamist-extremists-platform/).

Ms Salaria is on record as saying the BBC needs to give greater voice to Muslims.  It is a view that seems to have been swallowed hook, line, and sinker by dementedly ‘diverse’ Auntie, who seemingly takes every opportunity to undermine and pour derision on those who espouse the traditional Christian beliefs and values upon which our nation is founded.   But exactly what voice does Ms Salaria class as authentically ‘Muslim’ and wish to be heard?  After all, from the example of Abdul Haqq, she appears to have no problem supporting what the rest of us call extremism,

It goes without saying that there is religious diversity in this country, and all faiths should receive proportionate coverage.   But Christianity remains the established faith of the UK and, despite declining church attendance, according to the 2011 census Christians still make up 59.5% of the population (
https://faithsurvey.co.uk/uk-christianity.html): a clear majority.   Given therefore that Christianity is the main faith of this country, surely the head of religious programming should be Christian - or at the very least, as advocated by Conservative MP Bill Cash, the post should be rotated between the different faiths.  Which should include Judaism, Hinduism and Sikkhism … as well as Islam.

As it is, this new appointment seems deliberately insulting both to Christians and to followers of other belief systems, and part of an orchestrated attempt to Islamise the UK.  Such an attitude displays not just contempt, but is a betrayal of the principles and values on which the UK is founded.  For these reasons VfJUK joins those who argue that the BBC is no longer fit for purpose.  We call for urgent investigation into the Corporation’s governance and purpose, and for review of the licence fee.


Please sign our new petition to the Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, calling for urgent investigation into the BBC's governance and leadership.
Sign here: 
http://www.citizengo.org/en/signit/41632/view

Monday, February 27, 2017

Oscars Shambles.

After all the recent politicising of their 'art', awarding the Oscar to the wrong film was a real smack in the teeth for all the luvvies.
(Honestly, I really do feel so very guilty about my sense of schadenfreude!)

China: Pastor Jailed.


China: Pastor jailed for five years.

A pastor in China has been jailed for five years after judges ruled she was guilty of "illegal business operations".
Zhang Xiuhong, the former deacon of Living Stone Church, had been held without trial for a year and a half.
Activists in the country say the charge against her is false and she was locked up for leading an unregistered church.
She was pulled from her car in July 2015 by a man who stole the vehicle. Later her house was raided by police who removed her computers, USB drives and hard drives.
 Premier Christianity.

Birdie.

Christian Divorces.

https://www.premierchristianity.com/Blog/Why-I-made-a-documentary-about-Christian-divorcees

Confused? - Some Answers.

There are times when we all feel confused and need clarity or comfort. It can be hard to know where to turn. Here are five Bible passages that might make a good start...
James 1: 2-5
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Proverbs 1: 4-6
Giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young, let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance – for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
Acts 24: 14-16
I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
2 Corinthians 4: 6-8
For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.
Phillipians 3: 14-16
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Christian Today.

Universities Restrict Free Speech.

February 24th, 2017. Christian Concern.
9 in 10 UK universities are now restricting free speech in some way, according to a survey by online magazine Spiked.
http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/education/9-in-10-universities-are-restricting-free-speech

Is Lent For ALL Christians?

http://www.christianpost.com/news/lent-for-all-christians-173469/

Government Must Act On Immigration - AND SOON!

Posted on February 23.
Responding to today’s migration statistics UKIP Immigration Spokesman John Bickley said, “Almost 600 thousand migrants arrived in the UK last year according to figures released by the ONS this morning. After emigration is subtracted - including 228,000 UK citizens that is a city the size of Hull arriving to stay permanently.
“Today’s migration figures show yet again that the Tories’ promise of reducing immigration to the tens of thousands is a hollow promise: are they misleading the British people or incompetent, most likely both.
“Earlier this week the Brexit minister David Davis let the cat out of the bag by indicating that uncontrolled immigration from the EU may never be brought under control. What happened to Vote Leave to 'take back control'.
“The Conservatives have no intention of controlling immigration: non-EU immigration is something that the Government have total control of and yet they have totally failed in bringing the numbers down in any meaningful way. They simply cannot be trusted to control immigration and our borders.

Yeah. Seen It Before But It Still Resonates.

Ah, Bless!

.

The shadow attorney general, a key Corbyn ally, set out a laundry list of excuses during an interview today as she insisted the leader was not responsible for the worst by-election performance since the war. Mail.. 
Let us not forget too that it took tens of thousands of pounds; a resolute media filled to the brim with dishonesty; personal attacks; manipulation of facts; bare-faced lies; sins of omission as well as thousands of campaigners descending on Stoke so that Labour was able to steal a narrow win there.
(I may be wrong but I suspect that Labour had more campaigners on the streets of the town than the number of votes in their majority.)

On What Platform Should Your Faith Rest?

Use-By Dates Challenged.

Waste charity Wrap is in talks with British dairy farmers, the Government and the Food Standards Agency about scrapping use-by dates after figures reveal millions of pints of milk are being wasted. Mail.
I simply ignore use-by dates. The Good Lord gave me eyes and a nose which serve me far better than some arbitrary date stamp.
I refuse to waste food unnecessarily - I even buy our biscuits from a stall on Scunthorpe Market - often 'out of date' - but never stale. At a quarter the customary price - why not? - After all, what are all of those health-giving E numbers and food additives there for amongst the contents?
I listened to a government scientist saying recently that eggs kept in the fridge can comfortably last up to four months.
Well, we have never had any stomach problems from our foul habits - perhaps these tactics have made our stomachs less sensitive.
Mind you - we did have a Milbona natural yoghurt which exploded last week as I peeled the foil from the tub - but, oh! - It was IN date by more than a week!

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Jane Collins On The Prisons Shambles.

Jane Collins responds to speech by Justice Secretary.


Published February, 2017
Jane_PR_Img.jpgUKIP Home Affairs spokeswoman Jane Collins MEP has responded to comments from Justice Secretary Liz Truss saying the cuts in funding are "a false economy" and "back door privatisation has resulted in a pressure cooker situation in the UK's prisons."
Shocking reports from HMP Northumberland, run by Sodexo Justice Services, shows drugs and wire cutting equipment in cells and prisoners leaving to pick up contraband. It was privatised in 2014, when the government was aiming to cut £500m from the prisons budget. To win the contract, Sodexo pledged to save the taxpayer £130m over 15 years. Two hundred jobs, including 96 prison officer posts, were cut. At the time of the deal, the Prison Officers Association warned it could result in "escapes and riots".
Yet the European Court of Auditors have just published a dossier revealing how the EU spent money on building two jails in the Balkans, which have received billions in pre-accession money but are not members of the EU. A photograph in the report proudly displays shiny white cells and a sparkling corridor at a brand new prison facility in Fier, southern Albania, which cost EU taxpayers £8.2m.
Mrs Collins described the EU funding of prisons in Albania and Bosnia as "a misuse of British tax payers' money particularly at a time when UK prisons are in a disastrous state."

"We saw from the Panorama report that we have prisons which are secure facilities in name only, with cuts being made by the government which are putting prison officers' lives in danger and turning supposed correctional institutions into drug dens where lags rule the roost.

"So why is our money being spent abroad when demonstrably it is needed here?

"The Prisons Minister needs to explain just how the situation has reached this crisis point and I am sure others will want to know how much money Sodexo is getting for a job it seems to be failing in."

Lords' Interference In Brexit.

Time to abolish the unelected Upper House. Replacement 'peers' to be elected with 270 PR seats and 30 appointed, apolitical neutrals who are experts across a variety of fields. The latter group may possibly include, however, former PMs who have served more than two years in Downing Street.

Birdie.

Turks Hold Pastor.

78 Members of Congress Urge Turkey President to Release US Pastor

As many as 78 members of Congress have signed a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urging him to release a Christian pastor from North Carolina, who was imprisoned in Turkey on a false terrorism charge because of his Christian faith. CP.

Recent Events.

Ten Ways To Love.

Well, That Would Be A Step Forward ... Bye!

Ukip donor Arron Banks threatens to quit in ultimatum to Paul Nuttall.

UKIP was plunged into a new crisis last night as its biggest donor threatened to quit unless he is allowed to take over the party. Sunday Express.

Great Is His Love.

George Whitefield - Example.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Tyranny Of The Minority.

Drip, drip, drip ... a poisonous conviction is taking root on the Left and among the elite: ordinary people are too stupid to be trusted with voting. This is sinister populism, writes MICK HUME. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-4258522/A-poisonous-conviction-taking-root-Left.html

ISIS Evil Is Unrelenting/


ISIS Releases New Video.

ISIS released a video yesterday which called for the slaughter of Egyptian Christians, and showed the last statement from the man allegedly responsible for the Cairo church bombing in December. Video Calling For Slaughter Of Egyptian Christians.

The 20 minute video, titled 'Kill all the Kuffar' (Kuffar is Arabic for 'unbeliever') encourages fellow militants to attack and kill Christians across the country, as AMN reports.
The video also features footage a masked man the group named as Abu Abdallah al-Masri and the perpetrator of the Cairo church bombing in December that killed 28 and wounded over 40. Most of the victims were women and children. ISIS previously claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it a 'martyrdom operation' targeted at 'infidels' and 'apostates'.
Egypt's president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi previously identified the bomber as 22-year-old student Mahmoud Shafik, whose assumed name was believed to have been Abu Abdallah al-Masri.
In the video Al-Masri encourages fellow jihadists not to give up, and promises those jailed in Egypt that they will soon be freed. Christianity Today.

Domestic Abuse.

Crackdown on domestic abuse is welcome but let's educate too

Posted on February 20
2015_Margot_Preferred_picture.jpgMargot Parker, UKIP's Women's and Equalities spokesman has backed plans to create tougher laws to deal with domestic abuse.
But the East Midlands MEP has said education is also vital in tackling the problem. The Government has revealed proposals to oversee the creation of new laws to deal with domestic abuse in England and Wales. A new Act would tackle inconsistencies across the country, although it is unclear what shape the new Domestic Violence and Abuse Act might take.
Margot said: "Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime – too many women and indeed men, are living in fear of their partners and are living in fear in their own homes. More has to be done. Tougher legislation yes! But we also need to tackle the problem by educating people about abuse and the damage it does.

Birdie.

Blog Late.

The Blog is being published much later today than usual. Advance Warning: it will not be published at all three weeks today - Saturday March the 18th. Normal service expected to resume the following day.

Pastors Making Great Bosses?

Guide Me Into Truth.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Tories & Immigration.


What promise will the Tories keep on Immigration?


Published Feb 22, 2017
John Bickley, the UKIP Immigration Spokesman has slammed David Davis, the Brexit Minister for giving up before he has started on mass EU immigration.
Bickley said, "David Davis has let the cat out of the bag by indicating that uncontrolled immigration from the EU will continue after Brexit. That's not what 17.4 million people voted for in last June's EU Referendum. Davis states that it will takes years to replace EU workers with British ones, despite the fact that UK unemployment is still around 1.5 million.
"Frankly, the Tories can't be trusted to control our borders or immigration. They have singularly failed to reduce immigration to the 'tens of thousands' as set out by Prime Ministers Cameron & May. Are the Tories misleading the British people or are they incompetent? The immigration figures since 2010 suggest both
"It should be clear by now to the British people that the Labour Party engineered mass uncontrolled immigration for electoral advantage, with complete disregard for their traditional working class vote, and the Tories continue to do so to suit big business. Why do the Tories & Labour want to turn the UK into a cheap labour sweatshop off the coast of mainland Europe?"

Trevor Phillips Has Learned, First Hand, About The Loonies Of The PC Brigade.

The day I was accused of being racist, I knew political correctness had gone mad, writes TREVOR PHILLIPS 

Trevor Phillips pictured in London in 2015
Trevor Phillips pictured in London in 2015
A few weeks ago, I observed that Barack Obama’s iconic status as the first African-American U.S. President should not obscure his mixed political record.
For that, I was accused by one Radio 4 commentator of peddling a ‘racist narrative’.
As a black man and former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, you might think I would be surprised to face a charge of racism — but I was not. 
For at a time when this country is crying out for frank discussion on issues such as race and sexuality, debate is being closed down because those who find offence in every-thing cry ‘racist’ or ‘sexist’.
The result — as I argue tonight in a TV programme — is that our political and cultural elite seem unable to speak plainly about things that concern many citizens.
While our rulers seem to have all the time in the world to debate who should use which lavatory (in deference to the transgender lobby), they dismiss anxieties about overcrowded schools or doctors’ surgeries as merely a bigoted dislike of migrants.
How has this come about?
Forty years ago, ‘identity’ politics was about trying to end discrimination. It led to revolutionary legislation on gender, disability and race.
But recently the recognition of diversity has grown into a cancerous cultural tyranny that blocks open debate.
In higher education, it has spread like wildfire.
Efforts to keep real racists off university platforms have been perverted so bans are imposed on, for example, speakers with unfashionable views on transsexuals.
Harmless academics are falling prey, too. Sensible people are appalled at the way Nobel Laureate Sir Tim Hunt was hounded out of his post at University College London for a weak joke about women crying in laboratories. 
Hardly a day goes by on campuses without a demand for a statue to be removed or for ‘safe spaces’ where sensitive students can be sheltered from robust views in a cultural debate or sexual violence in a classic literary text. Mail.

The Political Left Understands Little.

The ongoing fight against the Jewishness of Jesus. By  Michael Brown , CP Op-Ed Contributor Thursday, December 28, 2023 iStock/Wirestock You...