A guy took his girlfriend to her first football game. They had great seats right behind their team's bench. After the game, he asked her how she liked it.
"Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially the tight pants and all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents."
Dumbfounded, her boyfriend asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was... 'Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!' I'm like...Helloooooo? It's only 25 cents!!!!"
Saturday, 18 February 2012
Friday, 17 February 2012
COMMUNITIES OF THE INVISIBLE
As we in the developed world become less inclined to join groups, more contained within our immediate family units and paranoid about everyone else, we are becoming invisible to each other.
From THE LOCAL (France):
The body of a man who died three years ago was not discovered until one of his neighbour's heard a radio playing in his apartment. The grim discovery in an apartment block in the eastern city of Strasbourg was made at the weekend after the neighbour called police about the radio which had been at full blast, day and night, for two weeks. When police entered the apartment, they found it filled with pigeons which had got in through a window. They believe one of them had switched on the radio by sitting on it.
The man's death had not been alerted to any authorities as his rent had continued to be paid by direct debit from his bank account.
"People don't really known each other much," said one resident.
From THE LOCAL (France):
The body of a man who died three years ago was not discovered until one of his neighbour's heard a radio playing in his apartment. The grim discovery in an apartment block in the eastern city of Strasbourg was made at the weekend after the neighbour called police about the radio which had been at full blast, day and night, for two weeks. When police entered the apartment, they found it filled with pigeons which had got in through a window. They believe one of them had switched on the radio by sitting on it.
The man's death had not been alerted to any authorities as his rent had continued to be paid by direct debit from his bank account.
"People don't really known each other much," said one resident.
BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH!
But no need to panic yet. You still have plenty of time to purchase the first edition of my brand new, monthly prayer resource, accurately entitled "New Words For Holy Communion."
This collection of all new words for use in eucharistic services is not just for priests, vicars and church ministers, it also contains much that can be used by anybody involved in the prayer life of the Church.
For example, here are the intercessions and the canticle from the service I cobbled together for the feast day of the Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary."
INTERCESSIONS
Through the message of an angel, you called Mary to be the bearer of your eternal Word. In Mary you became as one with us and creation was reborn. May we accept our holy calling to cast aside our own concerns and willingly pursue your will. May we be bearers of the good news of salvation and, inspired by your Holy Spirit, give birth to Christ in the lives of your children here on earth.
The message your angel, Gabriel, brought to Mary was good news for all people in all the world and for all time. Cast down the greed and selfishness of the rich and powerful and inspire those with authority to seek accordance with your will; to raise up the poor, remove oppression and feed the hungry.
You chose a lowly, powerless, young woman to be the mother of your Son, the King of Glory. You still choose the ordinary to fulfil your will on earth. Be with us in our everyday lives. Be with our families and our friends. Be with our children and protect them from those who seek to do them harm. Surround us with love so we may grow strong in faith and hope, and resolute to proclaim our inheritance as children of God in all we say and do.
You protected Mary as she bore and gave birth to your Son and chose Joseph, the carpenter, to care for her. Keep in your loving care all women in pregnancy and childbirth. Help fathers to live up to their vocation of parenthood and keep them in good health so they may provide for their families as you provide for your family here on earth.
The shadow of his crucifixion hung over your Son as he was conceived in Mary's womb. His birth would lead to death, but his death would lead to resurrection and eternal life for all your children. Send your angels to bear all who die into the new life of your Kingdom. May they rest in peace and be born again in glory.
With Mary, the mother of our Lord, your holy angels and all the family of God, we offer up our prayers to you, our loving Father.
CANTICLE
R: Give thanks for the goodness of the Lord
whose mercy will endure for ever.
Every part of me shouts out the greatness of the Lord;
my very being rejoices in God who has saved me;
I am blessed for ever for the Lord has done great things for me;
holy is the name of the Lord. R.
In every age God has been merciful
to those who have shown him true reverence.
God has shown his strength by scattering
the proud and the boastful and arrogant. R.
God has thrown the mighty from their thrones
and raised up the humble and lowly.
God has fed the hungry with delicious food
whilst rejecting the greed of the rich. R.
God has come to the help of his people
according to what he promised
to our ancestors from the beginning
and to their children for evermore. R.
You can get a copy of the whole of this
service by CLICKING HERE
"New Words For Holy Communion" is available by monthly subscription at a cost of just £2.49 (slightly less than $4.00 U.S.) per issue. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. Click on the button below to order. You do not need your own PayPal account to do so.
MORE DETAILS AT SAINTLAIKA.COM
For example, here are the intercessions and the canticle from the service I cobbled together for the feast day of the Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary."
INTERCESSIONS
Through the message of an angel, you called Mary to be the bearer of your eternal Word. In Mary you became as one with us and creation was reborn. May we accept our holy calling to cast aside our own concerns and willingly pursue your will. May we be bearers of the good news of salvation and, inspired by your Holy Spirit, give birth to Christ in the lives of your children here on earth.
The message your angel, Gabriel, brought to Mary was good news for all people in all the world and for all time. Cast down the greed and selfishness of the rich and powerful and inspire those with authority to seek accordance with your will; to raise up the poor, remove oppression and feed the hungry.
You chose a lowly, powerless, young woman to be the mother of your Son, the King of Glory. You still choose the ordinary to fulfil your will on earth. Be with us in our everyday lives. Be with our families and our friends. Be with our children and protect them from those who seek to do them harm. Surround us with love so we may grow strong in faith and hope, and resolute to proclaim our inheritance as children of God in all we say and do.
You protected Mary as she bore and gave birth to your Son and chose Joseph, the carpenter, to care for her. Keep in your loving care all women in pregnancy and childbirth. Help fathers to live up to their vocation of parenthood and keep them in good health so they may provide for their families as you provide for your family here on earth.
The shadow of his crucifixion hung over your Son as he was conceived in Mary's womb. His birth would lead to death, but his death would lead to resurrection and eternal life for all your children. Send your angels to bear all who die into the new life of your Kingdom. May they rest in peace and be born again in glory.
With Mary, the mother of our Lord, your holy angels and all the family of God, we offer up our prayers to you, our loving Father.
CANTICLE
R: Give thanks for the goodness of the Lord
whose mercy will endure for ever.
Every part of me shouts out the greatness of the Lord;
my very being rejoices in God who has saved me;
I am blessed for ever for the Lord has done great things for me;
holy is the name of the Lord. R.
In every age God has been merciful
to those who have shown him true reverence.
God has shown his strength by scattering
the proud and the boastful and arrogant. R.
God has thrown the mighty from their thrones
and raised up the humble and lowly.
God has fed the hungry with delicious food
whilst rejecting the greed of the rich. R.
God has come to the help of his people
according to what he promised
to our ancestors from the beginning
and to their children for evermore. R.
You can get a copy of the whole of this
service by CLICKING HERE
"New Words For Holy Communion" is available by monthly subscription at a cost of just £2.49 (slightly less than $4.00 U.S.) per issue. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. Click on the button below to order. You do not need your own PayPal account to do so.
MORE DETAILS AT SAINTLAIKA.COM
LOUD FRIDAY
Here are three, quite loud tracks from the album "In The Pit of the Stomach." It's a reasonably good record but, to be honest, I think I bought it because I liked the name of the band, We Were Promised Jetpacks. Because it's true, isn't it? They did promise us jetpacks. They gave James Bond one and told us we would all be flying around in them by the end of the twentieth century. But they lied. They lied about a lot of stuff that was supposed to happen by the year 2000. I mean, where the heck is my holographic TV and shower that doesn't use water?
BAND'S MYSPACE PAGE
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON USA
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON UK
NEVER TRUST YOUR FEELINGS
When we say that we feel something is wrong or it seems unnatural what we really mean is that it is different to what we used to.
When I was young it felt wrong to me for women to be bosses at work. But, with hindsight, I now know that the idea of a woman being a man's boss was just an idea that wasn't yet normal. I don't feel that murdering someone is wrong, I know it is wrong and I know why it is wrong. Neuroscientists have even identified the part of the brain that is malfunctioning in people who don't know that murdering someone is wrong. This is the part of the brain that allows us to empathise with other people.
Therefore our morality should be constructed with constant reference to empathy and not received law and all existing law should be tested against empathy.
When I was young it felt wrong to me for women to be bosses at work. But, with hindsight, I now know that the idea of a woman being a man's boss was just an idea that wasn't yet normal. I don't feel that murdering someone is wrong, I know it is wrong and I know why it is wrong. Neuroscientists have even identified the part of the brain that is malfunctioning in people who don't know that murdering someone is wrong. This is the part of the brain that allows us to empathise with other people.
Therefore our morality should be constructed with constant reference to empathy and not received law and all existing law should be tested against empathy.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
ARE RICHARD DAWKINS AND STEPHEN FRY KILLING OUR PRIESTS?
From THE BBC:
Police officers are continuing to question a 43-year-old man on suspicion of murdering a vicar near Bristol. The body of former barrister the Reverend John Suddards, 59, was found by builders at the vicarage next to St Mary's Church in Thornbury on Tuesday. A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Suddards had died from "multiple stab wounds".
From THE BBC:
The Archdeacon of Gloucestershire, Geoffrey Sidaway, said the Reverend John Suddards's death highlighted the "vulnerable nature" of parish ministry in some communities. In 2007 members of the clergy were advised to take off their dog collars when they were alone to reduce the risk of being attacked.
National Churchwatch produces personal safety advice for the Church of England and Church in Wales. The organisation's Nick Tolson said in 2007 around 12% of Anglican clergy had suffered some form of violence and he thought that figure remained unchanged. He said he was still hearing about clergymen and women being the victims of harassment and violence.
He said: "Anecdotally things like harassment are rising rapidly. That could be harassment by parishioners or other members of the community. It can be harassment in the street or anonymous emails to try to get rid of them from the parish. I've heard of people having a brick through the window and children being bullied."
In 2007 a vicar was found stabbed to death in the grounds of his church in a south Wales village.
We all know too well how continuing hate speech from homophobic, religious leaders in the public eye, especially that which is disingenuously cloaked in religious language and backed with appeals to morality, contributes greatly to an atmosphere within society that leads to the vicious bullying of gay people of all ages and, far to often, to physical injury and even death.
In England, those of us who can remember the 1970s and earlier realise how much racist comedy in the acts of well known comedians led to prejudice against the black citizens of England, too often physical injury to them and even their death.
It is true that clergypeople in England, when they can be identified as such, are the victims of routine abuse in the streets and on the doorsteps of their own homes. I know this is true because it used to happen to me all the time. I would be walking down the street and people I did not know would shout abuse at me.
I think that there is no difference between the homophobic rants of fundamentalist, religious leaders and the Christianophobic rantings of Richard Dawkins. I think there is no difference between the smug attacks on Christianity by famous comedians such as Stephen Fry and Tim Minchin and the belittling of black people in the 70s by comedians such as Jim Davidson and Bernard Manning. If people like Dawkins go around claiming that Christians are the cause of all the evil in the world, those looking for someone to blame their troubles on, those who like to have someone to hate, schizophrenics and people with personality disorders are very likely to use their inaccurate hate speech to justify an attack, vocal or physical, upon members of the clergy.
So, we have trendy militant atheists and comedians looking for easy laughs and a sympathetic audience now causing the same types of prejudice that they accuse (often quite rightly) Christians of being guilty of. Only the victims are different.
Demons demonise. It's what they do. Even those demons who claim that they don't believe in demons.
Police officers are continuing to question a 43-year-old man on suspicion of murdering a vicar near Bristol. The body of former barrister the Reverend John Suddards, 59, was found by builders at the vicarage next to St Mary's Church in Thornbury on Tuesday. A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Suddards had died from "multiple stab wounds".
From THE BBC:
The Archdeacon of Gloucestershire, Geoffrey Sidaway, said the Reverend John Suddards's death highlighted the "vulnerable nature" of parish ministry in some communities. In 2007 members of the clergy were advised to take off their dog collars when they were alone to reduce the risk of being attacked.
National Churchwatch produces personal safety advice for the Church of England and Church in Wales. The organisation's Nick Tolson said in 2007 around 12% of Anglican clergy had suffered some form of violence and he thought that figure remained unchanged. He said he was still hearing about clergymen and women being the victims of harassment and violence.
He said: "Anecdotally things like harassment are rising rapidly. That could be harassment by parishioners or other members of the community. It can be harassment in the street or anonymous emails to try to get rid of them from the parish. I've heard of people having a brick through the window and children being bullied."
In 2007 a vicar was found stabbed to death in the grounds of his church in a south Wales village.
We all know too well how continuing hate speech from homophobic, religious leaders in the public eye, especially that which is disingenuously cloaked in religious language and backed with appeals to morality, contributes greatly to an atmosphere within society that leads to the vicious bullying of gay people of all ages and, far to often, to physical injury and even death.
In England, those of us who can remember the 1970s and earlier realise how much racist comedy in the acts of well known comedians led to prejudice against the black citizens of England, too often physical injury to them and even their death.
It is true that clergypeople in England, when they can be identified as such, are the victims of routine abuse in the streets and on the doorsteps of their own homes. I know this is true because it used to happen to me all the time. I would be walking down the street and people I did not know would shout abuse at me.
I think that there is no difference between the homophobic rants of fundamentalist, religious leaders and the Christianophobic rantings of Richard Dawkins. I think there is no difference between the smug attacks on Christianity by famous comedians such as Stephen Fry and Tim Minchin and the belittling of black people in the 70s by comedians such as Jim Davidson and Bernard Manning. If people like Dawkins go around claiming that Christians are the cause of all the evil in the world, those looking for someone to blame their troubles on, those who like to have someone to hate, schizophrenics and people with personality disorders are very likely to use their inaccurate hate speech to justify an attack, vocal or physical, upon members of the clergy.
So, we have trendy militant atheists and comedians looking for easy laughs and a sympathetic audience now causing the same types of prejudice that they accuse (often quite rightly) Christians of being guilty of. Only the victims are different.
Demons demonise. It's what they do. Even those demons who claim that they don't believe in demons.
THE FUTILITY OF MARY CO-REDEMPTRIX
Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, could not offer or achieve our redemption in any other manner than supporting Jesus Christ in his role in that task, and that is something everyone can do if they choose to. This is because it is only the injured party who has the authority to redeem. In respect of our salvation history the injured party is God alone. In respect of our salvation history when we injure others we are injuring that which belongs to God and, therefore, injuring God. It does not matter how innocent or guilty Mary was she was only ever the mother of the God who was sinned against. The only way Mary could be co-redemptrix is if she is God. And she is not God. If she was God then the incarnation is ineffective. The Word would not have been made flesh and he would not have been able to redeem us.
You can comment on this proposition on THE FORUM page at the new Saint Laika website. There's also other interesting subjects raised there that I'm sure many of you would like to get your teeth into.
You can comment on this proposition on THE FORUM page at the new Saint Laika website. There's also other interesting subjects raised there that I'm sure many of you would like to get your teeth into.
REAL EVIL. EVIL IS REAL.
The more you commit to the teachings of Jesus Christ and include what you have learnt from them into your own life, the more you will suffer like Christ. I am not saying that you will suffer more than anybody else, I am saying you will suffer more like Jesus suffered. In Old Testament times, the people of God believed that God inflicted suffering upon them to test them or punish them. But they did not have the coherent understanding of evil that was given to us by Jesus Christ. I do not believe that God, the Father, inflicts suffering on his children. I believe that all human suffering is the result of there being evil in the world. Furthermore, as I believe that goodness has intelligence, I also believe in intelligent evil. I think that if you keep your head down and cause no ripples on the waters of everyday evil you will suffer only everyday evils. But, if you stand up and condemn the really big evils in our world and people start to listen to you, then that evil that possesses intelligence and self awareness will become aware of you. When this happens you are drawn into the battle in which Jesus was killed. Your only hope is to do as Jesus and Mary did and let everything be according to God's word trusting that God will protect us as he promised our ancestors that he would.
You can comment on this proposition on THE FORUM page at the new Saint Laika website. There's also other interesting subjects raised there that I'm sure many of you would like to get your teeth into.
You can comment on this proposition on THE FORUM page at the new Saint Laika website. There's also other interesting subjects raised there that I'm sure many of you would like to get your teeth into.
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
THE MIDNIGHT JUKEBOX
I'm always falling in love. Mrs MP doesn't mind as the people I fall in love with usually live in America and she knows I'm scared of flying. Anyway, it's happened again and this time I've fallen in love with two young ladies at once. It was bound to happen; I'm a sucker for both beauty and talent and when the two come together I stand no chance whatsoever.
Here are four tracks from the new album by First Aid Kit. They are gorgeous as is the rest of the album. I know that those of you who love country or alt.country are going to love this to pieces.
Oh heck! I've just noticed that the ladies are from Stockholm not the USA. I think I will keep this new love of mine secret from Mrs MP. The ferry to Sweden is just up the road from where I live and I have no fear of sailing.
FIRST AID KIT'S WEBSITE
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON USA
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON UK
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS
AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING
From THE SEATTLE TIMES:
Authorities say the daughter of a pastor is still in critical condition at a Florida hospital, a day after being accidentally shot in the head at Grace Connection Church on Sunday.
Investigators say Moises Zambrana was showing his gun in a small closet to another church member interested in buying a firearm. Zambrana reportedly took out the magazine of the Ruger 9mm weapon but did not know there was a bullet in the chamber. The gun went off and fired through a wall, striking 20-year-old Hannah Kelley. She was transported to Bayfront Medical Center and remained in critical condition Monday evening. Deputies said Zambrana has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. No charges have been filed.
I have no comment to make about this
and most certainly not a funny one.
Authorities say the daughter of a pastor is still in critical condition at a Florida hospital, a day after being accidentally shot in the head at Grace Connection Church on Sunday.
Investigators say Moises Zambrana was showing his gun in a small closet to another church member interested in buying a firearm. Zambrana reportedly took out the magazine of the Ruger 9mm weapon but did not know there was a bullet in the chamber. The gun went off and fired through a wall, striking 20-year-old Hannah Kelley. She was transported to Bayfront Medical Center and remained in critical condition Monday evening. Deputies said Zambrana has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. No charges have been filed.
I have no comment to make about this
and most certainly not a funny one.
THE CHURCH CREATES THE STIGMA
THEN THE STIGMA DOES THE KILLING
From THE NEW YORK TIMES:
Prosecutors said investigators had determined that two priests who died last year had wanted to commit suicide and used hired killers to do the job. The priests hired the gunmen after one, the Rev. Rafael Reatiga, discovered he had AIDS.
The chief investigator of the prosecutor’s office, Maritza González, said Tuesday as two of the four suspects appeared before a judge for processing that the two priests had originally planned to throw themselves off a cliff into a canyon north of Bogotá but that they apparently could not bring themselves to do it. Investigators said they located the suspects based on telephone numbers the priests had called from their cellphones.
There will never be any proof but I know who I blame.
Prosecutors said investigators had determined that two priests who died last year had wanted to commit suicide and used hired killers to do the job. The priests hired the gunmen after one, the Rev. Rafael Reatiga, discovered he had AIDS.
The chief investigator of the prosecutor’s office, Maritza González, said Tuesday as two of the four suspects appeared before a judge for processing that the two priests had originally planned to throw themselves off a cliff into a canyon north of Bogotá but that they apparently could not bring themselves to do it. Investigators said they located the suspects based on telephone numbers the priests had called from their cellphones.
There will never be any proof but I know who I blame.
ANGLICAN CHURCH IN SOUTH AFRICA
JOINS THE DOUBLESPEAK BRIGADE
It's such a shame. In fact, it is a tragedy. South Africa was our greatest hope for a brief moment in time. Now the talking heads of both church and state are beginning to talk like politicians from any other "modern democracy."
From ACNS:
Statement by the Synod of Bishops
of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
We revisited the issue of pastoral standards for civil partnerships, recognizing that we are engaged in a long term process even though many of our people now face immediate pain, isolation, and loneliness. While circumstances vary from diocese to diocese, all of us are openly engaged in a process of listening and discernment. Several bishops presented feedback from their dioceses. Special thanks were afforded to Bishop Bethlehem and the Diocese of Port Elizabeth for their example in readily engaging so deeply and thoroughly with this pastoral reality. We reaffirm that all dioceses continue to observe only the orthodox teaching and pastoral practices long held by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
Yeah. We're listening but we ain't ever changing. Tuftiism at its finest.
From ACNS:
Statement by the Synod of Bishops
of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
We revisited the issue of pastoral standards for civil partnerships, recognizing that we are engaged in a long term process even though many of our people now face immediate pain, isolation, and loneliness. While circumstances vary from diocese to diocese, all of us are openly engaged in a process of listening and discernment. Several bishops presented feedback from their dioceses. Special thanks were afforded to Bishop Bethlehem and the Diocese of Port Elizabeth for their example in readily engaging so deeply and thoroughly with this pastoral reality. We reaffirm that all dioceses continue to observe only the orthodox teaching and pastoral practices long held by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
Yeah. We're listening but we ain't ever changing. Tuftiism at its finest.
AUSSIE GAYS GIVE HOMOPHOBIC CHURCHMAN
SOME FREE "EXTERIOR" DESIGN ADVICE
From THE NEWCASTLE HERALD:
Wallsend Presbyterian Church was defaced last night in response to a message criticising same-sex marriage displayed on the building’s outside notice board. The church on Nelson Street had updated its message board last week to read "Even tradies know you need both male and female joints to make a marriage".
The front of the 1867 building, which recently received a $12,000 makeover, was defaced with messages such as ‘‘sexuality is not a choice’’ and ‘‘love thy neighbour not hate gays’’.
Reverend Dr Ian Copland (the author of the hate speech) said he has no regrets despite the outcome.
"This is not going to stop me," he said. "It only takes one or two cowards you can’t blame the whole homosexual community. That would be wrong."
Wallsend Presbyterian Church was defaced last night in response to a message criticising same-sex marriage displayed on the building’s outside notice board. The church on Nelson Street had updated its message board last week to read "Even tradies know you need both male and female joints to make a marriage".
The front of the 1867 building, which recently received a $12,000 makeover, was defaced with messages such as ‘‘sexuality is not a choice’’ and ‘‘love thy neighbour not hate gays’’.
Reverend Dr Ian Copland (the author of the hate speech) said he has no regrets despite the outcome.
"This is not going to stop me," he said. "It only takes one or two cowards you can’t blame the whole homosexual community. That would be wrong."
RICHARD DAWKINS ADMITS
TO BEING NOMINAL ATHEIST
From THE HEATHEN HUB:
Giles Fraser is not just a CofE priest, but also a former journalist, and well-used to debate and comment. He immediately ripped into Dawkins about the question of who is actually a Christian; Fraser put it in terms of fairness and self-identification.
Dawkins tried arguing against this, but was visibly struggling to get across his point of view. He conflated a moral argument about who is actually a Christian with an evidential argument about who self-identifies as one. It got worse. Dawkins got onto the comprehensive list of questions used in the poll to determine who was "really" Christian. He mentioned quite a few who so self-identified did not even know what the first book of the New Testament was.
So then he got asked if he could name the full title of Darwin's famous 1859 book, The Origin Of Species (its full title is, "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life"). He immediately and firmly replied he could. So he got asked to.
Whoops. He struggled around; he managed to finally get out part of the full title, but by the time he had done so, he was left looking foolish, and Giles Fraser, who is no stranger to hard debate, simply moved on leaving the fail hanging there in the air.
Do go read the rest of nice atheist, Gurdur's post on this debate. It's excellently written. I'm just glad that the poster boy of faithlessness is Dawkins and not Gurdur. If it was the other way around we could be in real trouble. As it is, after initial success in attracting many of the bitter and trendy to their side by pushing Dawkins out front, the anti-religion brigade (anti-religion as opposed to atheists) are now finding his belligerent, philosophically weak fundamentalism a bit of a liability and one, that I predict, will end up leading the public (believers and atheists alike) to sympathise with Christians. Remember, it worked for the Christians in the arenas of Rome. All we have to do is be nice and wait and Dawkins will eventually become the new Nero. Fiddle away Richard!
Giles Fraser is not just a CofE priest, but also a former journalist, and well-used to debate and comment. He immediately ripped into Dawkins about the question of who is actually a Christian; Fraser put it in terms of fairness and self-identification.
Dawkins tried arguing against this, but was visibly struggling to get across his point of view. He conflated a moral argument about who is actually a Christian with an evidential argument about who self-identifies as one. It got worse. Dawkins got onto the comprehensive list of questions used in the poll to determine who was "really" Christian. He mentioned quite a few who so self-identified did not even know what the first book of the New Testament was.
So then he got asked if he could name the full title of Darwin's famous 1859 book, The Origin Of Species (its full title is, "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life"). He immediately and firmly replied he could. So he got asked to.
Whoops. He struggled around; he managed to finally get out part of the full title, but by the time he had done so, he was left looking foolish, and Giles Fraser, who is no stranger to hard debate, simply moved on leaving the fail hanging there in the air.
Do go read the rest of nice atheist, Gurdur's post on this debate. It's excellently written. I'm just glad that the poster boy of faithlessness is Dawkins and not Gurdur. If it was the other way around we could be in real trouble. As it is, after initial success in attracting many of the bitter and trendy to their side by pushing Dawkins out front, the anti-religion brigade (anti-religion as opposed to atheists) are now finding his belligerent, philosophically weak fundamentalism a bit of a liability and one, that I predict, will end up leading the public (believers and atheists alike) to sympathise with Christians. Remember, it worked for the Christians in the arenas of Rome. All we have to do is be nice and wait and Dawkins will eventually become the new Nero. Fiddle away Richard!
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
THE MIDNIGHT JUKEBOX
Tonight, four tracks off an album I've been listening to for about a month now, the new, solo release from Hold Steady frontman, Craig Finn. I like it. There's loads of Christian imagery in the lyrics so my guess it will intrigue and entertain quite a few of you as well.
CRAIG'S TUMBLR PAGE
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON USA
PURCHASE FROM AMAZON UK
DON'T BLAME MADPRIEST, BLAME JENDI
This "wonderful, lengthy tale" contains more double entendres than an entire "Carry On" film.
The Smiths were unable to conceive children and decided to use a surrogate father to start their family. On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife goodbye and said, 'Well, I'm off now. The man should be here soon.'
Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer happened to ring the doorbell, hoping to make a sale. 'Good morning, Ma'am', he said, 'I've come to....'
'Oh, no need to explain,' Mrs. Smith cut in, embarrassed, 'I've been expecting you.'
'Have you really?' said the photographer. 'Well, that's good. Did you know babies are my specialty?'
'Well that's what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat.
After a moment she asked, blushing, 'Well, where do we start?'
'Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch, and perhaps a couple on the bed. And sometimes the living room floor is fun. You can really spread out there.'
'Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn't work out for Harry and me!'
'Well, Ma'am, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results.'
'My, that's a lot!', gasped Mrs. Smith.
'Ma'am, in my line of work a man has to take his time. I'd love to be in and out in five minutes, but I'm sure you'd be disappointed with that.'
'Don't I know it,' said Mrs. Smith quietly.
The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. 'This was done on the top of a bus,' he said.
'Oh, my God!' Mrs. Smith exclaimed, grasping at her throat.
'And these twins turned out exceptionally well - when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with.'
'She was difficult?' asked Mrs. Smith.
'Yes, I'm afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep to get a good look'
'Four and five deep?' said Mrs. Smith, her eyes wide with amazement.
'Yes', the photographer replied. 'And for more than three hours, too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling - I could hardly concentrate, and when darkness approached I had to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just had to pack it all in.'
Mrs. Smith leaned forward. 'Do you mean they actually chewed on your, uh...equipment?'
'It's true, Ma'am, yes.. Well, if you're ready, I'll set-up my tripod and we can get to work right away.'
'Tripod?'
'Oh yes, Ma'am. I need to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It's much too big to be held in the hand very long.'
Mrs. Smith fainted.
The Smiths were unable to conceive children and decided to use a surrogate father to start their family. On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife goodbye and said, 'Well, I'm off now. The man should be here soon.'
Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer happened to ring the doorbell, hoping to make a sale. 'Good morning, Ma'am', he said, 'I've come to....'
'Oh, no need to explain,' Mrs. Smith cut in, embarrassed, 'I've been expecting you.'
'Have you really?' said the photographer. 'Well, that's good. Did you know babies are my specialty?'
'Well that's what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat.
After a moment she asked, blushing, 'Well, where do we start?'
'Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch, and perhaps a couple on the bed. And sometimes the living room floor is fun. You can really spread out there.'
'Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn't work out for Harry and me!'
'Well, Ma'am, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results.'
'My, that's a lot!', gasped Mrs. Smith.
'Ma'am, in my line of work a man has to take his time. I'd love to be in and out in five minutes, but I'm sure you'd be disappointed with that.'
'Don't I know it,' said Mrs. Smith quietly.
The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. 'This was done on the top of a bus,' he said.
'Oh, my God!' Mrs. Smith exclaimed, grasping at her throat.
'And these twins turned out exceptionally well - when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with.'
'She was difficult?' asked Mrs. Smith.
'Yes, I'm afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep to get a good look'
'Four and five deep?' said Mrs. Smith, her eyes wide with amazement.
'Yes', the photographer replied. 'And for more than three hours, too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling - I could hardly concentrate, and when darkness approached I had to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just had to pack it all in.'
Mrs. Smith leaned forward. 'Do you mean they actually chewed on your, uh...equipment?'
'It's true, Ma'am, yes.. Well, if you're ready, I'll set-up my tripod and we can get to work right away.'
'Tripod?'
'Oh yes, Ma'am. I need to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It's much too big to be held in the hand very long.'
Mrs. Smith fainted.
NORWAY CHOOSES LOUD, RUDE PERSON
AS UNESCO CULTURAL ICON
From THE LOCAL (Norway):
Norway has selected a football commentator’s ecstatic outpouring of emotion and political one-upmanship as one of the most important cultural documents in the country’s history. United Nations cultural agency UNESCO and the Norwegian Arts Council jointly presented a list on Wednesday of some 60 archive holdings and historical documents that will represent Norway in UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme, a project designed to safeguard against collective global amnesia. Alongside such invaluable cultural artefacts as the constitution, original notes to an Edvard Grieg concerto and the manuscript for Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House”, Norway has chosen to submit Bjørge Lillelien’s radio coverage of Norway’s 2-1 win over sizzling hot favourites England in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo in 1981.
Lillelien launched into one of most celebrated pieces of commentary in sporting history after the referee blew the final whistle on a game the Norwegians were widely expected to lose, and lose badly.
Which translated goes something like this:
“We’re the best in the world! We’re the best in the world! We’ve beaten England 2-1 in football! It’s absolutely unbelievable! We’ve beaten England! England, birthplace of giants – Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana! We’ve beaten them all!
"Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, I have a message for you: We have knocked England out of the World Cup in football. Maggie Thatcher, as they say in your language in the boxing bars round Madison Square Garden in New York: Your boys took a hell of a beating!"
You know, the Norwegian language sounds scarily German when its shouted.
Actually, I remember this well. Our footballers had just been well and truly thrashed by the plucky, Norwegian team and we were all feeling pretty humiliated. We were in serious danger of beginning to doubt our superiority over foreigners. But then we heard this and our confidence was restored. Knowing full well that no BBC commentator would ever behave so rudely but would naturally adopt a false but good mannered tone of humility after our national team had won something (for a change), our sense of superiority over all things foreign was immediately restored.
Nowadays if we need our sense of superiority on the world stage boosting we simply watch videos of US Tea Party rallies.
Norway has selected a football commentator’s ecstatic outpouring of emotion and political one-upmanship as one of the most important cultural documents in the country’s history. United Nations cultural agency UNESCO and the Norwegian Arts Council jointly presented a list on Wednesday of some 60 archive holdings and historical documents that will represent Norway in UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme, a project designed to safeguard against collective global amnesia. Alongside such invaluable cultural artefacts as the constitution, original notes to an Edvard Grieg concerto and the manuscript for Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House”, Norway has chosen to submit Bjørge Lillelien’s radio coverage of Norway’s 2-1 win over sizzling hot favourites England in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo in 1981.
Lillelien launched into one of most celebrated pieces of commentary in sporting history after the referee blew the final whistle on a game the Norwegians were widely expected to lose, and lose badly.
Which translated goes something like this:
“We’re the best in the world! We’re the best in the world! We’ve beaten England 2-1 in football! It’s absolutely unbelievable! We’ve beaten England! England, birthplace of giants – Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana! We’ve beaten them all!
"Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, I have a message for you: We have knocked England out of the World Cup in football. Maggie Thatcher, as they say in your language in the boxing bars round Madison Square Garden in New York: Your boys took a hell of a beating!"
You know, the Norwegian language sounds scarily German when its shouted.
Actually, I remember this well. Our footballers had just been well and truly thrashed by the plucky, Norwegian team and we were all feeling pretty humiliated. We were in serious danger of beginning to doubt our superiority over foreigners. But then we heard this and our confidence was restored. Knowing full well that no BBC commentator would ever behave so rudely but would naturally adopt a false but good mannered tone of humility after our national team had won something (for a change), our sense of superiority over all things foreign was immediately restored.
Nowadays if we need our sense of superiority on the world stage boosting we simply watch videos of US Tea Party rallies.
BABIES ARE LITTLE PIGS
From THE LOCAL (Germany):
A French bulldog has adopted a newborn litter of six German wild boars after they were found cold and starving in the woods, their mother possibly killed by hunters. The eight-year-old dog, called Baby, lives as a pet at the Lehnitz animal sanctuary in Brandenburg. She pricked up her ears when the six little pigs were brought in – she has previously adopted kittens, rabbits and even a raccoon.
The piglets are still very weak and spend most of the time snuggled up next to the dog, sleeping. The dog cannot feed the pigs, which are being bottle-fed with special piglet milk enriched with fats every three hours or so by the sanctuary workers.
The new patchwork family will be allowed the run of the animal sanctuary for about three months, after which the piglets will be released into a patch of protected woodland owned by a boar-friendly associate of the sanctuary.
A French bulldog has adopted a newborn litter of six German wild boars after they were found cold and starving in the woods, their mother possibly killed by hunters. The eight-year-old dog, called Baby, lives as a pet at the Lehnitz animal sanctuary in Brandenburg. She pricked up her ears when the six little pigs were brought in – she has previously adopted kittens, rabbits and even a raccoon.
The piglets are still very weak and spend most of the time snuggled up next to the dog, sleeping. The dog cannot feed the pigs, which are being bottle-fed with special piglet milk enriched with fats every three hours or so by the sanctuary workers.
The new patchwork family will be allowed the run of the animal sanctuary for about three months, after which the piglets will be released into a patch of protected woodland owned by a boar-friendly associate of the sanctuary.
COCK UP IN SWISS BROTHEL
From THE LOCAL (Switzerland):
Eleven Muslim refugees have been housed by Social Services in a brothel in Thurgau in north-eastern Switzerland. On the ground floor of the Erotic Hotel Venus, a brothel that has been around for some 20 years, seven Romanian and Hungarian women serve guests with drinks at the bar, or entertain them in the strip bar. If the men want sexual services, they’re taken to the first floor. But sitting on the second floor, drinking black tea and trying to make plans for their futures, are 11 Muslim asylum seekers. Beat Schlierenzauer, the man responsible for placing the men there, maintains he did not know when he first looked at the rooms that they were in a brothel.
COMMENT: The Muslim men must have thought they had died and gone to heaven. That is, until they found out that the ladies of the establishment were most certainly not virgins.
Eleven Muslim refugees have been housed by Social Services in a brothel in Thurgau in north-eastern Switzerland. On the ground floor of the Erotic Hotel Venus, a brothel that has been around for some 20 years, seven Romanian and Hungarian women serve guests with drinks at the bar, or entertain them in the strip bar. If the men want sexual services, they’re taken to the first floor. But sitting on the second floor, drinking black tea and trying to make plans for their futures, are 11 Muslim asylum seekers. Beat Schlierenzauer, the man responsible for placing the men there, maintains he did not know when he first looked at the rooms that they were in a brothel.
COMMENT: The Muslim men must have thought they had died and gone to heaven. That is, until they found out that the ladies of the establishment were most certainly not virgins.
'TIS THE SEASON TO BE SOPPY
* Metaphorically speaking, of course, as I'm English and I have very strict rules when it comes to the exchange of bodily fluids.
Monday, 13 February 2012
TROLLS SEEN ON STREETS OF SOUTH CONCORD
This is worrying. It appears that a whole load of anally obsessed trolls have broken out of the internet and taken to the streets of Charlotte. At least this means that the Billy Goats Gruff can pick them off easily, one by one.
From UPI.COM:
New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson attended Charlotte's St. Martin's Church in honor of its church's 125th anniversary as a congregation, and during sermons in two services Sunday morning preached a doctrine of inclusion he called, "Hospitality ain't enough."
When a demonstrator at the first service loudly interrupted that "sodomy is a sin," Robinson responded that homosexual prohibitions mentioned in the Bible are from another era, and not the message of love found in later Scriptures, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The second service went smoothly, but members of the South Concord Church of God were waiting on the sidewalk to heckle the congregation leaving the church.
"False prophets. Wake up and read the truth of God," shouted one.
Robinson, wobbling while recovering from a broken foot, pointed out in his sermons that the Bible has been used historically to justify slavery, oppress women and now to encourage intolerance of gay people.
"God is calling you to change a system that tells people they are not worthy of God's love," he said.
From UPI.COM:
New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson attended Charlotte's St. Martin's Church in honor of its church's 125th anniversary as a congregation, and during sermons in two services Sunday morning preached a doctrine of inclusion he called, "Hospitality ain't enough."
When a demonstrator at the first service loudly interrupted that "sodomy is a sin," Robinson responded that homosexual prohibitions mentioned in the Bible are from another era, and not the message of love found in later Scriptures, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The second service went smoothly, but members of the South Concord Church of God were waiting on the sidewalk to heckle the congregation leaving the church.
"False prophets. Wake up and read the truth of God," shouted one.
Robinson, wobbling while recovering from a broken foot, pointed out in his sermons that the Bible has been used historically to justify slavery, oppress women and now to encourage intolerance of gay people.
"God is calling you to change a system that tells people they are not worthy of God's love," he said.
MADPRIEST SCARES VATICAN
Yes. It seems that the Roman catholic hierarchy is panicking about my new subscription service, "New Words For Holy Communion." In fact, as the following article (found by Ellie) shows clearly they have decided to go with a preemptive attack to make sure that none of their drones start using their own discretion or, worse still, their imagination and commonsense.
From ICN:
A senior priest in Belleville Diocese, Illinois, has resigned from his role as head of the local deanery, in protest at the sacking of one of his fellow priests, for making small changes to prayers in the Mass. Father Bill Rowe, from Illinois, USA, has resigned from the parish where he has served for 17 years, after being ordered by his Bishop to read the Eucharistic liturgy exactly as it is written in the Roman Missal, instead of making small modifications, to make the prayers more understandable to his congregation.
Fr Jim Buerster has now resigned his position as Dean of the North Central Deanery in the Diocese of Belleville in protest over the departure of Fr Rowe. It seems the Deanery was not consulted over the situation, and Fr Rowe is held in high esteem by his fellow priests.
Bishop Edward Braxton is not available for comment.
From ICN:
A senior priest in Belleville Diocese, Illinois, has resigned from his role as head of the local deanery, in protest at the sacking of one of his fellow priests, for making small changes to prayers in the Mass. Father Bill Rowe, from Illinois, USA, has resigned from the parish where he has served for 17 years, after being ordered by his Bishop to read the Eucharistic liturgy exactly as it is written in the Roman Missal, instead of making small modifications, to make the prayers more understandable to his congregation.
Fr Jim Buerster has now resigned his position as Dean of the North Central Deanery in the Diocese of Belleville in protest over the departure of Fr Rowe. It seems the Deanery was not consulted over the situation, and Fr Rowe is held in high esteem by his fellow priests.
Bishop Edward Braxton is not available for comment.
MADPRIEST EXPANDS
Saint Laika's the blog is dead. It is no more.
Long live Saint Laika's the website!
Yes! Good news, everybody.
To help in my promotion of "New Words For Holy Communion," my podcasts and Ellie's "The Anchorhold," I have invested in a real website with a real domain name and everything. Over the last few weeks I have been building it up which explains why things have been a bit quiet around here. I'm sure I will need to tweak it over the coming weeks and months but it's okay for now. It's user friendly, informative and funny (just like it's two hosts).
So, please, please CLICK HERE and check it out. Browse the different pages. Click on the links to make sure they are working. Join in the conversations at The Forum and/or start a new one. Download some stuff and subscribe to "New Words" if you think it would be useful to you.
More than anything, I would love you to promote this website at your own places. "Like it" on facebook and other social network sites. Help me to achieve my aim of becoming self financing which would really cheer Mrs MP up. And a happy Mrs MP means a happy MadPriest. And you want me to be happy, don't you?
Long live Saint Laika's the website!
Yes! Good news, everybody.
To help in my promotion of "New Words For Holy Communion," my podcasts and Ellie's "The Anchorhold," I have invested in a real website with a real domain name and everything. Over the last few weeks I have been building it up which explains why things have been a bit quiet around here. I'm sure I will need to tweak it over the coming weeks and months but it's okay for now. It's user friendly, informative and funny (just like it's two hosts).
So, please, please CLICK HERE and check it out. Browse the different pages. Click on the links to make sure they are working. Join in the conversations at The Forum and/or start a new one. Download some stuff and subscribe to "New Words" if you think it would be useful to you.
More than anything, I would love you to promote this website at your own places. "Like it" on facebook and other social network sites. Help me to achieve my aim of becoming self financing which would really cheer Mrs MP up. And a happy Mrs MP means a happy MadPriest. And you want me to be happy, don't you?
THERE'S A BETTER HOME A-WAITING IN THE SKY
JIMMY SABATER
Singer and
tambales player
November 4, 1936
- February 8, 2012
LUIS ALBERTO SPINETTA
(aka El Flaco)
Singer, guitarist and
keyboard player
January 23, 1950
- February 8, 2012
WANDO
(Wanderley
Alves
dos Reis)
Singer and
songwriter
October 2, 1945
- February 8, 2012
(AL) BILLY FAYARD
Musician
Died February 8, 2012
aged 70
DAVID PEASTON
R&B and
Gospel
singer
March 13, 1957
- February 1, 2012
WHITNEY HOUSTON
Pop, soul, R&B
and gospel
singer, pianist,
model and actress
August 9, 1963
- February 11, 2012
La Flauta - Jimmy Sabater
Tema De Pototo - Almendra (Luis Alberto Spinetta)
A Paz Que Nasceu Pra Min - Wando
Whipped Cream - The Stokes (Billy Fayard)
Two Wrongs (Don't Make It Right) - David Peaston
Step By Step - Whitney Houston
MAD IS THE NEW GAY
The Archbishop of Canterbury demonstrated his support for TIME TO CHANGE, England's biggest mental health anti-stigma campaign, run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, by signing an anti-discrimination pledge at a fringe meeting during the Church of England's General Synod.
The move comes after the Church of England developed a pack to help churches run services and activity around the subject of mental health and is continuing to build support for their work, and as the Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed concern about the stigma still attached to mental health problems.
Sue Baker, director of Time to Change, said: "For many, church provides a sense of community and comfort which means it is a good place to start conversations about mental health. The Archbishop's leadership in signing the pledge will help send the message across congregations that we all have a role to play in tackling the stigma and discrimination that is experienced by people with mental health problems so regularly, even in 2012."
COMMENT: I hope and pray that this campaign will change the attitude of the bishops and clergy of the Church of England towards people with mental health problems and those who have suffered mental illness in the past. However, I am not optimistic. The attitude of the hierarchy of the church towards those with mental illness is pretty much the same as it is towards gay people. There are some clergy who do relate to the mentally ill as if they are human beings equal to themselves but, on the whole, the care that comes from the church is begrudging and condescending. They do not really want people with mental health problems in their churches and, above all, they do not want them to have any ministry whatsoever within the church. I am proof of that.
Fourteen years ago I became very ill and spent a couple of years in and out of hospital. It was a neurotic illness which manifested itself in an overwhelming fear that rendered me almost catatonic. Nothing the psychiatrists tried to pull me out of it worked. Then I met a young occupational therapist who had no interest in talking therapies. Instead we worked together on practical ways of curing my problems. It was extremely painful, it was gradual and took a long time, but it worked and after a year off work I was in a position to ease back into my full time ministry. But my bishop and my archdeacon would have none of that. As far as the bishop was concerned I had shown that I was not capable of being a priest. He had it in his head that my illness was caused by work related stress even though my psychiatrists were adamant that it had nothing to do with my workload. So I was told that there was no job for me in the church and that I had to retire at the age of forty two.
I fought this decision very hard and eventually the bishop agreed to put me on short term contracts as an assistant priest. I had to see counsellors that he appointed who would report back to him and my bi-annual reviews were completely different, far more intrusive and confrontational, than the reviews my colleagues had to go through. Every time my short term contract came up for renewal he would tell me that there was no job for me and that I should resign. I had to fight for my livelihood over and over again. After eight years of this he finally got rid of me altogether which is why I am now unemployed. Nobody from the church, least of all the bishop, contacted me after my sacking, to enquire about my spiritual and physical wellbeing. As far as the Bishop of Newcastle was concerned, it appears that I am an embarrassment best swept under the carpet. During my eight years as an assistant I did not need anytime off for any illness. An expensive report from a top teaching psychiatrist concluded that not only was I capable of being a full time priest but that I would obviously make a very good one. The diocese paid for this report and then completely ignored it.
And, of course, the stigma of mental illness travels with you. We moved diocese to get away from the bishop who had successfully ruined my life because of, what I guess, was his own fear of mental illness and the people who suffer from it plus his ignorance about the capabilities of the mentally ill. I made contact with my new bishop and had a wonderful hour or so chatting with him. If I could have started afresh I am positive that I would once again have a ministry in the church. But bishops talk to each other (off the record) before making decisions and, as the conditions that my new bishop is insisting on are extremely similar to the "special" conditions imposed on me by my previous bishop, I assume that my new bishop is more inclined to believe his colleague's account of me than my own. The thing that hurts most of all is the suspicion. I have to jump through hoops again to prove that God has called me to a priestly vocation and "the situation" will be reviewed at the end of the year. I feel like a prisoner on parole than a priest in good standing within the church I have belonged to and served all my life.
So, as I said, I fear that the important people in the Church of England will pay lip service to the requests from the mental health charities and they will sign all the bits of paper shoved under their noses whilst the press are watching. But behind closed doors they will continue to believe that those who suffer from mental health problems are weak, potentially dangerous people who should be kept away from the "normal, sane" members of "their" church at all costs.
Sunday, 12 February 2012
WORSHIP AT ST. LAIKA'S
A SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION
12TH. FEBRUARY 2012
THE SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
All are welcome to join me in taking communion.
There are no exceptions.
There are no exceptions.
The order of service is posted beneath the audio file so that you can join in with the service. The words in bold type are the ones we say together.
If you want to physically partake of communion you will require a small piece of bread and a small amount of drink (preferably made from grapes and containing alcohol). How you view the nature of this part of the service is completely up to you.
Click on the arrow on the player to stream.
Download via the MP3 icon below the player.
MP3 File
CLICK HERE for order of service and credits.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)