Opposite Sex Civil Partnership.

Isle of Man introduces heterosexual civil partnerships

August 3rd, 2016 | Family, Same-Sex 'Marriage', Sexual Orientation, Social

The Isle of Man has brought in new legislation to allow couples of the opposite sex to enter into a civil partnership. Christian Concern.

This may have a certain social value in very particular circumstances . Siblings, for example,  who have shared a life together have often found themselves in terrible situations in comparison to homosexual couples who possess far more rights.

The Third Test

Phew. What a test match! Yesterday, I met four people who attended on the Friday - and how excited they were over a super day's cricket. 
Sadly, I also spoke to another gentleman who had been at Edgbaston on the previous day - but at least, he had been in the company of friends. 

How England have managed to pull this back from the brink after such a poor batting display, followed by a morning of execrable bowling when Pakistan first batted, is incredible.
England go into the final day with apparently, little chance of defeat and a better than even chance of victory.
Amazing.

Feeling Down?

EEA The Brexit Solution? - Not Really!

New briefing: As the UK searches for a post-Brexit plan, is the EEA a viable option?

As the new UK government begins to formulate a Brexit plan, many businesses and some politicians have turned to the European Economic Area (EEA) model – or some variant of it – which would leave the UK in a relationship with the EU that is similar to that of Norway and keep it in the single market. The EEA option comes with some notable benefits. It provides an ‘off-the-shelf’ model, thereby minimising short-term economic disruption and uncertainty, and could help smoothen some of the regional differences thrown up by the Brexit vote, such as those raised by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. EEA membership also means exiting some EU policies – such as agriculture and fisheries – and regaining the ability to negotiate stand-alone trade agreements with non-EU countries. However, a Norway-style relationship is unlikely to be a viable long-term option for the UK. Firstly, it is a poor fit when set against the Leave side’s key arguments during the referendum campaign: restoring full control over UK immigration policy, restoring UK sovereignty over lawmaking including vis-à-vis the European Court of Justice, eliminating the UK’s financial contribution to the EU, and reducing the burden of EU legislation on business. Secondly, and perhaps just as importantly, it is unlikely that such an EU-satellite status would satisfy the national self-image of a major G7 economy with deeper trade and foreign policy links across the world, such as the UK. Open Europe.

Brian Rix - No Farce.

Actor and learning disability campaigner Lord Rix has issued a plea for euthanasia to be legalised in order to allow him to "slip away peacefully".

In a letter to the Speaker of the House of Lords Baroness D'Souza, the 92-year-old Mencap president revealed he is suffering from a terminal condition and hopes Parliament will act "as soon as possible" to make it possible for people in his situation to be assisted to die.

Lord Rix voted against an Assisted Dying Bill which came before the House of Lords in 2006 because he feared that people with learning disabilities might become the unwilling victims of euthanasia.

But in his letter, he told the Lord Speaker: "My position has changed. As a dying man, who has been dying now for several weeks, I am only too conscious that the laws of this country make it impossible for people like me to be helped on their way, even though the family is supportive of this position and everything that needs to be done has been dealt with. Aol News.

For this Blogger, euthanasia has always been my most testing touchstone of what is right and wrong. I tend still towards the non-legalisation of euthanasia but just cannot see the loving Jesus I worship at the foot of the bed of someone He refuses to heal, uttering the words, ''Your intense, unbearable suffering is for the good of your soul."

My views switch on this matter periodically but here is something which may help:
Praying for the ending of a person's life is perfectly legitimate, and very often works, as I can testify. Both my Dad and Mum, at the very end of their lives were taken from us exactly five hours after I had prayed specifically for that outcome.
On those occasions when I have prayed in this manner for relief, in the majority of cases, the Lord has answered my prayers in the affirmative.

Describing God In One Sentence.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/billy-graham-answers-is-it-possible-to-describe-god-in-just-1-sentence-166809/#aCMLqmFqpXoDHRm7.99

Birdies.

Shaw.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." — George Bernard Shaw.

All Lives Matter.

https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=970&bih=446&q=edgbaston+cricket+ground&oq=edgbast&gs_l=img.1.1.0l10.7807.9749.0.11583.7.4.0.3.3.0.100.362.3j1.4.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.7.370.Pw_BACiqlIU

A Reminder.

I Defend My Split Infinitives.

There is nothing whatsoever wrong with split infinitives! Who made up the silly rule to banish them from 'good grammar'?
I wish to clearly state that I reject all attempts to impose arbitrary rules on my syntax which can so often lead to extremely clumsy sentences. (I have enough of those anyway.)

Egbaston Third Test.

After a first innings which was an embarrassment for England with some seriously poor batting followed by a terribly lack-lustre attack when Pakistan first batted - the team finally began to get their act together - and by the end of the third day, stand poised to possibly win the test.
On a flat pitch (why groundsmen are allowed to prepare tracks like that beats me) - day three saw England shake off the shameful bowling of day two and dismiss Pakistan for a deficit of 103. Under normal circumstances, as the statisticians pointed out, this gave the hosts a mere 3% chance of winning.
Step forward skipper Cook and opening partner, Alex Hales, whose superb batting not only wiped out the deficit but also left the day with a wholly improbable, England lead.
Should England bat well today, a win, or at the very least a draw should be achievable as Pakistan may find batting extremely difficult on a fifth day pitch in their second innings, this evening or tomorrow.

Saving Money Is Worth The Effort.

My car insurance is due. For my age and driving record, it is not expensive. Even so, I rang them yesterday for a chat about price when the renewal arrived.
A couple of fine tuning adjustments, no loss of cover at all and I saved £43 in six minutes.

102 Years Ago Today ...

... World War One broke out. Never let us forget the need to pursue peace constantly.

EU Not Enforcing Own Rules? - Must Be Desperate.

EU lets Portugal and Spain off the hook

27. JulThe EU commission has opted not to fine Portugal or Spain on fiscal targets for fear of aggravating euroscepticism. EU Observer.

What Is Man?

Archaeological Evidence Supports Acts 19.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/archaeological-evidence-supports-acts-19-opinion-167027/

Imprisoned Pastor Closer To God.

After 8 months. in prison, Chinese pastor says he is ‘closer to God’.

by Mark Ellis

 

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Pastor Yang Hua

By Mark Ellis

A pastor imprisoned in China on a contrived “divulging state secrets” charge sent a letter to his wife June 30, thanking God for his time in prison, according to a report by China Aid.

“This is a good place to rest, where I am cut off from the rest of the world and brought closer to God,” Yang Hua, a pastor at Living Stone house church in Guizhou province wrote from his jail cell.

“I can no longer hear the clamorous noise, but can better listen to the Lord’s voice.”

Living Stone is the largest house church in the area and has come under increased government pressure, with a number of its pastors and parishioners arrested. It started with 20 members in a single apartment in 2009 and grew rapidly to 400 by 2013. The church rented 7,000 square feet in an office building the next year to accommodate their growth, according to China Change.

Pastor Yang is a third-generation pastor. Born Li Guozh, he later changed his name to Yang Hua, which in Chinese means “looking up to Jehovah.”

Government authorities took Yang into custody last December, after he tried to prevent them from seizing one of the church’s hard drives.

When his wife arrived at the prison to pick him up a few weeks later, she was horrified to witness them put a black hood over his head and whisk the pastor away in an unlicensed vehicle, according to China Aid. A completely fabricated charge! Christian News.

Israel.

Matthew West Reflects On Uncle's Death.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/matthew-west-reflects-on-heaven-reads-revelations-214-after-uncles-death-cancer-167233/#AC8VhdLj33g9Tgq4.99

Ah.

Christian Group Discovered Amongst United Methodists.

Conservative United Methodists Form 'Wesleyan Covenant Association' to Support 'Scriptural Christianity'

BY MICHAEL GRYBOSKI

A group of about 40 theologically conservative United Methodist Church clergy and theologians have formed an organization known as the Wesleyan Covenant Association. Christian News.