We just stopped off to pick a few things up from where my son and his family live and while in the house I heard the car horn honking. I thought what’s that. Went out the front door and my wife pointed across the fields. I grabbed my camera as quickly as possible and took these pictures before it faded. This is the view from their house across the valley.
I was able to attend the latest BBC Radio 4 Any Questionsprogram last Friday (25th May). For those that have never heard of it, it’s a UK
‘Topical discussion in which a panel of personalities from the worlds of politics, media and elsewhere are posed questions by the audience. From a different location each week.’
To be honest the guests and the questions this week, to me, weren’t that inspiring, but it was a great evening and I was really glad to be there. There must have been hundreds of questions submitted and so given there were only 10 questions picked it was no surprise my two questions didn’t get selected.
I was very impressed with Jonathan Dimbleby. I do admire the ability of these people to handle vast amounts of complex information and have it to hand or head. The panel really do not know the questions beforehand.
For what it’s worth here’s my two rejected questions:
1) Will the re-alignment of marriage find the Bible in court?
2) Shouldn’t we speak plainly and call the abortion of millions of defenseless babies Genocide?
They didn’t get picked but they are out there as issues regardless.
It was a lovely evening and we were thanked for giving up a beautiful evening to spend it listening to a panel discussion. Pity the BBC with wealth enough to wine, dine & chauffeur the panel didn’t have the courtesy to provide us all with free bottles of water. We had to buy our own at 50p each!
Apologies for the poor quality picture and although it doesn’t show it by the time they started broadcasting the hall was packed. That was my first experience of a live radio broadcast. It was great fun.
I couldn’t decide what to call this post, as it could so easily have been ‘you couldn’t make it up’. On Sunday morning while preparing the veg for dinner I normally listen to the tortuous BBC Radio 4 Sunday broadcast. The purpose of listening is to have some sort of idea what’s going on in mainstream religion here in the UK.
It was shocking to find out about a shortage of Donkeys for Psalm Sunday services. What will we do! I jest. Here’s the story. The demand has increased for Donkeys to such an extent – BTW I’m really not making this up – that Llamas are being used instead of the sacred beast. The programme interviewed a woman who runs a Llama farm and we listened in to one of the phone calls – ‘no we don’t have a Llama with a cross on it’s back but I’m sure we can sort something out’.
They interviewed a minister who thought how dreadful this was. I’m paraphrasing but it was along the lines of ‘with all the liberalising of the church where will it stop, it will be bears next – we have to draw the line somewhere‘. I think you will find reverend that the line was crossed a long time ago. If his concern is over the donkey being usurped in a service of worship it only goes to show how far things have really gone.
I have no idea if Richard Dawkins is an angry man all the time, but he seems to be when it comes to Christianity. I’d like to think that he’s actually a nice bloke – maybe he is. An idea popped into my head about why he seems to be particularly angry at Christians. This could be way off but here’s my explanation.
Richard would actually like to believe Christianity is true. And what makes him angry is that nobody has been able to convince him it’s true. Let’s face it if his world is really all about chance and time – lots of time – it doesn’t leave much room for hope. Richard has backed himself into a hopeless corner. He actually longs in his heart to be convinced but doesn’t find the Christian faith compelling and no-one has been able to convince him. That’s it.
Sadly, it’s not going to happen without the direct intervention of God. And it’s this way for everyone that comes to faith in Christ. Becoming a Christian really is a supernatural work of God. I’m actually glad no-one has been able to convince him because it means someone else could come along and convince him otherwise. Our faith doesn’t rest ultimately in someone arguing us into the Kingdom of God but because believers are ‘born again’ unto a living hope by the work of the Holy Spirit. Richard is looking to men when he needs to look to God – Salvation is of The Lord.
Until he is able to look up and outside of himself he’s going to remain angry with Christianity. He’s also going to stay hopeless.
Saw this on the news this evening and thought it worth posting – it might save your life! It’s the latest British Heart Foundation ad with Vinnie Jones.
I think it’s great, but was it emotional?
(TV Advert)
(Full Version)
And Thy Years Shall not Fail – a Christmas Reflection – Mail Online – Peter Hitchens blog.
It’s from a few days ago but still worth a read.
Took this picture in a well known supermarket. This is just one row of four. I noticed a magazine for just about anything. A bit like shopping for a religion. In fact there are probably more religions!
We have been away for a few day so here’s a few pictures to stop us getting too bogged down with all the heavy stuff. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them. The first picture is from the place – standing at the door – where we were staying just outside Aberystwyth, Wales. The next two are taken some 15 minutes later a lot further up the hill and from a ridge looking in the same direction.
A very interesting occurrence took place today. I had to get a new exhaust section fitted to the car this morning. I don’t know how it is with you but it’s normal to take a book with me most places I go. Hmm, what to take. Ah ha, I’ll take ‘The Defence of the Faith’ by Cornelius Van Til as at least a half hour wait was expected. Your car is ready said the lady behind the counter.
As I paid for the exhaust she was looking at the book saying that looks heavy – I said it is heavy. I handed it over to her to have a look – she stood and read all the back cover (Oliphint edition) and said ‘I like the name Cornelius’.
She drives the car out of the workshop for me and I ask her if she’s interested. She says she is interested in faith and that sort of thing and how we have been put on the earth to be good people. There’s only one person that has done that I say – she knew who I meant (Jesus of course). She says everyone should do good to one another and I say to her that something inside tells her ‘there’s more to it than that’. She looks at me and realises – I think – that something is missing. That something is God. I couldn’t say any more to her but I should go back and leave her something to read. That was my Van Til moment – quite unexpected. We should therefore always be ready to give a reason for the hope within us.
She really liked the name Cornelius and talked about naming her next child, if it’s a son, Cornelius.
If you would like to see in an amazingly graphic way where the country stands morally – and specifically on the sexualisation of young girls. Then follow the link below and watch the video clip from BBC Question Time last evening. Peter Hitchens makes his point by telling it how it is – the audience and panel make it quite clear where they stand. Peter implies by deserting a Protestant Christian ethic the country has suffered from a moral collapse.
That isn’t the Gospel, but it ought to make people look for answers. The ONLY answer is ultimately found in Jesus Christ. And just for the record being a moral person will not make you right with God.
I wanted to put the full quote in the post but it’s a bit early for the BBC to make the transcript available.