Well, that might be over-egging it a bit, but it seems that everywhere I turn someone is talking about the upcoming European elections and the threat of the BNP gaining votes. Quite often it's a Christian spokesperson, but perhaps that's just symptomatic of the world I move in. Here's a quick run-down of some of the statements and comments I've noticed (admittedly some of them I helped to issue)...
Church dismisses BNP election posters
http://methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=337
Churches urged to take action ahead of European elections
http://methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=341
Church leaders in Lincolnshire speak out against the BNP
http://www.lgmethodistdistrict.org.uk/district/default.asp
Church leaders in East Anglia have also made a statement, commenting that 'Christ calls us to love our neighbours as ourselves and in this forthcoming election we believe it is right to be vigilant about any party or individual candidate seeking to use people’s fears for their own well-being to stir racial or religious hatred'. (no weblink available)
Statement from Church leaders: vote next week, vote positively
http://methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=350
The BNP cannot pick and choose the laws it will obey
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article6382697.ece
Now for a confession. I have never been very enthused by voting at election time. Yes, I'm aware that women fought and died for my right to vote and am thus very ashamed to admit that I forgot to vote in the last general election. May shame be heaped upon me. BUT I have firmly resolved to give a damn in future and to commit to use my votes wisely. My friends and colleagues have suitably shamed and encouraged me to start taking democracy seriously.
So, in the words of Methodist, URC and Baptist Church leaders: vote next week, use your vote positively for the values and interests you believe in.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
A priest might not know how to dance...
A different take on the iPod ad. Thanks to Chris Aldous for the Facebook link on this one!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Church leaders in Lincs speak out against BNP
Should have blogged about this last week, but with European elections looming and mainstream political parties losing public support, it's more important than ever.
Church leaders in Lincolnshire published this joint statement asserting that the policies and __ of the BNP are completely inconsistent with the teaching and example of Jesus Christ.
The leaders represent more than 50,000 Christians in Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire across the Salvation Army, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Independent and United Reformed Churches.
They said; "We cannot stand by when groups and individuals are maligned, misrepresented and singled out for verbal or even physical abuse.
"In a democracy it is even more alarming when prejudices founded upon country of origin, race or religion become part of a political platform, and are offered to the electorate for endorsement."
Amen.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Church leaders in Lincolnshire published this joint statement asserting that the policies and __ of the BNP are completely inconsistent with the teaching and example of Jesus Christ.
The leaders represent more than 50,000 Christians in Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire across the Salvation Army, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Independent and United Reformed Churches.
They said; "We cannot stand by when groups and individuals are maligned, misrepresented and singled out for verbal or even physical abuse.
"In a democracy it is even more alarming when prejudices founded upon country of origin, race or religion become part of a political platform, and are offered to the electorate for endorsement."
Amen.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Today I am silent. I do not want to speak
My close friend Katie has entered the world of blogging! But her blog is different from any I have seen.
Zachary's Zoo is a window into an autistic brain. Katie's son Zac is nearly 8 years old and severely autistic. This blog is her attempt to get inside Zac's amazing brain and share what he is seeing, thinking, feeling. Zac has very little language of his own, so Katie is mostly saying what she thinks he might say, if he could.
Katie & her husband Ale are two of my closest friends and, at the risk of being gushy, I don't think Zac could ever want for more persistent, patient and loving parents. Because of their strength and commitment they have recently managed to get him a place in a school for children with severe learning difficulties - a major breakthrough in an underfunded and restricted education system.
Check out the blog and take a step into Zac's world....
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Zachary's Zoo is a window into an autistic brain. Katie's son Zac is nearly 8 years old and severely autistic. This blog is her attempt to get inside Zac's amazing brain and share what he is seeing, thinking, feeling. Zac has very little language of his own, so Katie is mostly saying what she thinks he might say, if he could.
Katie & her husband Ale are two of my closest friends and, at the risk of being gushy, I don't think Zac could ever want for more persistent, patient and loving parents. Because of their strength and commitment they have recently managed to get him a place in a school for children with severe learning difficulties - a major breakthrough in an underfunded and restricted education system.
Check out the blog and take a step into Zac's world....
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Katie and Peter: the end of plastic fantastic?
I don't know why, but I'm really sad about the news that Peter Andre and Katie Price (aka Jordan) are splitting up. I have no specific reason to be - I am more guilty than most of mocking their crazy media presence. I did once attempt to watch their chat show Jordan and Peter, but it was so appallingly ridiculous I just couldn't stomach it.
I commented yesterday to my friend Ale that it seemed to be the end of a marriage of convenience, but thinking about it now I've changed my mind.
It seems to me that their coupling, rather being a media stunt to revive tired careers, had something really quite genuine about it. Now, you can't deny that it's done wonders for their media profiles - the music, book deals, TV shows, magazine profiles - but I think that's more to do with their completely shameless openness about every element of their lives, than anything else. In fact, there has been so little left to the imagination, that you could hardly accuse them of hidden agendas. They are a voyeur's dream. On one hand they seem too flawless, too plastic, too perfectly built, but on the other they have exposed themselves (quite literally), sparing no gory detail. Most celebrity marriages leave at least something to the imagination!
You can't deny that they've financially profited from their relationship, but the romantic in me says that's about the nature of their relationship, less than the drive to make money. They have lived their lives so openly that you can't help but be fascinated. But perhaps I'm being too naive! One way or another, it seems to be the end of a very short but intense celebrity era.
xxxxxxxxxx
I commented yesterday to my friend Ale that it seemed to be the end of a marriage of convenience, but thinking about it now I've changed my mind.
It seems to me that their coupling, rather being a media stunt to revive tired careers, had something really quite genuine about it. Now, you can't deny that it's done wonders for their media profiles - the music, book deals, TV shows, magazine profiles - but I think that's more to do with their completely shameless openness about every element of their lives, than anything else. In fact, there has been so little left to the imagination, that you could hardly accuse them of hidden agendas. They are a voyeur's dream. On one hand they seem too flawless, too plastic, too perfectly built, but on the other they have exposed themselves (quite literally), sparing no gory detail. Most celebrity marriages leave at least something to the imagination!
You can't deny that they've financially profited from their relationship, but the romantic in me says that's about the nature of their relationship, less than the drive to make money. They have lived their lives so openly that you can't help but be fascinated. But perhaps I'm being too naive! One way or another, it seems to be the end of a very short but intense celebrity era.
xxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Madonna foreswears celebrity religion; converts to Methodism
http://newsbiscuit.com/2009/05/01/madonna-foreswears-celebrity-religion-converts-to-methodism/
‘That Kabbalah sect kept droning on about how life was one big mysterious journey into the unknowable. I’m a single mother of three; I haven’t got time for all that ‘unknowable’ s**t. To be frank, I’ve had it up to here with those premium rate mystics; give me a decent Wesley hymn and a good solid working party report any day.’
She should be so lucky. Oh no, wait that's Kylie...we'll get her too. All in good time...
Brought to you by the good people at NewsBiscuit: The news before it happens.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
‘That Kabbalah sect kept droning on about how life was one big mysterious journey into the unknowable. I’m a single mother of three; I haven’t got time for all that ‘unknowable’ s**t. To be frank, I’ve had it up to here with those premium rate mystics; give me a decent Wesley hymn and a good solid working party report any day.’
She should be so lucky. Oh no, wait that's Kylie...we'll get her too. All in good time...
Brought to you by the good people at NewsBiscuit: The news before it happens.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Great Methodist story from East Anglia
Methodist church in drive to relate to modern world
Okay, I know it's a week old, but I'm still trying to catch up on emails from when I was away and found this little gem.
xxxxxxxxx
Okay, I know it's a week old, but I'm still trying to catch up on emails from when I was away and found this little gem.
xxxxxxxxx
Silly cat videos never fail to amuse me
This one nearly had me crying with laughter.
Yes I am silly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Yes I am silly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Most interesting articles of the day....
Well, to me anyway. If I waited 'til I had time to blog about them each individually it would never happen (hence why my blog is so sporadic).
So these are what most caught my attention in the daily newspaper trawl...
Archbishop calls for Anglican unity
Rumours of God's return are greatly exaggerated
Birth control for men in one injection
Note to self
'I didn't know when I married him that my husband had a mental illness'
Will try to make time for some proper blogging soon...
xxxxxxxx
So these are what most caught my attention in the daily newspaper trawl...
Archbishop calls for Anglican unity
Rumours of God's return are greatly exaggerated
Birth control for men in one injection
Note to self
'I didn't know when I married him that my husband had a mental illness'
Will try to make time for some proper blogging soon...
xxxxxxxx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)