Caption corner 26 October 2019

Source: Twitter

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"A warning to society"

A 'Watch and Share' video from Christian Concern:

This is not an isolated case according to a formerly Trans woman:
'Hundreds' of young trans people are seeking help to return to original sex.

Readers may have watched another video of a 7 yr old boy describing how his mother dresses him as a girl claiming that he has gender dysphoria. The boy's father disagrees and has turned to a family court to stop his son from transitioning to a girl.

Added to these distressing stories are more bizarre episodes which have the effect of trivialising a serious medical condition.

Some recent headlines:

Outraged feminists boycott Always sanitary towels after brand ditched Venus logo from their products in response to Trans-rights campaigners who say men use them too.

Transgender activist Jessica Yaniv loses 'wax her b*lls' complaint against salon workers.

Transgender athletes – the controversy that could bring down women’s sport.

The age of responsibility in England and Wales is 10. The age of consent is 16 yet primary school children are being exposed to Trans and gay lessons. It is hardly surprising that there has been a 2,500% increase in referrals to gender identity clinics over the past decade.

Children go through many phases in growing up. Exploiting this natural process is to be deplored.

One might have thought that Christian Concern would have the Church in Wales on board. Instead transgenderism is actively promoted. Perhaps that is because the Church in Wales is Christian in name only as their Trans clergyperson eagerly spreads their inclusive message - agree with us or you're out.

Caption corner 21 October 2019

Messrs Corbyn and Johnson being led by the Speaker's Chaplain                                                                                                   Source: Twitter @ChurchTimes

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Do you want local churches to flourish?

Ven Cherry Vann, bishop elect of Monmouth               Source: Church in Wales

 From a Diocese of Monmouth job advert appearing in the Church Times:

"Do you want local churches to flourish?

"Monmouth Ministry Area is looking for 2 Ministry Area Leaders to share Ministry Area Leadership for the whole area and each to be incumbent of a group of parishes within it. One incumbency has a more urban base.

"The whole area has18 churches (6 looked after by House for Duty priests) A team of 13 active retired priests and a Reader Focal Ministers in most churches."

There are some sad average Sunday attendance figures in the Monmouth Ministry Area Profile which no doubt account for the advert headline. Granted they serve many small rural communities but with ageing congregations it is difficult to see how these churches are to flourish.

The average Sunday attendance figures are:

The Monmouth Town Group: Mitchel Troy 18, Monmouth Priory Church 51, Overmonnow 46, Rockfield 8, Wonastow 6.

 The Monmouth Rural Group: Cwmcarvan 3, Dingestow 9, Llanfihangel Ystern-Llewen 12, Llangattock-Vibon-Abel 12, Penyclawdd 10, Tregaer 8.

The Llanishen Group: Llanfihangel Tor-y-mynydd 15, Llanishen 5, Llansoy 7, Trelleck Grange 5.

The Llandogo and Tintern Group: Llandogo with Whitebrook 42, Tintern 7 (Estimated)

The problem extends beyond the Church in  Wales. The Mail Online reports that a typical Anglican congregation in England numbered just 27 worshippers last year. "Over a decade congregations fell by 15 per cent, church marriages by a third, and fewer than one in ten babies were baptised."

Churchgoing is becoming increasingly unpopular. Why?

Responding (@18.27) to a LBC questioner in my previous entry Justin Welby said he was "deeply, deeply sorry" that "the Church has historically been deeply intolerant, with society as a whole, but the Church has no excuse. Jesus said to someone caught, someone dragged up in front of Him, 'those without sin cast the first stone' and we shouldn't be throwing stones" as if to imply that Jesus condoned sin.

The Christian message would have been much clearer if Welby had quoted Jesus when asked by the woman caught in adultery: "Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

Biblical teaching has become so selective that for many people sin has been abolished so there is no need for redemption.

Welby also said: "People have to realise the reality of people's lives. The reason he is a Christian is because God came into the middle of the complexity, he didn't simplify it, he embraced it. It's what we need to do".

Hate the sin but love the sinner has become love the sinner so never mind the sin implying that Christ died on the Cross in vain.

Churches cannot be expected to flourish by surrendering the faith of Christ crucified to a 'do-as-you-please' society.

Anglicanism on the rocks

How depressing to listen to the leader of the Anglican Communion responding to questions on the LBC radio talk show yesterday morning.  

Had the archbishop been a candidate for election to Parliament I doubt that we would have ever heard of him again. 

Sitting on the fence for half an hour Welby said next to nothing spiritually worthwhile ('teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you' as in the Great Commission) that would encourage anyone to become a Christian. 

No wonder traditional Anglicanism is on the rocks.

Caption corner 15 October 2019

"State Opening of Parliament. Unusual appearance inside and eerily unusual appearance outside..."
Source: Twitter @BishGloucester

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Cathedral spirituality!

What next for a Cathedral near you?

After crazy golf in Rochester Cathedral, the helter skelter in Norwich Cathedral and a semi-nude fashion show in Southwark Cathedral, Exeter Cathedral is to trial video games on Sunday 13th October as an "aid to spirituality". 

Hat tip to Llandaff Diocese for this revelation in a tweet picked up from their web site:
 "Talk about fully embracing digital! Sounds like a great idea 👍 - How video games can offer new spiritual experiences to church congregations. The contribution that interactive media offers the faith setting is similar to poetry or beautiful music." 

How long before artificial grass is laid in the cathedral nave with chairs around the perimeter to watch indoor games, popping up to the altar at half time for refreshment?