"We are all in this together." (6)

Bonus time!

Britain's poorest households may soon pay a higher tax rate than major banks according to TUC calculations. Chancellor Osborne, the banker's friend, has confirmed that this trend will continue.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MPs Expenses - she was warned!

"Thatcher warned over MPs expenses scandal"

Well there's a surprise!

Christmas Competition

The baby Stig

Three 'Wise' Men

Disguise

On Boxing Day Top Gear screened their version of the Three Wise Men re-tracing their route to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The style was irreverent as one might have expected but what caused the greatest outcry? Baby Stig in the manger; The Three Wise Men with their gifts of 'gold', shampoo and electronic toy; or the disguise to protect their identity?

Answer: the disguise of course because it was thought to make fun of Muslim dress. In the interests of political correctness more general complaints have since been raised.

Women, Discrimination and The Church

I am indebted to an alert follower for this link to a broadcast on Christmas Day describing how one women battled against discrimination. A remarkable woman; God bless her.

"Priscilla, Queen of iPM listeners. Doctor, lawyer and theologian, Priscilla Noble-Mathews talks about her life, death and the hereafter. A homesick wartime evacuee, she's faced down sexism and ageism to work her way from the Bar, through the civil service to medicine. In what many would regard as her retirement, Priscilla has found new challenges working with a helicopter rescue team, risking her own life for others."

Happy Christmas!

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Stung!

No doubt The Telegraph thought itself rather smart luring one of the few trusted politicians into a trap by sending undercover journalists to Vince Cable's surgery. Having had their bit of fun at Dr Cable's expense The Telegraph sought to close the matter by publishing a 'transcript' of the meeting. While some will be surprised at the Minister's candour, others will find it a refreshing change from the devious outpourings the public is used to hearing.

What The Telegraph didn't bargain on was a whistle blower who knew that the full facts had not been published. They left out the bit about Rupert Murdoch's News International proposed take-over of the satellite broadcaster BSkyB which he already partly owns and which The Telegraph, among others, opposes.

Many see the proposed take-over as an unwelcome concentration of media influence so the revelation may result in disappointment for them. While retaining his cabinet post as Business Secretary, Dr Cable has lost responsibility overseeing media, telecom and broadcasting companies to the now well known Jeremy Hunt the Culture Secretary who may find it difficult to follow Dr Cable's example. At least it should give the giggling 'reporters' something else to laugh about.

Heathrow

How long to clear three runways ?

Ministry of Chaos and Complacency: Update

Mr Hammond has suddenly become aware of someone else's problem (watch the clip) and is now determined to find out what has gone wrong so that he can learn lessons and apportion blame. People understand that bad weather has caused enormous difficulties; what they don't understand is why they are kept in the dark. For example, is it beyond the wit of someone on a salary of £825,000 a year plus bonus of up to £1.65m to organise a public address system to keep stranded passengers updated instead of having to twitter? The British people are treated like fodder by people on huge bonuses for jobs allegedly well done. Banker is a word that springs readily to mind.

Ministry of Chaos and Complacency

"Welcome to the 'chaos theory' of government" runs the headline in The Observer.

Education, Work and Pensions, Local Government, Health and Home Affairs are all aiming for 'chaos' to solve the Britain's problems. With such a spread of chaotic government a coordinating ministry is indicated and who better to run it than the current minister for complacency, Philip Hammond. His contribution yesterday to the misery being experienced by thousands of people had the air of a man who had just looked out of his window, saw the sun shining and positioned himself with traffic conveniently moving in the background so that he could assure everyone that there was no real problem - apart from the weather. Today's contribution was a little more cautious; he was looking for advice but he is unlikely follow the example of the Scottish Transport Minister if chaos is new the aim of Government:

Another daughter lost - this time stolen

Yesterday's heart-rending 'human rights' report of a father deprived of his daughter by a hit-and-run criminal was followed in the evening by a Newsnight video about the position of Christians in the Islamic World. The video highlighted the case of an abducted Christian daughter in Egypt.

The thread of the programme was "While the status of Muslims in Europe has become a major political issue, there has been less controversy, until recently, about the position of Christians in the Islamic World." One might have expected sympathy for the plight of Christians. Not a bit of it. In the discussion that followed the Islamist representatives played the victim card used so effectively, among others, by Women and the Church (WATCH) to deny any tolerance of traditionalist Christians in the Church of England.

The BBC screened a second video report, this time about the ban on new minarets in Switzerland. The charitable view must be that it was introduced for balance, completely ignorant of the fact that the scales are tipped against non-Muslims however 'reasonable' their apologists may appear. Any politico-religious system that encourages deception to further its cause must be treated with suspicion and extreme caution.

Ironically, while Pope Benedict was drawing attention to the plight of Christians BBC reporters were busy condeming critics of Islamicification as guilty of Islamophobia. Intolerance in Islamic countries was brushed aside because they are not democratic. What they omit to say is that democracy would not be permitted in a country under Sharia law but Islamists insist on their democratic rights to deprive non-Muslims of theirs.

To value democracy and protect Christian values is not Islamophobia, it is simply a struggle for survival. How is it that a programme about the oppressed is turned around to make the oppressors appear as the oppressed.?

Postscript

Christian Festivals have now been airbrushed from EU diaries leaving only Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Chinese festivities as well as Europe Day and other key EU anniversaries. My thanks to Goodnight Vienna's Blog for this tip.

The complete Aso

Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, aged 32

Arrived in the UK from Iraq in 2001

Failed asylum seeker

Hit and run killer after leaving a 12 yr old child to die on the road

Drugs possession

Harassment

Criminal damage

Theft

Burglary

Driving while disqualified

Driving without a license

Driving without insurance

In fact a complete and utter a*s**o** yet allowed to remain in the UK to avoid his human rights being violated. His victim's father is an honest, hard-working, loyal tax-payer who has lost his only child through the actions of a criminal and is left with no family. Justice for him has been denied. Why have the judges given so much weight to the fact that a criminal has married and begat two children? Are they unaware of the marriage of convenience fiddles that allow people to stay in our over-crowded, hospitality abused country?

In 1998 David Cameron wanted to do something about abuses of Human Rights legislation. It's about time he did. If his memory fails him, he needs only watch the video in this report to be reminded of why urgent action is needed.

Why, what evil has she done?

She wore pants under her Islamic dress!

Punishment, 50 lashes or two years in prison. The authorities in Sudan have apologised, not for the punishment but the manner in which it was carried out. If this woman were a dog or other unfortunate animal there would be widespread protests - but hear the silence!

Could it happen here? The French are generally regarded as less tolerant than the British but in Paris a blind eye has already been turned to streets closed-off for prayers. Dhim-wits say that Islam excesses couldn't take place here. They already have. Sharia law is being used in Islamic areas in Great Britain now. Who knows how the 'guilty' are punished. In Sudan only the manner in which the punishment was carried out was thought wrong. God help anyone punished in private. Sharia law must not be above British justice.

"We are all in this together." (5)

Government efficiency drive:

Many efficient public service workers wish they could get enough heat on their pension of around £5,000 a year - £50,000 over ten years if they can survive ten cold winters. That's 0.004% of the tax free dividend of £1.2 billion the Government's efficiency adviser paid his family in 2005, or 24,000 pensions for ten years.

Meanwhile the (tax) efficient Government adviser appears to be suffering the effects of too much heat

even though "We are all in this together".

The beginning of the end of the Church of England?

"Church cuts bishops where Muslims outnumber Christians by seven to one" was the headline in The Telegraph yesterday. "In some parishes in the Diocese of Bradford, more than 70% of residents are Muslims, while just 10% are Anglicans."

In 2008 quoting from 'Religious Trends', The Telegraph reported a prediction that "practising Muslims will outnumber worshipping Christians in Britain within 30 years." By 2035, there will be about 1.96 million active Muslims in Britain, compared with 1.63 million church-going Christians. The think-tank warned that 4,000 churches could close by 2020 if congregations continue to shrink at current rates.

The Church of England's Dioceses Commission Report does not suggest closing its cathedrals but the future looks bleak despite their conclusion [12.2] that "It continues to be the vocation of the Church of England to provide a Christian presence in every community.We envisage a structure that would enable the Church of England to engage more coherently with the people and communities of West Yorkshire and the western half of North Yorkshire, and with the institutions of civil society there."

For how long will that policy be sustainable?

Postscript

According to the latest estimates reported in The Telegraph (28 Dec 2010) there are now 2,869,000 Muslims in Britain so there are already 1.24 million more Muslims living here than the 1.63 million church-going Christians quoted above.

"We are all in this together." (4)

Take you pick

From Dictionary.com, a few definitions that may appear relevant

pledge:

–noun

1. a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something

5. something given or regarded as a security.

8. Obsolete: a hostage. [Hmmm!]

–verb (used with object)

10. to promise solemnly: to pledge one's support.

12. to stake, as one's honour.

13. to secure by a pledge; give a pledge for.

No suggestion of lying there but in future the electorate should remember that a pledge is as worthless as the piece of paper it is written on. That apart, the Lib Dems in the coalition have decided they must do the honourable thing and support the Government measure they are jointly responsible for.

But Mr Cameron is not out of the woods. What of his Big Society Agenda?

"It's about liberation -the biggest, most dramatic redistribution of power from elites in Whitehall to the man and woman on the street."

The students demonstrating on the streets would like to think so.

An Ordinariate in Wales

Exciting times for 'traditionalists' in Wales. The faithful there have watched with interest developments in England and elsewhere wondering how they could benefit from Pope Benedict's offer. At last they have their chance to participate. Those interested in exploring this development can register here.

Thanksgiving thanks, no thanks

The jovial Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, recently elected President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has run into trouble.

Was the Archbishop simply mimicking his Episcopal Church opposite number, the 'spirit hearing' Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, being relevant to society by referring to God as 'She'?

We have heard much lately about the procedure for Anglo Catholics thinking of going to Rome. If Bishop Dolan is thinking of going the other way, just a simple phone call from Tim to Mrs Jefferts Schori should do the trick.

F*** off!

The unspeakable acronym of the moment must be that of Fédération Internationale de Football Association. They will be distinctly OFF after the brass neck of awarding the 2018 World Cup to Russia. Don't these people know who we are? Thoughts of Knighthoods have been dashed at a stroke.

Thankfully the bidding circus is over and, mercifully, gesticulating George should be able to read (present) the Six o'clock News' football item without the usual inane grin he is afflicted with when he covers the sports section.

One reward we should be proud of is that our integrity as demonstrated by Panorama and lack of corruption does us far more credit. OK there will be some overpaid footballers crying in their Champagne but I can bear it. It's time for a G&T.

Postscript

So the recriminations begin. Time for a post mortem on the bid. Gesticulating George looked suitably subdued reading (presenting) the Six o'clock News and reserved his grinning piece for those in Scotland enduring the coldest temperatures (-21C) in Great Britain.

There was a suggestion that England had left things a little late with their bid, not cosying up to those who mattered - well it is England after all - and there was surprise after 'we' had the 'best technical bid'. Nevertheless victory went to Russia despite them having a lot of work to due on infrastructure, etc, etc, etc. A bit like our Olympic bid then!

Not Ashamed Day

Today is Not Ashamed Day. I must confess I knew nothing about it until I 'Googled' this morning and saw a picture of Lord Carey supporting the campaign. That says something in itself!

Whilst I have not had the opportunity of studying all aspects of the movement, on the face of it this must be a worthwhile cause if it helps to avoid Christianity being relegated to the second division and is a welcome addition after Mr Pickles' intervention to restore the proper celebration of Christmas.

The campaign is organised by Christian Concern.

Today's children tomorrow: Urgent PETITION

Since my previous blog on this subject there has been much criticism of Mr Gove's proposal to axe support for the School Sport Partnerships (SSPs).

There has been widespread anger in every walk of life including elite athletes and MP's with the Prime Minister being questionioned in the House.

Please sign the PETITION organised by the NUT to get this shabby treatment of our children reversed and encourage as many as you can to do the same.

None so blind as those who will not see

Islamic extremists are not typical of the Muslim presence in Britian (yet) so the problem is swept under the carpet but how much evidence of a problem in our midst do dhim-wits need? In Great Britain we have become so accustomed to the type of demonstrations illustrated above that the participants are simply dismissed as cranks. When British troops return from duty and are heckled by Islamic demonstrators they are dismissed as minorities entitled to protest in a democracy.

Their placards are not idle threats. In Islamic countries Christians, Jews and other non-Muslims are being massacred and driven out of their homelands, proof that jihadists are deadly serious. The double-standards employed by dhim-wits here reinforce the view that they regard only Islam as sacred with no understanding of what that means for our survival as a Christian nation. To question their stance is regarded as bigotry.

Thankfully there are many more peaceful Muslims than extremists, the excuse regularly used for inaction but there is no excuse for ignoring threats to our liberty. It takes only a few, four in fact in the last major outrage when the 7/7 bombers killed fifty-two civilians and injured 700. The Inquest into that atrocity has revealed that the backbone of Britain has been replaced by a paralysis of self interest. From The Guardian today it is even more apparent that the full force of the law is reserved for relatively peaceful protest.

The aim of Islam is a world under Sharia law in which the democracy Islamist protesters use to further their cause would not be permitted. Evidence from most Islamic countries clearly demonstrates that minority religions are not tolerated. In the process of Islamisation, the beheading demanded on the placard is no idle threat. Meanwhile, when it comes to Panorama warning us of serious problems facing this country, the Prime Minister is more vocal about football than our freedom.

Water Aid

Today sees the end of "Africa Water Week". It probably passed you by but you can see reports here.

It doesn't stop there. Thousands of children die needlessly for the sake of a few pounds. As Advent approaches and you wash our hands regularly, think of those with no running water and consider a Christmas gift, the water of life, for those who pray for water rather than take it for granted. Why not visit the Water Aid SH2OP for Life and buy your Christmas cards adding a watery gift. Make someone else's Christmas happier than they could have imagined. Thanks.

"We are all in this together." (3)

"David Cameron launched his "happiness index" yesterday as he announced that the Government would measure people's quality of life as well as economic growth."

It's all relative!

For better or for worse...

...for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death us do part, according to God's holy law.

The Mail Online has reported that "Two million husbands and wives are not lawfully married because of a Church of England blunder" speculating that "marriage partners heading for divorce may try to deny their spouse maintenance, support or even a home on the grounds that they were never really married". What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

There is a serious point here. Constant change has made a complete mess of Anglicanism but in reality, however man or woman legislates it is in the sight of God that we shall be judged. The Anglican Church has been on a slippery slope ever since change was introduced to make it more 'relevant'. Gone is much of the mystery, the awe, the beautiful language making worship commonplace. Political correctness has replaced tradition, so much so that the catholicity of the church is being surrendered. The result? An Anglican Covenant that proposes the use of sticking plaster to heal broken limbs.

Drastic surgery is needed. The feminisation of the church must be halted. The first step is to abandon the divisive measure permitting women bishops signalling to the Universal Church that unity is more important than feminism. The alternative is further decline with the Anglican church becoming little more than a social network when the Lord's table might as well be used to serve tea and biscuits.

May it please Your Majesty!

Funny old game, politics. Her Majesty the Queen, Defender of the Faith and Head of the Church of England wears a funny hat as she listens to children read from the Quran.

Hopefully none of the bits that would see an end to Christianity!

From The Grauniad

Rowan Williams speaking at the General Synod: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Reporting on the opening of the new General Synod, The Guardian presents an article "Anglican church faces 'piece by piece dissolution', warns archbishop" under a picture of His Grace with the caption Rowan Williams speaking at the General Synod , apparently not knowing its Abbey from its Church House. A sign of the times?

Today's children tomorrow

Could this be the line-up Mr Gove envisages for his planned Children's Olympics?

Directgov, the government web site's guidance on 'Children and healthy weight' states that "Through the PE and Sport Strategy for Young People, the aim is to offer young people five hours of sport and PE each week (both inside and outside of the school day)." The funding for this project is to be scrapped under another false economy in the state sector. Front bench offspring and other privately educated children will not be affected.

Already worried that too many children are inactive and lack a proper diet this cut is absurd. Short term savings should not affect our children's future. There are already indications that obese children are at risk from heart disease, breathing problems, diabetes, liver and joint problems. The medical cost of dealing with these problems will be immense. That cuts need to be made is accepted but to prejudice the health of our children and build up problems for the future is not only short sighted, it is cruel.

World Toilet Day

Not everyone can squat in luxury. In fact many do so in fear.

Today, 19th November is World Toilet Day.

"We are all in this together." (2)

"Never had it so good!"

Macmillan's (in)famous words have been repeated by the Prime Minister's enterprise advisor, Lord Young, who has claimed that most Britons "never had it so good". The Prime Minister has rebuked Lord Young saying that the remarks were "insensitive and inaccurate". Rather like the Government saying that we are all in it together when some are, and many others soon will be, much deeper in it than others.

An interesting Christian perspective is available here.

Postscript

Lord Young pays the price.

Humble pie - Postscript

Vatican Radio has reported Archbishop Rowan's comments following yesterday's celebration of fifty years of ecumenical dialogue. In the linked recorded interview His Grace tries to say the right things but his face often tells a different story.

PPS A happier view here.

Christian persecution - old and new

Thankfully Christian persecution is no longer the Roman ‘sport’ which inspired box-office spectaculars such as Quo Vadis but the persecution of Christians continues today on a much bigger scale and is just as evil. From Konrad Szymanski in New Europe :

“According to the statistics at least 75% of religious persecution is directed against people of Christian faith and each year about 170,000 Christians suffer because of their beliefs. The total number of faithful who are discriminated amounts already to 100 million. It's also a known fact that more Christians have been martyred in the 20th century than in all the prior 1,900 years. All in all it makes Christians the most persecuted religious group.”

Many of the worst atrocities are too distressing to illustrate here but burning, beating, beheading and all manner of brutality are documented on the web, including the use of rape as a weapon. The beating of Christians in Egypt (above) for opening their cafe during Ramadan is a minor punishment by comparison. In Iraq, killings and persecution have resulted in the Christian population being halved to 400,000 since 2003. Meanwhile in Pakistan ‘blasphemy’ is used as a weapon of persecution. Not only does much of the persucution go un-reported but Islamic states have attempted to get the United Nations to legitimise it. Meanwhile many delude themselves by making excuses.

Here in Great Britain, in addition to the Islamic atrocities perpetrated on British citizens we have subtler methods of oppression, often by do-gooders who are so immersed in political correctness it has almost become a religion. Even church-goers are not exempt. Orthodox Anglicans in the Church of England are oppressed by those who have abandoned the traditional faith of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church because they refuse to adapt their religion to suit modern life styles. In the forefront of this movement are the feminist organisation Women and the Church (WATCH) which battles ceaselessly to exclude Christians who don’t agree with their political agenda of parity for women in the church as though they were working for Local Government Social Services or the Co-op.

Those whose agenda is to make the church relevant to society fail to see that they have made faith irrelevant to many with the consequent decline of the church. If we are not careful the remaining vacuum will be filled by others leaving the oppressors themselves as victims.

Postscript

On his Blog Archbishop Cranmer has published a long but interesting US Report on Religious Freedom in the UK.

Humble pie

On 17th November the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, will be in Rome for the 50th anniversary of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. Humble pie should be on the menu. As this healthy recipe indicates, it is real family food, just made without meat.

The ingredients of the Christian faith continue to cause meaty problems as they have done since the first schism. For Anglicans the process continues following the introduction of the ordination of women and problems over gay rights. Most Christians worship God with little or no thought of what separates them from other worshippers believing 'right' to be on their side, usually determined by the 'religion' of their birth. I see little problem with that, as long as they follow Christ's example and commandment to love one another, according to others the same privilege of conscience. In the Church of England supporters of the ordination of women have sought to deny others that right with a 'take it or leave it' attitude over women bishops, dismissing arguments that the innovation is contrary to scripture, tradition and the will of the universal church.

Detailed Ordinariate plans have yet to be published but if there is no change from their position that Rome is always right and others have to admit the error of their ways to be received, they will not have learnt the lessons of history that, unlike Christ, the church can and has made errors in the past. Christ is the true light, pure light made of many colours. To enable non-believers to see the pure light of Christ our varied colours have to be united because separated we are not understood. Fifty years of talking is long enough. It eclipses the true Light who, before His betrayal, prayed that we all may be one.

A healthy serving of humble pie must be the order of the day to avoid the faithful who fall between two stools being forgotten as they follow Christ's example as conscience dictates.