Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Just Imagine If It Were Christians ...

 ... committing atrocities throughout Afghanistan. (I do fully realise how impossible that would be, of course.)

Do you honestly believe that Western governments would try to avoid that nation becoming a pariah state? Would rely on alleged good intentions? Would pour in billions of pounds in aid?

Please explain why all this bending over backwards when Moslems are the aggressors?

Priti Talks The Talk and Seems Well-Intentioned BUT IS Boris Preventing Her From Acting Effectively?

 https://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/1483352/extinction-rebellion-protest-priti-patel

Birdie.

 

The Words of God.

 

Chris-Llewellyn.

https://www.premierchristianity.com/Past-Issues/2020/February-2020/Rend-Collective-s-Chris-Llewellyn-The-Bible-isn-t-an-instruction-manual

Blogger: I agree with everything written, provided that it is not self-justification for being in any way selective about which Scriptures to follow and which not. 
That is a pathway which leads to nowhere good.

Just Spotted This 'Old' News.

 The former pope, who stood down in a controversial move in 2013, claimed that people who oppose homosexual unions in today’s world are “excommunicated from society”. He said that it was “the same thing with abortion and creating human life in the laboratory”, adding that it was natural for those who oppose it to be concerned about the “spiritual power of the Antichrist”. The comments were taken from an authorised biography of the ex-head of the Vatican, called ‘Benedict XVI – A Life’.

However, the remarks have sparked fury among Vatican observers, who say this is the latest in a long line of passages used as an attempt to curb Pope Francis’ liberal agenda.
Lynda Telford, author of ‘Women of the Vatican – Female Power in a Male World’, told Express.co.uk how she “pitied Francis deeply” after Benedict’s words came to light this week.
She said: “Benedict’s doing his absolute best to sabotage all the reforms that Francis is trying to bring in. Express.

Sigh.

 

Romans 13:4.

Romans 13:4.

Romans 13:4
For he is the minister of God to thee for good
He is a minister of God's appointing and commissioning, that acts under him, and for him, is a kind 
of a vicegerent of his, and in some, sense represents him; and which is another reason why men ough
t to be subject to him; and especially since he is appointed for their "good", natural, moral, civil, and spiritual, as Pareus observes: for natural good, for the protection of men's natural lives, which
 otherwise would be in continual danger from wicked men; for moral good, for the restraining of vice, and encouragement of virtue; profaneness abounds exceedingly, as the case is, but what would it do if there were no laws to forbid it, or civil magistrates to put them in execution? for civil good, for the preservation of men's properties, estates, rights, and liberties, which would be continually invaded, 
and made a prey of by others; and for spiritual and religious good, as many princes and magistrates have been; a sensible experience of which we have under the present government of these kingdoms, 
allowing us a liberty to worship God according to our consciences, none making us afraid, and is a reason why we should yield a cheerful subjection to it:
but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid:
of the punishment of such evil threatened by law, and to be inflicted by the civil magistrate;
for he beareth not the sword in vain.
The "sword" is an emblem of the power of life and death, the civil magistrate is invested with, and includes all sorts of punishment he has a right to inflict; and this power is not lodged in him in vain; 
he may and ought to make use of it at proper times, and upon proper persons:
for he is the minister of God;
as is said before, he has his mission, commission, power and authority from him; and is
a revenge to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil;
he is a defender of the laws, a vindicator of divine justice, an avenger of the wrongs of men; and his business is to inflict proper punishment, which is meant by wrath, upon delinquents. John Gill.

Why Music Is Vital In Children's Ministry.

 https://www.christiantoday.com/article/the-importance-of-music-in-childrens-ministry/133669.htm

Good Sense From Sacha Baron Cohen.

 https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline/videos/3274321462795038/?extid=NS-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&ref=sharing

Monday, August 30, 2021

Cloud Cuckoo Land Is Upon Us - And It's Expensive Too.

 The United Kingdom will boost aid spending on Afghanistan, and despite the massive failure to keep billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment out of the hands of the Taliban as they conquered the nation, the government has vowed this money won’t find its way into the hands of the warlords. Breitbart.

Well Argued, Andrea.

Are we more free to sell porn than to speak the truth?

Andrea Williams   27 August 2021 
Announcing its delay, and apparent reversal of its ban on sexually explicit content ban, OnlyFans this week said it "stands for inclusion and will continue to provide a home for all creators".
For 'all creators', read pornographers.
It's all about the money
Through the pandemic, OnlyFans became synonymous with porn, with many women stuck at home selling homemade pornography to equally stuck-at-home men. When the site announced an end to sexually explicit content, many wondered how a porn site would make money without selling porn.
There were rumblings that OnlyFans wanted to find more money from investors and needed to clean up their act. More likely was pressure from banks and financial services, saying they would stop the site from being able to process payments, which seems to have been confirmed in subsequent statements by OnlyFans.
Either way, it's about money. OnlyFans exists to make money, not to help creators forge "authentic relationships with their fanbase". And it does so by exploiting the bodies of (mostly) women and the lusts of (mostly) men.
Other sites like Patreon and Substack allow creators to sell exclusive content to fans and take a smaller percentage of the fee. OnlyFans is able to charge a higher fee - make more money - because it sells pornography.
Pornography exploits everyone
In the 21st century, anyone who opposes pornography is viewed by some as a swivel-eyed relic of 1950s' family values. Liberalism in its left- or right-wing forms is laissez faire about pornography, treating it as a private matter that no one may interfere with. Pornography is seen as harmless fun, opposed only by uptight, strait-laced, moral busybodies who hate the idea that other people are enjoying themselves.
But porn isn't harmless. It harms just about everyone it touches.
Porn exploits its viewers. It makes money off people's loneliness and frustration. It addictively feeds desires that don't ultimately satisfy – as shown by the regret many feel after masturbation. It leads people towards fantasies and fetishes that their real-world spouse – now or in the future – cannot or will not be able or willing to satisfy. It therefore harms relationships, fuelling dissatisfaction and unfaithfulness. All of which leads towards breakup and divorce – good for no one, particularly children.
Porn hurts its creators. They are incentivised to sell their bodies and pressured directly or indirectly to push their boundaries and subject themselves to increasingly degraded acts. Even where there is no financial incentive, the dopamine rush of attention, desirability and approval can lead to addiction and dissatisfaction.
Porn hurts children. It's easier to tell most porn sites that you're over 18 years old than to reject cookies on many GDPR-compliant websites. Pornography is routinely viewed by under-18s and is closely linked to aggressive and abusive behaviour among school pupils. Boys and girls going through the confusing feelings of puberty can easily find hardcore content for every conceivable taste or kink and find themselves aroused by any number of unhelpful or abusive ideas.
Porn hurts abuse victims. Porn sites, including giants PornHub and OnlyFans have been found to host explicit content featuring underage or trafficked people, or content shared without consent (e.g. revenge porn). Both sites claim to be attempting to tackle the problem, but even if they did, countless other lesser-known sites would be ready to host such content without proper checks.
This problem won't go away without clear law-making and effective enforcement. Sites hosting illegal content should simply be fined and blocked. Although technology will always provide ways for such blocks to be sidestepped, any serious effort could do a lot of good.
Is porn more free than speech?
Nevertheless, governments and businesses are more reluctant to put meaningful barriers on porn access than on many other problems or questionable activities.
'Fake news' and sceptical views relating to Covid are routinely blocked, banned or shown with warnings from social media sites in an attempt to curb the spread of perceived or actual falsehoods. Why are there no warnings appearing next to links to pornography?
Gambling, investment and cryptocurrencies require identity verification. Why should porn be any different? A scheme to do just this was drawn up but never implemented.
The financial services industry can be applauded for putting pressure on pornography sites like OnlyFans to take serious steps to eliminate abuse. But many of these organisations are willing to shut down accounts with little or no warning even for law-abiding groups, because they go against their ideology.
If only we gave such attention to tackling the porn problem.
Andrea Williams is CEO of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre.

Brexit's Fault, Huh?

The haulage industry is labouring under a shortfall of around 100,000 truckers. The problem is so acute that the Government is considering increasing the maximum allowable length of an HGV by 6.5 ft.

The roots of the crisis appear to lie in a perfect storm of issues, including long hours, declining pay levels and an exodus of European drivers since Britain left the EU. While Remainers like to blame every economic setback on Brexit, the truth is more complex. Around 14,000 European lorry drivers left the UK last year and only 600 returned, but other factors had a bigger impact.
Take the length of the average trucker's working week. HGV drivers are restricted to driving ten hours a day (up from nine pre-Covid), but factor in waiting times and they can be out of the house for 12-15 hours a day. The impact this has on family life has driven many younger drivers out, with the result that 62 per cent of the workforce is over 45. Mail.
Blogger - and all of that writing before Covid-19 even gets a mention!

Silence Can Often Be The Worst of Sins.

 https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15951488/jimmy-savile-abuse-hospital-quiet/

Christianity In The USSR and Beyond.

https://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.church.in.the.soviet.union.watched.like.a.fish.in.an.aquarium/137285.htm

Birdie.

Please Pray For Afghan Believers.

 

CHRISTIANS IN AFGHANISTAN – CALL TO PRAYER

27 Aug 2021
Release International is calling for prayer for Afghan Christians, following the rapid takeover of their country by the Taliban. It is also working to lobby for safe passage for Christian refugees whose lives could be at risk.
UK-based Release International serves persecuted Christians around the world. Says CEO Paul Robinson: ‘God’s work is not over in Afghanistan. We intend to continue working with the underground church in that country. The number of Christians fleeing Afghanistan, though heart-wrenching, is relatively small.’
The news from Afghan Christians on the ground is mixed, as the country emerges into its new normality. Some describe a return to order, others a growing fear.
Paul Robinson, CEO Release International
‘Many callers are talking about life going on almost as normal,’ says Paul Robinson, ‘while others are extremely troubled by the recent takeover and fearful for their lives as followers of Christ, wondering if someone will denounce them. They are looking for ways out of the country.’
Since the Taliban takeover, one Release International contact has been in regular touch with Afghans, who are still able to view their Christian media content. They warn: ‘The situation is dire. We’ve seen the Taliban in the past and we know what they do.’
A Christian father called to leave a desperate message: ‘I came to Christ a year ago,’ he said. ‘The Kabul situation is dreadful. The lives of my eight-year-old daughter and my own are in danger.’
Another 16-year-old girl sent this message: ‘People are terrified. Everyone is afraid and scared of the Taliban. I’m crying out to God right now. Someone please help us.’
Release partners confirm the Taliban have been conducting house searches for named individuals and that some have escaped and are in hiding. They are also able to confirm that a letter has been circulated in the Dari language, requiring girls over 15 and widows under 45 to register at local cultural centres. While the existence of that instruction has been denied by the Taliban, Release contacts confirm the letter has been distributed in some districts.
UK offers refuge
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated that priority will be given to Afghan women, children and religious minorities, to come to the UK under a resettlement scheme.
‘Release International welcomes this commitment to religious minorities, who are clearly at risk in Afghanistan,’ says Paul Robinson. ‘Through our partners, we are lobbying hard to secure a place of refuge.’
According to the Church Times growing numbers of British Christians are coming forward to offer support, including accommodation, for Afghan refugees.
In a joint letter to The Guardian newspaper, Catholic and Anglican archbishops called on governments to take more responsibility for meeting the needs of the most vulnerable who have to leave Afghanistan.
They said: ‘We have seen in our parishes the warm responses to refugees from Afghanistan and other parts of the world. As a nation, we should not be led by quota, but by the need and pain before us. We must put the most vulnerable people at the heart of our thinking and actions.’
Call to prayer
For the moment, Release International believes the most crucial support Christians can offer is prayer.
‘Get Christian friends together and hold prayer meetings for these believers,’ says Paul Robinson. ‘Pray that our Afghan brothers and sisters will experience the peace of Jesus with them, guiding them and offering them reassurance.
‘Pray that the Holy Spirit will bring scripture and worship songs to their minds. Pray for our partners as they minister to Afghans everyday via online, radio and phone connections. And pray that our efforts to secure safe refuge for those who are fleeing will meet with success.’ Release International.

What Is To Come, For God's People - Only.

A Friend Points Out ...

Apparently new musical artists are struggling because people much prefer to listen to older artists such as ABBA, Queen and the Rolling Stones. Could it be I wonder that older artists actually knew how to play and they wrote better songs.  

A Very Fair Point.

Extinction Rebellion should target Chinese Embassy – Bill Carmichael.

THE privileged protesters of Extinction Rebellion are up to their old tricks again – this time blocking roads in central London, gluing themselves to a giant table and laying down in the road, padlocking their wrists together inside steel tubes, to cause maximum disruption. YP.

Plastics: Good Call, Boris.

Single-use cups and cutlery could be banned in England

Each person uses 18 single-use plastic plates and 37 single-use plastic items of cutlery each year in England.

Sunday, August 29, 2021

Unarguable.

Joe Biden is deaf, dumb and blind to the chaos the US has unleashed

The administration is ignoring history by putting blind faith in the goodwill of the murderous Taliban

The Taliban, and jihadis around the world, are celebrating that the American leadership has been rendered deaf, dumb, and blind. So dumb are they that the Biden administration allegedly provided the Taliban with names and biometric details of Afghans who have worked for the US over the past two decades, in a show of blind faith that they would allow these at-risk Afghans through checkpoints for evacuation....

Hmm.

 Piers Morgan calls Harry and Meghan 'gutless weasels' for not naming 'supposed royal racist'.


Piers Morgan's Life Stories (ITV)

On The Boil?

No Separation.

 

Birdie.


 

God Is Love.

 God is love but also a God of Justice and Retribution.

Approach him correctly through Jesus and only the first will ever apply to you.

Jon Voight.

jon-voightJon Voight: 'I have fear of the Lord, God is everything, He is love'

  • Nate Flannagan | Sat 17 Jul 2021.
    Hollywood actor, Jon Voight, has said that he strives to be "righteous" and has a "fear of the Lord". CT.

A sound Presentation, Patrick.

 https://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/patrick-o-flynn/1483174/all-nations-pull-weight-afghanistan-joe-biden-us-president-taliban

Saturday, August 28, 2021

The Mighty England Attack Puts India To The Sword.


England took EIGHT wickets in a single session's play - using the new ball superbly. (A super fivefer for Ollie Robinson.)
When did India last lose a match by an INNINGS and 78 or so runs?
WOW!
Series stands at  1 - 1 with two to play.

Christian Fears In Nigeria.

Christians in Nigeria are living in fear of another attack.

Julian Mann   27 August 2021
Plateau State has been the scene of repeated attacks on Christians.

Christians in Nigeria are living in fear of another attack, says a Christian member of the House of Lords.
There is speculation that Islamic terrorists are planning an attack on Jos, capital of the Plateau state in central Nigeria, Baroness Caroline Cox has revealed.
The charity she founded in 2004, Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART), is active in the embattled region.
She has received reports from local contacts that "terrorist groups are soon going to converge in Jos and have listed the places they plan to attack".
Her contacts told her: "There has been so much bloodshed and property burnt and more people displaced and also crops destroyed. We pray that God will stop it from happening again."
Baroness Cox told supporters that since 2015, HART has received "almost-daily reports of similar attacks by Fulani militia or other terrorist factions, including targeted attacks against predominantly-Christian communities in Plateau state and elsewhere.
"Some local observers have gone so far as to describe the rising attacks as a campaign of ethno-religious cleansing.
"Can I urge you to continue to join HART in prayer – that there would be an immediate cessation of attacks and provision of food, shelter, medicine and protection for displaced civilians?
"Please also join us in raising awareness of these atrocities – that perpetrators of atrocities would be held to account," she wrote.
Early this month Christian Today reported an urgent plea from the president of the Evangelical Church Winning (ECWA), Rev Dr Stephen Baba Panya, about militant Fulani attacks on Christians in the Plateau and Kaduna states.
He said a wave of attacks on the predominantly Christian Irigwe ethnic group between 23 July and 2 August had been "the worst nightmare".
Dr Panya reported that federal and state security forces were doing little to prevent the attacks.
"Many of the villages, where these killings and burnings are taking place, are basically located behind the 3rd Armoured Division Barrack of the Nigerian Army, yet, these militias are allowed to continue their heinous murders and carnage without any intervention by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies," he said.
This has had the effect of "eroding the confidence of the populace in the military and security agencies, as unbiased protectors of all, devoid of tribe, ethnicity or religion," he added. CT.

God’s Love and Ours. 1 John 4.

God’s Love and Ours. 7)  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows G...