A couple of weeks back at the annual conference of the Christian Broadcasting Council, Michael Nazir-Ali issued a warning regarding totalitarianism and the threat it represented with regard to conscience. The reality is that it is neither threat, nor 'encroaching' danger, but a clear and present reality as we see both private and public life legislated, regulated and generally controlled.
People of no faith make decisions regarding faith and the part it plays, or more accurately doesn't play. People with little, skewed or no obvious moral standards make rules and decide what is right. What we have is the blind and insane driving the bus and ruling the asylum respectively!
The outworking of this is, as Nazir-Ali rightly says, that we are no longer in a free society but in "An ideology that is seeking to impose its views on us.” Were we in a free society we might have a hope, but this hope is gone as we lose the moral and spiritual values that once valued what was good and right for the hedonistic, self-serving secular society that many crave.
We no longer value that which is good. We no longer have a respect for the sanctity of human life. We know the price of everything and the value of nothing and thus have become shallow and cynical (Thank you Mr. Wilde, just as you rightly identified it!).
We are driven by fear and the desire for a 'quiet life', hence the fact that none will challenge the more aggressive forms of religious group and yet will stand tall at the weak and meek groups, like the Christians. Our society picks its fights and denies that which might make it stop and look in the mirror.
Failing families? The answer is to give the family a place of pride and to offer it support. The traditional parents (married and working at a life-long bond), children brought up in a stable and loving environment (which is about relationships, not income, educational standards and possessions. Oddly, from within this comes a nurturing that encourages aspirations and a culture of self-development and attainment.
Criminal Activity? As unpopular as it seems, there is an answer to this. 'STOP IT!' So many of those I meet today have a morality that supports and defends 'dodgy' ways. The ends justify the means and who cares if the rules are just a little broken as long as we get what we want?
Life? I listened with interest and despair at a broadcast where families spoke of the 'kindness' of euthanasia. It was kind on them because they didn't want to keep visiting. It was kind on them because it was costing a great deal to keep the focus of the care being cared for. It was kind on the aged relative, because their 'useful' life had come to an end and they were no longer in possession of a 'quality of life'.
Faith brings a commonality of purpose and a value for life. Christian faith has done that in the UK for a very long time and I have come to the conclusion that the erosion of Christian values and the decline in our society with regards to family, vales, standards and morality appear to me to be the result of the other.
Faith brings a tolerance (it's people looking for an excuse for their greed who use 'religion' as the reason for war). Faith isn't about being religion but is, in the Christian context, about having a relationship with the Maker and a respect (and tolerance - that word again) for others.
This is why people can burn Korans. This is why people murder and plot evil. They don't know the Maker - they just want things as they, and the god of their making, want them - and this is death.
Pax
Showing posts with label Fred Phelps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fred Phelps. Show all posts
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
A bit of a hop
Having taken the 'first step' we find ourselves having to 'hop' in that, as was pointed out extremely well (and with some good examples), the society in which we find ourselves leans towards some people being, "More equal than others!"
I was given examples of some groups being afforded more concessions than others through fear of appearing, or worse still being labelled, 'racist' or 'anti-Islamic, had they said 'No' to something. The other side of this coin is that to say 'No' to members of our 'own' society (or to member of the national faith i.e. Christian) would just be being honest and 'normal'.
And so it transpires that when concessions are made to (as a 'for instance') Islamic groups, those who make the concessions are being racist (a situation which in today's society needs to be addressed), those who make the decisions are acting against the natural sense of justice and fair play. The antonym of Xenophobia is, of course, tolerance and this is what freedom of speech and choosing how we live is all about.
Being a member of a faith, gender, orientation or any of people group often leads the members of it to assume that they have some 'god-given' right to be treated differently and this is no the case. The fact that any of us might have a faith, or no faith, does not confer upon us the right to become a 'special case'. The problem is two-fold in that where a religious group is also considered to be 'ethnic' (whether this be because of country of origin or because of the observance practices) we find the ghetto mentality (and reality) becoming established and because of the concentrations of one people groups (ethnic, religious or whatever) we find temples, mosques and the like peppering the area and establishing 'no go zones'.
As a Cockney I have experienced this on a number of occasions and in a number of places, here's just a few:
The Jewish community in Stamford Hill (and the more well off cousins in Hendon and Ilford)
The Bangladeshi community around the Bethnal Green area
Brick Lane, Slough, Southall and the like.
I have been in places where caste wars were to be found, where a Sikh speaker was shot dead over the Punjab issue, where various sects within Islam were often to be found fighting and more besides.
Why, because people didn't want 'them' living next door and so supported the establishment of the very communities they now fear as being ghettos.
People are free to take a pop at what I believe. They are free to put banners denying what I consider to be true and labelling it as cobblers! This is what freedom of speech is about. When Jesus was portrayed in a way that upset many Christians, it was 'art'. When the same thing happened with the religion being Sikh, the theatre pulled the performance immediately because of the (much smaller) demonstration and complaints form 'community' leaders.
I happen across books that proclaim Christ and Christianity to be a load of BS every day. Do the writers have to go into hiding? Do the Christians pronounce death threats? No, of course not. But when other religions do so, we tut and make excuses for them. Why, because we're being racist! "They' don't know any better! "They're' just a bunch of ignorant savages with an ignorant and primitive, uncultured faith.
I have a right to be Christian. Another has a right to be Islamic. Still another has a right to be a humanist, or secularist or whatever they so wish. I have a right to practice my faith, other have a right to practice their lack of it. How we work this out, how we debate, dialogue and challenge the attitudes and belief (or non-belief) of others is part of the journey and the hallmark of a balanced and tolerant society.
The fear shown by some in challenging something because it's 'Islamic' or 'ethnic' or 'Gay' or 'Christian' (well actually there's no fear in challenging Christians, they appear to be an easy target and fair game for all) is actually destroying our nation's balance, culture, tolerance and exhibiting injustice and prejudice.
Prejudice is wrong, whether it is positive or negative. It is wrong!
making decisions through fear of reprisal is wrong, this is capitulation and we have seen too much of it in our nation. Equal values, level playing fields, respect for all and accountability and tolerant, honest challenging, and decision making is the only way this nation will be saved from slipping into the mire.
Oddly, this is the message of the God of the Christians and the Jews.
Pax
I was given examples of some groups being afforded more concessions than others through fear of appearing, or worse still being labelled, 'racist' or 'anti-Islamic, had they said 'No' to something. The other side of this coin is that to say 'No' to members of our 'own' society (or to member of the national faith i.e. Christian) would just be being honest and 'normal'.
And so it transpires that when concessions are made to (as a 'for instance') Islamic groups, those who make the concessions are being racist (a situation which in today's society needs to be addressed), those who make the decisions are acting against the natural sense of justice and fair play. The antonym of Xenophobia is, of course, tolerance and this is what freedom of speech and choosing how we live is all about.
Being a member of a faith, gender, orientation or any of people group often leads the members of it to assume that they have some 'god-given' right to be treated differently and this is no the case. The fact that any of us might have a faith, or no faith, does not confer upon us the right to become a 'special case'. The problem is two-fold in that where a religious group is also considered to be 'ethnic' (whether this be because of country of origin or because of the observance practices) we find the ghetto mentality (and reality) becoming established and because of the concentrations of one people groups (ethnic, religious or whatever) we find temples, mosques and the like peppering the area and establishing 'no go zones'.
As a Cockney I have experienced this on a number of occasions and in a number of places, here's just a few:
The Jewish community in Stamford Hill (and the more well off cousins in Hendon and Ilford)
The Bangladeshi community around the Bethnal Green area
Brick Lane, Slough, Southall and the like.
I have been in places where caste wars were to be found, where a Sikh speaker was shot dead over the Punjab issue, where various sects within Islam were often to be found fighting and more besides.
Why, because people didn't want 'them' living next door and so supported the establishment of the very communities they now fear as being ghettos.
People are free to take a pop at what I believe. They are free to put banners denying what I consider to be true and labelling it as cobblers! This is what freedom of speech is about. When Jesus was portrayed in a way that upset many Christians, it was 'art'. When the same thing happened with the religion being Sikh, the theatre pulled the performance immediately because of the (much smaller) demonstration and complaints form 'community' leaders.
I happen across books that proclaim Christ and Christianity to be a load of BS every day. Do the writers have to go into hiding? Do the Christians pronounce death threats? No, of course not. But when other religions do so, we tut and make excuses for them. Why, because we're being racist! "They' don't know any better! "They're' just a bunch of ignorant savages with an ignorant and primitive, uncultured faith.
I have a right to be Christian. Another has a right to be Islamic. Still another has a right to be a humanist, or secularist or whatever they so wish. I have a right to practice my faith, other have a right to practice their lack of it. How we work this out, how we debate, dialogue and challenge the attitudes and belief (or non-belief) of others is part of the journey and the hallmark of a balanced and tolerant society.
The fear shown by some in challenging something because it's 'Islamic' or 'ethnic' or 'Gay' or 'Christian' (well actually there's no fear in challenging Christians, they appear to be an easy target and fair game for all) is actually destroying our nation's balance, culture, tolerance and exhibiting injustice and prejudice.
Prejudice is wrong, whether it is positive or negative. It is wrong!
making decisions through fear of reprisal is wrong, this is capitulation and we have seen too much of it in our nation. Equal values, level playing fields, respect for all and accountability and tolerant, honest challenging, and decision making is the only way this nation will be saved from slipping into the mire.
Oddly, this is the message of the God of the Christians and the Jews.
Pax
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Supporting Jones, Sapp and Phelps
Having been asked if I will be wearing "Islam is not of the Devil" shirts and having been told by another idiot that I am in league with the devil because I am opposing 'prophets of god', I think we need to clear up some misconceptions (I have deleted the other two comments because you're not only obviously unsaved but are, I fear, mentally ill as well!).
Radicalised Muslims do not speak for the mainstream Muslim faith any more than the idiotic utterances of Terry Jones, Waye Sapp or Fred Phelps speak for the mainstream Christian viewpoint. In fact both act against their proclaimed faith and damage it immensely.
For anyone to wear clothing proclaiming 'nnnnn is of the devil' actually proclaims that they certainly aren't of Christ (regardless of the posturing they might indulge themselves in)!
I would not label anyone (other than satanists perhaps because they seek that label) as being 'of satan' or 'in league with satan', but as the Matthew passage used yesterday clearly states, it is by the fruit that we will be able to identify people - look at the lives lost as a direct result of Jones and Sapp.
Look at the idiotic supporters of Phelps (and others of his ilk) and tell me where the fruit of the Spirit exists. Show me where the humility, justice and mercy are to be found (Micah 6).
Show me the disgraceful and obscene types who send pictures of aborted babies to people at random to enrage and disgust such that they will support their cause.
These people are not of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and in fact (Thank you 'Thinking Out Loud' blog):
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Baptists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Pentecostals
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Charismatics
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Episcopalians
Phelps, Jones and Wayne Sapp don't speak for Anglicans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Roman Catholics
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Methodists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Calvinists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Puritans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Anglicans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Free Methodists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Lutherans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Anabaptists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Mennonites
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Wesleyans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Presbyterians
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for non-denominational Christians
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Amish
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Greek Orthodox Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Shakers
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Christian & Missionary Alliance
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Salvation Army
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Brethren
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Evangelical Free Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Pentecostal Holiness Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Southern Baptist Convention
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Apostolic Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Christian Reformed Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Church of God in Christ
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Assemblies of God
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Reformed Church of America
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Calvary Chapel Movement
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Church of the Nazarene
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Harvest Bible Fellowship
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Seventh Day Adventists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the United Pentecostal Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the United Methodist Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the United Church of Canada
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Sovereign Grace Ministries
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Samaritan’s Purse
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Wycliffe Bible Translators
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for World Vision
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Compassion International
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Youth With A Mission
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Vineyard
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Assemblies of God
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian broadcasters
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian bookstores
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian musicians
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian blogges
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian schools
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian universities
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for speak for me.
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Get it now?
Radicalised Muslims do not speak for the mainstream Muslim faith any more than the idiotic utterances of Terry Jones, Waye Sapp or Fred Phelps speak for the mainstream Christian viewpoint. In fact both act against their proclaimed faith and damage it immensely.
For anyone to wear clothing proclaiming 'nnnnn is of the devil' actually proclaims that they certainly aren't of Christ (regardless of the posturing they might indulge themselves in)!
I would not label anyone (other than satanists perhaps because they seek that label) as being 'of satan' or 'in league with satan', but as the Matthew passage used yesterday clearly states, it is by the fruit that we will be able to identify people - look at the lives lost as a direct result of Jones and Sapp.
Look at the idiotic supporters of Phelps (and others of his ilk) and tell me where the fruit of the Spirit exists. Show me where the humility, justice and mercy are to be found (Micah 6).
Show me the disgraceful and obscene types who send pictures of aborted babies to people at random to enrage and disgust such that they will support their cause.
These people are not of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and in fact (Thank you 'Thinking Out Loud' blog):
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Baptists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Pentecostals
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Charismatics
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Episcopalians
Phelps, Jones and Wayne Sapp don't speak for Anglicans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Roman Catholics
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Methodists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Calvinists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Puritans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Anglicans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Free Methodists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Lutherans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Anabaptists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Mennonites
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Wesleyans
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Presbyterians
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for non-denominational Christians
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Amish
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Greek Orthodox Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Shakers
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Christian & Missionary Alliance
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Salvation Army
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Brethren
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Evangelical Free Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Pentecostal Holiness Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Southern Baptist Convention
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Apostolic Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Christian Reformed Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Church of God in Christ
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Assemblies of God
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Reformed Church of America
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Calvary Chapel Movement
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Church of the Nazarene
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Harvest Bible Fellowship
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Seventh Day Adventists
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the United Pentecostal Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the United Methodist Church
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the United Church of Canada
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Sovereign Grace Ministries
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Samaritan’s Purse
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Wycliffe Bible Translators
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for World Vision
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Compassion International
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Youth With A Mission
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Vineyard
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for the Assemblies of God
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian broadcasters
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian bookstores
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian musicians
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian blogges
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian schools
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for Christian universities
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for speak for me.
Phelps, Jones and Sapp don't speak for God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Get it now?
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Nominate your unhelpful Christian
Following on from the blog yesterday I have had quite an interesting mail bag and so I thought I'd ask you for your opinions.
Here are the categories and nominees thus far (feel free to add more and keep coming back as this is a dynamic page in that it will grow to reflect the nominations):
The issue :
1. The Rapture
2. Pathetic Prophets and wicked utterance brigade
3. Marginalised Christians
4. Young Earth
5. Prosperity Ministries
6. Burn a Koran Day
7. The Toronto Blessing
The Message:
1. Jesus returns on 21st May
2. Japan is God's enemy because . . . .
3. Look at us, we're being acted against because . . .
4. You're not a Christian if you don't believe in literal days of creation
5. Name it, claim it, feel it, heal it!
6. Intolerance is a Christian virtue
The Person:
1. Harold Camping
2. Fred Phelps
3. George Carey
4. Ken Ham
5. Benny Hinn
6. Terry Jones
7. Todd Bentley
Loads of room for more here - what do you think about the way we portray ourselves and 'preach' our subjective, skewed and sometimes contrary 'truths' to others?
I have to say that I was amazed at the response to this issue which I assumed was one of those 'just me' things. Once we're done with this (if it flies) I will post a poll and we can see who wins the awards and hopefully I'll have a better understanding of what's going on outside my own space as well.
Pax
Here are the categories and nominees thus far (feel free to add more and keep coming back as this is a dynamic page in that it will grow to reflect the nominations):
The issue :
1. The Rapture
2. Pathetic Prophets and wicked utterance brigade
3. Marginalised Christians
4. Young Earth
5. Prosperity Ministries
6. Burn a Koran Day
7. The Toronto Blessing
The Message:
1. Jesus returns on 21st May
2. Japan is God's enemy because . . . .
3. Look at us, we're being acted against because . . .
4. You're not a Christian if you don't believe in literal days of creation
5. Name it, claim it, feel it, heal it!
6. Intolerance is a Christian virtue
The Person:
1. Harold Camping
2. Fred Phelps
3. George Carey
4. Ken Ham
5. Benny Hinn
6. Terry Jones
7. Todd Bentley
Loads of room for more here - what do you think about the way we portray ourselves and 'preach' our subjective, skewed and sometimes contrary 'truths' to others?
I have to say that I was amazed at the response to this issue which I assumed was one of those 'just me' things. Once we're done with this (if it flies) I will post a poll and we can see who wins the awards and hopefully I'll have a better understanding of what's going on outside my own space as well.
Pax
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