Category Archives: News

Good news from Egypt!

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Intriguing, especially as I’ve little time at present to blog – I keep getting ‘server error’ when trying to get an update via Google from Open Doors USA on the following. Christian Post reported on a massive prayer gathering in Egypt and quoted an anonymous source as saying:

“There is no doubt that God is moving in Egypt and showing Himself in mighty  ways to many of His children, and to many who are seeking to know Him,” the  contact said. “The hunger to know about Jesus and to get to know more about the  Christian faith is phenomenal…

“…we Christians of Egypt are realizing more and more every day that God is  visiting our country with a powerful divine presence, and that the things He is  going to do in our country are beyond imagination. This is what we pray for and  this is what we are waiting in faith to see happening.”

Read full report here as well as this from Open Doors about 10,000 youngsters who met earlier in October. Also, President Obama has congratulated Egyptian Christians on the election of a new Coptic Pope. This news is a welcome follow-up to last November’s encouraging news, as covered here.

Good news indeed…

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Thank you Gillan for an excellent commentary upon this most welcome news – especially for including Dr Sookhdeo’s editorial. Perhaps we could say the ‘oiks’ have been hoisted by their own petard. The violent hatred expressed within the basic beliefs of their ideology should be evident to all rational people.

With all due respect to individual Muslims, the religion seems to regard their prophet as more holy than their god; is that not blasphemy? Until Islam has a Reformation this dividing difference between civilisations will remain. But I believe the Holy One of Israel is the one to do this – after all many Muslims are having direct revelations of Jesus and learning who he really is, which is not as Islam supposes!

NB: re. infamous video clip: WALID SHOEBAT, Palestinian ex-Jihadist now Christian, HAS PRODUCED EVIDENCE THAT THE MOVIE’S MAKER IS NOT A CHRISTIAN COPT! [link] His knowledge and investigations lead to the probable conclusion it may well be of terrorist origin in order to defame Christians, similar to false claims about Israeli sabotage of ‘holy’ olive trees.

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Although wary of any anarchist tendencies within movements such as ‘occupy’, and that word is part of the source website’s title, neverthe-less this is a well written and informative article. Christian scripture warns the world to watch out for globally centralised financial control, does it not? [See Book of Revelation, chapter 13, verses 13-16.]

“OccupyCorporatism is an alternative news site dedicated to exposing the Elite and their plans to Globalize our money, our Governments and our people” (details here).

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This is an interesting development in the light of prophet Isaiah’s proclamation from the Lord; “This is why I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place…” (Isa 13:13 Complete Jewish Bible; selection here). Why should we assume such a shaking would be vigorous – having horrendous effects upon life – when it could be done slowly and thus observed? The preceding verses provide the reason for this unusual scientific phenomonon: evil and iniquity within society! Such as today?  [Quick link to illustrated account > Earth Sky.]

The Extinction Protocol's avatarThe Extinction Protocol

October 2, 2012 – EARTH –True polar wander is a geophysical theory, a way of thinking about Earth processes that might happen and that these scientists believe do happen. The theory suggests that if an object of sufficient weight on Earth – for example, a supersized volcano or other weighty land mass – formed far from Earth’s equator, the force of Earth’s rotation would gradually pull the object away from the axis around which Earth spins. A supersized volcano far from Earth’s equator would create an imbalance, in other words. As explained at Princeton.edu: If the volcanoes, land and other masses that exist within the spinning Earth ever became sufficiently imbalanced, the planet would tilt and rotate itself until this extra weight was relocated to a point along the equator. That’s the theory of true polar wander. It would cause a movement of Earth’s land masses, but for a…

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Is the Middle-East coming to the boil?

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Copy of email circulated yesterday and today about Israel, Iran and Jordan:

YESTERDAY (Monday)

Friends, to keep you in the frame, this update focuses [first] upon Israel and Iran.:

I was amazed this morning to learn that my merely passing thoughts at the foot of this thread, just after my quoting Mike Evans, could have been accurate! [See blog version of Thursday’s email for that reference.]  Btw, he’s said to be the only Christian to have confronted Iranian pres. Amadmanjihad last year in New York, where the Lord helped him get through high-security guards. He intends to do so again this week whilst the Iranian’s attending the UN General Assembly. [US House of Representatives passed motion requesting UN not allow him to speak on holy day of Yom Kippur!]

Breaking news today from New York quotes the Iranian president’s lying threat,

 “Iran has been around for the last seven, 10 thousand years. (Israelis) have been occupying those territories for the last 60 to 70 years, with the support and force of the Westerners. They have no roots there in history.

“We don’t even count them as any part of any equation for Iran…During a historical phase, (the Israelis) represent minimal disturbances that come into the picture and are then eliminated.”  (Reuters’ 1st report; my emphases)

The weekend before last I’d been mulling over media quietness during Rosh Hashanah holy days as perhaps the ‘still before the storm’, and praying there would be no surprise attacks upon Israel.

Thus, my remarks at the close of previous email were merely meant as an observation about Israel ’obviously taking precautions against being caught napping’. Yet little did I know it was the very same afternoon when newly released papers revealed a massive intelligence failure at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, as Joel Rosenberg reports:

Thirty-nine years ago this month, Israel was surrounded by enemies threatening to annihilate her. But Israeli leaders did not take the threats seriously enough, and did not order a pre-emptive strike to neutralize the enemy’s military capabilities. [Read The Times of Israel article on this severe lesson.]

Last weekend’s news:

Yesterday [Sunday], Reuters reported a Brigadier-General in the Republican Guards as stating on Iranian TV that:

Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state was preparing to attack it…we can not imagine the Zionist regime starting a war without America’s support. Therefore, in case of a war, we will get into a war with both of them and we will certainly get into a conflict with American bases.

Also, the station paraphrased him as saying:

“Iran will not start any war but it could launch a pre-emptive attack if it was sure that the enemies are putting the final touches to attack it.”

Furthermore, Rosenberg advises that, for the first time, Iran’s highest-ranking military official (minister of defence) has tied the forthcoming confrontation into ‘the era of The Coming’ of the Hidden 12th Imam, or Mahdi. Thus, Iran’s leaders are expecting a highly significant war to facilitate that event and thereby introduce a global Islamic caliphate.  (See Joel’s post here and my previous overview.)

BUT JUST AS OMINOUSLY, the general alluded to various means of response which would implicitly include last week’s ‘binding commitment’ by Hamas leaders in Gaza to join Iran, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon in military action against Israel.

Debka’s exclusive military sources (here) disclose the agreement’s detailed and precise directives would make Palestinian Hamas defer to Tehran and not to Cairo’s Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is an offshoot, and instructs them to stop obstructing Iran’s proxy in the Gaza strip.

Thus, we can see Iran’s influence is extending westward like a demonic talon through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza around Israel, whose only trouble-free border is with Jordan. This development will doubtless affect the Egypt-Israel relationship and their counter-terror operations in Sinai, the border of which was breached during Friday’s shootout. Egypt’s new rulers are unable to control or contain Islamist terrorism in Sinai. Therefore, Israel’s latest massive exercise should be regarded in this light, and which left two battalions on the Syrian border!

America’s lack of influence/interest continues to be demonstrated by president Obama’s latest, and as some infer, unhelpful remarks towards Israel, as Debka reports here.

Thank the Lord what’s going in the world doesn’t hinder us from keeping our eyes on Him, and looking to His return – maranatha!

TODAY (Tuesday)


Further to yesterday’s update, this morning’s on-line headline corrects my reference to Israel’s only ‘trouble-free border’, viz :

Jordan on the brink: Muslim brothers mobilize for King Abdullah’s overthrow

Another ‘exclusive’ from Debka reports:

For Israel, an upheaval in Jordan bodes the tightening of the Islamist noose around its borders – Egypt and Libya to the south and Syria to the north, with unpredictable consequences with regard to Jordan’s Pales-tinian population.

Saudi Arabia, already threatened by Iranian aggression, fears the oil kingdom may be next in line if its northern neighbor is crushed under the marching feet of the “Arab Spring.”

The Debka report goes on to analyse the monarch’s plight and his three options, refers to the knock-on effect upon Saudi Arabia and succinctly surmises Obama’s quandary – will he stab yet another staunch ally in the back for the sake of the lynchpin to his outreach to the Muslim world, their Cairo-based brotherhood?

You may recall my reference in Jan 2011 (‘Talks leaks’ aka ‘Palestinian papers’) to:

calls for the overthrow of Jordan’s government (Egypt next?) …Perhaps, therefore, we may soon see whether or not Christian commentators upon the prophesied Psalm 83 Middle-Eastern war and fulfilment of Obadiah 15 are proved correct??’

Psalm 83 (click to read psalm)

In Bible Prophecy Blog of April 1st 2012, Bill Salus refers to the increasing interest in Psalm 83, which he describes as “a prophecy in progress”. His article notes and lists the six primary requirements stated in the psalm that need to be in place before all the nations surrounding Israel ‘wipe out its people…that the name of Israel be remembered no more’ (vv2-4). Six months ago he observed that ‘all six of these prerequisites are in place’ and foresaw with precise perspicuity that:

Apart from fragile peace treaties between Israel and Egypt, and Israel and Jordan, the Psalm prophecy essentially appears to be on the verge of fulfilment.

Many pundits believe that the new majority Islamic fundamentalist parliament of Egypt will soon abrogate the 33 year old peace agreement with Israel. Should Egypt break peace with Israel, there are few that believe Jordan will covet the lone-wolf position of being the only remaining Arab state that possesses a peace accord with Israel. The legitimate concern is reflected in the adage; “As goes Egypt, so goes the rest of the Middle East.”

What Bill describes has indeed started to happen, as is clearly evident from Egypt’s new, Muslim Brotherhood president Morsi’s attitude towards the peace treaty. With today’s exclusive news, we can now expect radical changes in Jordan this year…

To gain a good insight into the Biblical significance of what’s happening read Bill’s lucid, 4-page exposition Psalm 83 – A Prophecy in Progress. (His blog: prophecydepot.com)

The Lord bless you and keep you.

See also:

> John McTernan’s Daily Digest commentary of Sept 25th and his several news links.

> Nick Gray in The Commentator on the effect of Morsi’s attitude on the peace treaty. (He writes for Christian Middle-East Watch, a voice coming from the Church in Britain, aiming to bring balance and truth to debates and issues concerning the Middle-East.)

Update 14th Oct: Robert Spencer; Egyptian Copts overwhelmed by “anxiety and fear”, see Muslim Brotherhood government as “worst in memory”.

Clarification of crucifixion reports

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Crucifixions have been reported in some Islamic nations, all of which requires a  sensitivity in handling source materials, as may be inferred from my early post Not on the 10 o’clock News.  However, lack of such expertise – and of a grasp of spiritual dynamics – generated a great deal of verbiage, misunderstanding and  false conclusions, as outlined below:

A fortnight ago I noted Stuart James’ question on his popular blog-forum eChurch:   “Are Christians being crucified by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt?   Important blog post by my friend Gordon looking at the veracity of the Christian crucifiction(sic) claims in Egypt, that have spread like wildfire online and created widespread anger amongst Christians.”

Gordon Hudson’s blog examines various reports and commentaries of this event in some depth. (It is claimed to have taken place in front of the presidential palace.)  He endorses Canadian editor and columnist Jonathan Kay’s National Post article entitled Egypt’s ‘crucifixion’ hoax becomes an instant Internet myth, wherein he pronounces at the very outset:

It’s a story worth dissecting — not because it’s true (it isn’t), but because it is a textbook example of how the Internet… has been co-opted by culture warriors as a weapon to fire up the naïve masses with lies and urban legends.

In concluding his ‘investigation’ of this particular case, he refers to a dated report (ie. three years old!) that repudiated false reports of crucifixions and thus wrote:

The people reporting this false story were not deliberately lying.  As I noted in my original post, they have simply become so wrapped up in the idea that we are fighting an existential war against militant Islam, that they are willing to believe any nonsense story they come across without checking it. If it sounds like it could be true, then it must be. The first casualty of war, as always, is truth.

Stuart’s friend puts it, “It shows how stories can change as they are spread. Especially where indignation is involved and there is an information vacuum.” Both these writers  dug around a lot and have taken the trouble of posting updates, all of which may be read via the above links. It’s too easy, however, to pontificate from the comfort of one’s cosy corner…

Within hours I received an email update from the original Western reporter.

As far as I can find, critics haven’t refered to the original report, its publication date or the identity of the man who’d broken the story to the West!  The account first appeared in a ‘guest column’ of The Investigative Project on Terrorism on 15th August under the title Muslim Brotherhood ‘Crucifies’ Opponents, Attacks Secular Media, by Raymond Ibrahim.

Unlike his critics, Raymond is not only fluent in Arabic but also a specialist in Islam who explores “the pivotal but ignored point where Islam and Christianity intersect, translating pertinent Arabic news that never reaches the West”.  Born of Egyptian Coptic parents, Raymond discovered, translated and published original Al-Qaeda treatises (earlier post refers: Muslim Persecution of Christians).

In response to the deluge of media speculation Raymond has reconsidered his report and answers Jonathan Kay point by point. He takes up Kay’s above opening shot with,

Alternatively, dissecting Kay’s claims is useful as it is a textbook example of how the Western mindset tries to rationalize away whatever does not fit its intellectual boundaries.

He doesn’t so much dissect as dismembers Kay’s argument. His rebuttal Crucifixion, Not Fictions should be read by all who are concerned about these severe issues. In point of fact he noticed, ahead of Kay, that the original Sky News report he’d seen and written about had been withdrawn!  In reviewing the facts he writes on 4th Sept:

 I did not have to make this point, or mention Sky News at all, since other reports—including El Balad, a much higher trafficked Arabic website which I also quoted—independently mentions the crucifixions in original language and further adds that two people died. And that report, as of now, is still up.

Raymond proceeds to answer Kay’s claims by referring to actual facts of life in Egypt, including the Maspero Massacre, and especially as regards media subjugation under the Muslim Brotherhood’s president Morsi. This had also been reported by renowned Caroline Glick in her long analysis published 17th August, Who lost Egypt?

On Sunday, new President Mohamed Morsy (sic) completed Egypt’s transformation into an Islamist state. In the space of one week, Morsy sacked the commanders of the Egyptian military and replaced them with Muslim Brotherhood loyalists, and fired all the editors of the state-owned media and replaced them with Muslim Brotherhood loyalists.

He also implemented a policy of intimidation, censorship and closure of independently owned media organizations that dare to publish criticism of him. (my emphasis)

Raymond Ibrahim concludes his firm rebuttal as follows:

All this leads to the most important point. Whereas Kay appears intent on proving that the crucifixions never happened, a close read of my article shows that I never said they did happen. As always, I merely reported and translated what was on the Arabic media; noted that Sky News took its story down; and then offered my own interpretation—including the fact that Muslims have been known to crucify their opponents in the modern era, crucifixions are prescribed by the Koran and Sharia, and an Egyptian parliamentarian recently called for crucifixions to be legalized.

In light of all the above, I reiterate my original conclusion: “there is little reason to doubt this crucifixion story.” (my emphasis)

Indeed, soon after this crucifixion story appeared in the Egyptian media, a disturbing video surfaced from Yemen, of a mutilated man, crucified.

How long before the usual naysayers try to portray even this video as a “hoax”?

If you wish to query Raymond’s argument, I’d direct you to this article in response to the decapitation of a Christian in Tunisia, and in which he lists several pertinent facts about the Arabic media and blogo-sphere that Western self-styled pundits miss.

The crucifixion video which he provides a link to is gruesome – it can be viewed only by turning safety button off!  It thrusts a grim reality into one’s face.  AND, amputation as punishment is common, the latest occurrence of which is in Mali (AP report here). I’ll desist from commenting about medieval religious mindsets that attempt to justify and promote outrageous barbarity. It brings a vivid portrayal of what would have happened to Jesus Christ, which Paul Priest portrays in The reality of the Crucifixion, [not for the squeamish].

By the way, there’s also ongoing persecution in Israel of Christians and Messianic Jews from ultra-orthodox Jews, of which the latest vandalism at a monastery is a minor episode (see World News – thanks Stuart).

So is someone, or something, masterminding a ‘crusade’ against Christians? And why?

Answers please on a postcard…

UPDATE: May 2013

For another well-informed and fuller, historical consideration see the Orthodox Christian Robert Sidway’s Crucifixion in Islam: Christians ascend their Golgotha

 

A logical outcome to this government’s silliness?

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Britain’s unique flag, known as the Union Jack, could be radically changed if the case pompously argued by Her Majesty’s government in Strasbourg (see para 1 here) is taken to its ultimate conclusion. See letter highlit below to the Telegraph’s editor from fellow resident of Hampshire, George Langton.  But, in fact, the flag’s whole design would vanish because it consists of not one but  three crosses of patron saints of England (St George, red cross on white), Scotland (St Andrew, white diagonal cross on blue) and Northern Ireland (St Patrick. red diagonal cross on white).

In fact, when these national flags are combined the whole becomes a radiant cross.  Is there no more fitting emblem of our very ancient Christian heritage?  It’s a heritage few  secularists prefer to ignore or consign to historical oblivion, as the first letter attests!

And what would thousands have waved in the Olympic Stadium and for London 2012? Or, what would hundreds of our glorious Olympic and Paralympics medallists have worn after their splendid wins? (See BBC Sport and news photo galleries here and here.)

My favorite contribution is that of the civil servant Richard Ford. He satirises the folly of inverse standards that have become increasingly evident today. Personal probity is the hallmark of the British civil service, and used to be rigorously maintained.

If the cross is to be removed from public life then our flag would become the white flag of surrender!  NOT on my watch!!

Related posts:

Well fancy that – US Democrats fall out over Jerusalem!

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A couple of intriguing items are currently running on World Watch Daily and which I’m copying below in view of rumours of undue influence from the Muslim Brotherhood’s US affiliates, eg. as on the occasion reported in this post.

Dem. Party Heads Ram Through Pro-Israel and ‘God’ Language, Steam Roll Opposition — (video shows the chaos)!!

“Democratic party heads rammed through the revised platform, which includes
updated pro-Israel language and the mention of God, which required a 2/3’s voice
vote, against the clear wishes of those voting at the convention in Charlotte.”

The night the Democrats lost control of the Israel message

“Proposed changes regarding Jerusalem and the mention of God are met with boos by
convention delegates” – read analysis here.

The video clip is well worth watching – it’s quite amusing – especially when we recall the Living God’s promise to prophet Zecharia (see Zech 12):

And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

A few PostScripts

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Dear Readers, a few extra bits you may wish to know:

1. Re. Four Christians at European Court of Human Rights (as here, then here):

Ditch your crosses or resign, Christian told runs the front page headline in today’s Telegraph. Under its full report Not free to wear a cross at work? Then resign, state lawyers tell court (hardcopy, see online), James Eadie QC (Queen’s Counsel) is quoted as saying employers’ refusal to allow two ladies to wear crucifixes at work “did not prevent either of them practising religion in private”.  See also these reports:

As may be expected, The Independent closes by quoting a warning from the National Secular Society in the event of a victory for the four. The Telegraph closes quoting the Conservative party’s highly respected leading backbencher, David Davis as expecting the Prime Minister to stick to his promises to MPs to protect religious rights:

The idea that British citizens are not free to express their faith in the workplace is an extraordinary and oppressive interpretation of the law.

2. Re. Hurricane Isaac and New Orleans (as here, then here):

Teaching about the scriptural aspects of the repeated coincidence of another hurricane upon the city and its celebration of ungodliness, Southern Decadence, ‘went viral’ on the internet. In the second link above I gave passing mention to John McTernan’s email, which I hadn’t seen – Hurricane Isaac and God’s final warning to America.  It generated  a very long discussion thread – 250 comments!

John has been in ministry since 1987 when God first started showing him warnings of judgments upon America.  In Southern Decadence vs the Holiness of God he gives his reaction to the debate and insights into why New Orleans was hit.  Should you visit his blog you’ll find a lot of sound Biblical teaching across several posts on this major issue.

3. Re. British weather and climate change (as here, then here):

The Meteorological Office declared June, July and August as the wettest in 100 years and second since records began (1654 for central England). Also, a record wet April enabled April, May and June to become the wettest on record.  It was also the dullest so-called summer!

I always regarded claims for climate change as fictitious. First proof came with Gordon Brown’s retrospective tax for air passenger fuel duty on fares that had already been booked AND paid for (ie. legalised theft)!  Then along with many investigators’ rebuttals came the declaration by Emeritus Professor of Physics, Harold Lewis that,

“Global warming is the greatest and most successful pseudo-scientific fraud I have seen in my long life…This is not science, other forces are at work.”

Therefore, he wrote to the American Physical Society, “I want no part of it, so please accept my resignation” (as its President)! The APS refuted his claims, yet one has to wonder why such a distinguished person would take such an inordinate stance if his viewpoint were without any foundation whatsoever.

There’s also the case of Nobel laureate Prof Ivar Giaever who resigned from the APS for the same reasons

NOW, Peter Lilley MP has wiped the floor with the ‘warmist-alarmist’ Stern Review. His Grace Cranmer reports:

By this report has HM Government been siphoning off billions from the UK economy on the pretext of ‘climate change mitigation’.

Cranmer’s source observes:

In a thorough and systematic deconstruction of this document, Mr Lilley exposed scores of errors and lies and may have been the first major Western politician to shout not only that “the Emperor has no clothes,” but to show the pictures as well.

Before quoting the press release, His Grace adds:

This is indeed a tectonic event; ‘one which is sure to embolden conserv-atives and Conservatives across the Commonwealth and even our cousins in the US who, thanks to Mr Lilley’s bravery, might stand up and demand a proper accounting and a good look of this warmist scam under the bright light of the mid-day sun.’

Interesting times…yet another exposure!

Related posts:

Prayer Alert: landmark cases in European Court

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Copy of circulated email:

Friends – you may wish to join Christian Concern’s specific prayer request (as below):

Since my previous I’ve delved into details of submissions provided by Christian Concern and grasped their gravity. I believe it behoves each of us to be familiar with the issues.

Although I’ve long been aware of these claims, their papers are very instructive about attempts to control our faith and why/how the European Court for Human Rights may be able to stop such discriminatory agenda.  At point 26 of his Written Submission, former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Rev and Rt Hon The Lord Carey states:

In case after case, the Courts have found against the Christian faith, by strict application of national Equality/ anti-discrimination law; and by voiding Article 9 of any substantive effect: (my emphasis)

He then cites 15 instances of legally enforced discrimination against believers in Britain!

Upon following the link provided in God and Politics in UK I was concerned to read this statement of fact, as quoted by Joshua Rozenberg in the Law Society Gazette, that the Court of Appeal said:

[The London Borough of ] Islington’s ‘legitimate aim’ was to minimise discrimination among its staff. ‘Ladele’s refusal was causing offence to at least two of her gay colleagues,’ the court said. Her objection was ‘based upon her view of marriage, which is not a core part of her religion…’ !!! (my emphasis)

PREPOSTEROUS CLAPTRAP! How can a higher legal court in our land pretend the creation of man and woman and the reason for their relationship, as ordained in the two opening chapters of the Holy Bible, IS NOT A CORE PART OF CHRISTIAN BELIEF! Just how can such supposedly intelligent people imply that Jesus’ own reference to this (Mark 10:6-9) is NOT a core part of Christian belief? ABSURD – IT IS AXIOMATIC!

So I’m very pleased to find this matter is one of the main planks of Christian Concern’s case (para 11 herein), which quotes European legal precedence that:

it is not possible for national authorities to identify “core areas” of a person’s particular religious belief.

Moreover, the UK’s Equality and Human Right Commission has claimed it would now support and apply the legal doctrine of ‘reasonable accommodations’! (Regular readers will be familiar with my complaints against EHRC.)

Thus, Christian Concern claims it is vitally important to pray, watch and keep abreast of developments. Let’s agree to do so…

PS: re. media reports, click here

Four stand up for Christian freedom in Britain

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Tomorrow, four cases concerning the freedom of Christian expression in the UK will be heard before the European Court of Human Rights.  The Court will hold a public hearing on the admissibility and merits of the cases and then deliberate privately before making its ruling. The summary of the ECHR press release explains,

Relying, in particular on Articles 9 (freedom of religion) and 14 (prohib-ition of discrimination), all four applicants complain that domestic law failed to adequately protect their right to manifest their religion.

The full yet brief release may be read in Gillan Scott’s overview on God and Politics, along with link to a commentary in The Law Society Gazette about the case of Registrar Lillian Ladele.

Christian Concern’s announcement here states that two of the other applicants are supported by its sister organisation, Christian Legal Centre, and is of the opinion that the outcome of these ‘landmark cases’,

will have implications for freedom of thought, conscience and religion across Europe. At issue is the freedom of Christians to express their faith publicly and to live in line with historic, mainstream, biblical Christian teaching. (my emphasis)

Two of the cases relate to wearing a cross at work and, although David Cameron has told MPs that Christians should have the right to wear a cross at work, the Government has said their employers had every right to discipline them.

The other cases relate to freedom of conscience and include Gary McFarlane, who was sacked after he expressed a possible conscientious objection to giving sex therapy to two homosexual men. The grounds for the last seem to be mendacious, as may be inferred from reading his interview with Laura Donnelly in A cross to bear.

I know these cases hardly compare with the real persecution and danger to life and limb regularly experienced by Christians throughout Islamic nations, as reported lately by Barnabas Fund and more in-depth from the Gatestone Institute (see report). But as I’ve often remarked since a vision in 2004 (see Comments upon collapse of Society), a stand has to be taken against deliberately anti-Christian policies not only within Britain but also any secular society, does it not?

Personally, I thank the Lord that application of Equality & Diversity laws didn’t prevent a night sister praying (after quick nod of the head) and thereby immediately halting Nina’s suffocation from anaphylactic attack one night during an enforced hospital stay (as at ‘2  Proof of Political Direction’ in this post).

Let us pray for a favourable outcome to the hearing (see Prayer Alert and Postscript).

Hurricane in the Gulf and earthquakes in California

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Rather ‘coincidental’ with William Koenig’s News Alert is this news of geophysical events, don’t you think?  See also Los Angeles report of earthquake swarms.

News Alert: The third straight Republican Convention disrupted by a major storm.

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To view this alert on online click here.
William Koenig - Main Banner
August 26, 2012
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Dear Richard,There were two major record-setting, billion-dollar hurricanes at the time of the 2004 (Frances) and 2008 (Gustav) Republican Conventions. They literally became the main news stories up to and during the Republican Convention.

Tropical Storm Isaac, soon to be Hurricane Isaac, has disrupted the 2012 Republican Convention.

On Tuesday, August 21, the Republican platform committee voted to add the “two-state” position pertaining to Israel’s land for formal approval at the convention; this was the same day Isaac formed as a tropical depression.

For detailed information on these events and corresponding activities please CLICK HERE.
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Bill Koenig - White House Correspondent
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White House Correspondent Koenig’s Eye View from the White House
A weekly in-depth news report that is delivered on Friday which offers a concise and informative behind-the-scenes perspective.To review a sample
copy click here.
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Is the B.B.C. becoming a ‘Badly Biased Corporation’? Or…?

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Has the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) deliberately ignored the fastest man on earth’s God? Also, could its coverage of the Middle-East just be bellicose disinformation prior to an anticipated major regional conflict?

Cranmer’s posting of 10 August about this year’s thrice-Olympic gold medal Jamaican sprinter and world record buster opens as follows:

Usain Bolt – the fastest man on the planet – is a devout believer (of the Protestant Christian kind) in the One True God. And he makes absolutely no secret at all of the fact: he crosses himself to exalt the Trinity, and mouths a prayer to the heavens before every race. And after each victory, he publicly gives thanks to God, in word and physical supplication. Following yesterday’s triumph in the 200m, he said of his Lord and Saviour: “Nothing would have been possible without Him.”

Is this not worth just a passing mention by the BBC?

He continues:

While he was manifestly thanking God on his knees for yesterday’s victory, the BBC presenter spun this spontan-eous act of worship as Bolt having ‘a moment to himself’. This manifestly blurs the significance for the viewer. This is what Bolt tweeted:

Later, he closes:

The BBC have known for more than four years what Usain Bolt always does, before and after each race, without fail: …They have been briefed to bits by Bolt’s PR team and by members of his family: Usain Bolt is a Bible-believing, God-honouring, Jesus-worshipping Christian. But not a whisper from the BBC; not a word of explanation of the real significance of these ‘moments to himself’.

Could the once-honourable ‘Auntie’ have fallen into disrepute? I do hope its writers and directors are not making her jump onto “bigots’ bandwagon”. The following opinion in The Commentator could make one wonder whether ol’ Auntie is thinking of just that.

The Commentator questions BBC’s unquestioning acceptance of a well-known liberal Jewish blogger’s claims of receiving ‘secret’ information from Israeli military sources on a regular basis. In this particular instance, Richard Silverstein discloses details of Israeli plans for a strike against Iran. The Commentator observes:

The problem is, while Silverstein is quick to publish information he ‘receives’, the veracity of such information can of course never be verified. The BBC has not seen the so-called documents that Silverstein purports to have, nor has it double-sourced any information of the sort….

The BBC, despite being unable to verify any information beyond that of a blogpost, has run full pelt with the story, interviewing Silverstein on several occasions and quoting him widely. While their diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus states that it is impossible to know whether or not the document exists, one might question the need for any kind of story based on such a tenuous blog…

One wonders what it takes today to get the BBC to report a non-story. Was it the fact that as a self-proclaimed ‘progressive’ blogger, Silverstein is well connected within the BBC? Or could it be once again that anything showing Israel in an aggressive light is swarmed upon by BBC hacks looking for a quick bit of Israel bashing?

BUT, to be fair, Silverstein’s full article deserves to be read in its entirety, as well as the follow-up.  It was also covered in depth in last night’s Eye View from the White House    (subscription service) wherein William Koenig similarly reports upon several articles that quote well informed high-level sources in the USA and in Israel.  Of the alleged comprehensive text released to Silverstein, Koenig notes this outline shows a full ‘decapitation plan’ and comments that Israel cannot afford to go in half-cocked; so it is quite believable.

So could this ‘leak’ simply be part and parcel of the dozens of options for disinformation issued in the prelude to war? Alternatively, if it is the definitive game plan, its unofficial disclosure could be a way of spelling out very clearly to the mad-mullahs of Iran and their maniac-in-chief what, in fact, they’ll be up against when they act upon their oft-declared intent of ‘wiping Israel off the map’.

FOOTNOTE: Click here, and here for a special despatch from MEMRI, Middle-East Media Research Institute, for the latest Iranian madness on the elimination of Israel. See the recent reblog and my earlier references here and here to this diabolical attitude.

The biased BBC doesn’t know about Jerusalem

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Further to my previous about the USA’s non-recognition of Jerusalem I offer a further point published in Bible Prophecy blog. Therein, Chad Groening reports upon the BBC’s ignorance of Israel as displayed in its Olympics website, as herein.

Furthermore, Britain’s own solidly sensible political blogger ‘Cranmer’ informs readers that:

His Grace has been following this story closely for the past week: The Commentator blog drew attention to the fact that the BBC’s online Olympic coverage was manifestly anti-Israel and pro-Palestine: every participating nation had its capital city listed, bar the state of Israel, which was left blank. Yet the non-state of Palestine had its capital listed as ‘East Jerusalem’. Despite Israel’s seat of government – the Knesset – being in Jerusalem, and despite a plethora of foreign embassies being located in Tel Aviv, the BBC opted to identify neither as Israel’s capital city. And yet, despite the Palestinian seat of government being in Ramallah, and despite Jerusalem not being divided, the BBC opted to carve the East away and hand it, lock, stock and barrel (Temple Mount, Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre) to the self-proclaimed Palestinian Authority.
This was a blatant bias and factual inaccuracy…Yet the BBC summarily dismissed what Israel says of and claims for Jerusalem, while validating and authenticating what Palestine says and claims of the city.

As ever, Cranmer is facetious in his castigation of the outright bias in the BBC:

The changes to the BBC’s website are inadequate: they not only constitute an overt attempt to deny and de-legitimise Israel’s capital; they amount to a breach of the BBC’s own Charter which requires impartiality and factual accuracy (emphasis mine).

His single-page ripost, BBC Slams Pro-Israel Jewish Lobby and attendant discussion, is well-worth taking time to read.

Enjoy and be well informed.

About the status of Jerusalem

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If anyone isn’t sure why potential contender for the Oval Office Mitt Romney caused a stir by his remarks about Jerusalem made during his recent visit there, let’s consider the situation in more detail. Please refer to the brief previous post and watch its very short video-clip from Times of Israel. A short US news transcript on this may be read here.

First, let’s never forget the prophetic Word of God:

“I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling…On that day when all nations of the earth are gathered against her. I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to remove it will injure themselves…” (Zecharia 12:2-3, also referred to in earlier post here.)

Jerusalem is renowned for its place in religious history and since Israel liberated it from Jordan in the 1967 war it has changed from semi-dereliction to a thriving city.  Inter-nationally, however, it is regarded as a disputed territory with Israelis and Palestinians vying for eventual oversight through the supposed ‘peace process’.  It’s complicated, so let’s check what others more qualified than me say about Romney’s speech:

Experts’ Commentaries

1. Drew Zahn, a Christian columnist, explains:

The controversy over the nation’s capital exists because many Jews, as well as many of Israel’s supporters around the world, have long understood that Jerusalem is more than just the capital of the country, but the heart and soul of the Jewish people’s understanding of returning to the land of their forefathers.

And even though the presidential residence, government offices, supreme court and Knesset are located in Jerusalem – designated as the capital city by Jewish law – the United Nations doesn’t recognize Jerusalem’s place, and most nations’ embassies, therefore, are located in Israel’s northern city of Tel Aviv. In fact, not a single nation on earth diplomatically recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Even the U.S., long considered one of Israel’s most faithful allies, has fudged its position on the capital controversy as incoherently as Carney answered the press corps. For example, in 1995 Congress adopted the Jerusalem Embassy Act, a resolution supporting recognition of a united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and declaring “the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.” But the act has yet to be carried out, as President Clinton’s administration believed the act was an unconstitutional invasion of presidential authority. No president has yet to act on the 1995 resolution.(Read full article Suddenly, All Eyes Are On Jerusalem.)

2. Deputy managing editor of the Jerusalem Post and senior fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at the Center for Security Policy in Washington, DC, Carolyn Glick has served on the Israeli team during peace negotiations and is highly regarded for her incisive analysis. Thus, on this matter she provides the following insight before proceeding to deal with Palestinian complaints:

…The law granted the president a right to postpone the transfer of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on national security grounds. But the law’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was unconditional (my emphasis).

In noting Romney’s very mild criticism of Palestinian society, Carolyn refers to their nonsensical attitude on several issues and cites how they bite the hand that feeds them:

The EU is the largest financial backer of the PA. Its policies towards Israel are in complete alignment with what the purportedly moderate Palestinians claim they want in a peace deal with Israel, including the partition of Jerusalem [….]  And yet…for simply upgrading EU trade ties with Israel, Palestinian for Dignity announced its members “will organize to protest the latest manifestation of EU complicity and to challenge its presence and operations in Palestine”.

For how the Republican contender’s policy statements compare with those of Barack Obama’s Administration, especially as applied to the re-election campaign, read her full article Israel – Obama’s ‘Wedge’ Issue.

Carolyn’s opinion on Romney’s speech is ever so brief and may been read here just before the speech’s video on her blog.

3. Founder of The Middle-East Forum who warned of the likelihood of the  911 attack, Daniel Pipes referred to Romney’s rousing political speech as follows:

(He) delivered a ‘stem-winder’ of a speech to the Jerusalem Foundation yesterday, packing emotional support with frank policy statements. The contrast with Obama could hardly be more dramatic. Indeed, one could go through the speech and note the many refutations of Obama….

Also, in contrast to the nonsensical Obama administration stance on Jerusalem being Israel’s capital — sneaking into change captions that mistakenly identified it as that and going through verbal gymnastics to avoid calling it that — Romney came out and plainly called Jerusalem “the capital of Israel”.

For Daniel’s concise summation of the speech see his article in National Review Online, The Corner.

4. Mike Evans, close personal friend of PM Netanyahu for many years, tells about the Israeli’s 35 year-long friendship with the Republican Romney in A Tale of Two Kings.

The two politicians are exceptional among today’s officials. It would be challenging to find two men of such prominence with a similar history. It would also be difficult to envision a world leader who would be more in tune with Israel’s welfare. Romney has already signified that he would be hesitant to make noteworthy determinations about the Jewish state without first conferring with Mr. Netanyahu. This would be an utter about-face from the lackadaisical policies displayed by current US President Barack Obama.

Has your mainstream news fully reported on this? See Not on the 10 o’clock News.

Iranian leader’s End-Times declaration

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[Publd 20 July 2012]  This serves to make my covering introduction to the previous reblogged post easier to read. The normal text format wasn’t available and this will also update the content.:

In that post Joel Rosenberg calls attention to a grave matter which many cannot grasp, especially politicians – the End-Times. Escalating events in the Middle-East are making Judeo-Christian prophetical scriptures increasingly apposite. Continue reading →

Iranian Leader: We must prepare for the “End Times”

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Best-selling author Joel is well known for organising Epicentre Conferences which focus upon the politics in the Middle-East, especially Israel, from a Biblical perspective (more here). In this post he calls attention to an important matter which many cannot yet grasp – the End-Times.

See my subsequent post Iranian leader’s End-Time declaration, and Joel’s Exclusive; Ahmadinejad’s End-Time speech to the UN in which the most detailed explanation of the Twelth Imam to date is given and UN leaders are told the Mahdi will “soon” reign over the world.

joelcrosenberg's avatarJoel C. Rosenberg's Blog

(Jerusalem, Israel) — My friend Reza Kahlili published this fascinating and sobering article this week and I commend it to your attention. Reza used to be an officer in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Then he became a double agent for the CIA. Now he is an American citizen who is using his contacts and sources in Iran to gather information to expose the evil regime in Tehran and bring them down before they acquire nuclear weapons and try to usher in the reign of the Twelfth Imam. 

Excerpts:

  • Iran’s supreme leader, for the first time, is telling his nation that it must prepare for war and “the end of times” as it continues to develop nuclear weapons. State-owned media outlets, in a coordinated effort, all ran a similar story Friday highlighting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s message on the coming of the last Islamic messiah. 
  • Until now, the Iranian…

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Cameron says “people can wear religious emblems at work”, so what’s bugging me?

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In this post, my friend Gillan Scott proffers a detailed, well-researched analysis of the issues and governmental confusion. It is well worth reading to gain a fuller consideration of the matter to which I recently drew readers’ attention (here).

A spiritual slant on the Olympic torch’s route

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Further to my earlier posting a very visual log of the Praise Bus’ journey is available on Facebook.  Especial appreciation goes to the exceptional skills of the drivers (see June 17 video on Fbook), whom we met in May in Kingsbridge, Devon (photo).

I was intrigued to learn from a fellow reader of an encouraging encounter with some Welsh Christians during his hike from Newport, Wales to the Lizard in Cornwall . This group been in contact with people involved in new age etc and had been told “such groups were aware something was going on in the spiritual realm”!!

Now if we overlook the media exuberance over what is in essence a pagan festivity and consider that this is being ‘converted’ by being blessed by daily prayers to the Living Lord, then we may appreciate what He could be doing in all this to change the nation’s hearts.

When seen on a map, the torch relay’s route across the UK seems quite haphazard but it actually resembles a vivid flash of forked lightning.  Now if one bears in mind the two-part vision Joan Darnall received, the latter part speaks of bolts of lightning hitting the scattered holy fires (like Queen’s Jubilee beacons??) across Britain.

This week I came across a word from the Lord received last August and which refers to such a combined possibility – The world will see a land where I Am glorified. You may, therefore, wish to read and weigh this and then read and watch the video posting for 7 July on the Praise Bus. (NB. need to open up ‘See more recent stories’ on Facebook’s timeline.)  Allow the music and imagery to set the scene for considering both words!

We’ll meet up with the bus team in Petersfield first thing Monday morning as the relay zigzags towards Guildford.

The Lord bless you and keep you.