Thursday, 24 January 2013
FAKE SACRAMENT
There is no such thing as ordination in the Church of England as the withholding of permission to officiate by bishops without any due process is proof that the leaders of the Church of England do not believe in the efficacy of the sacrament. Imagine a bishop telling somebody that they were no longer baptised. It is the same for those priests whose bishops effectively tell them they are no longer ordained by withholding permission to officiate.
That which God has ordained let no one, except
a bishop in the Church of England, tear apart.
That which God has ordained let no one, except
a bishop in the Church of England, tear apart.
THURSDAY - NO JOB
Doing something to take your mind off a reality to stop yourself from being depressed about that reality is no different from drinking to forget, except that such drinking may end up shortening the amount of time that you have to suffer from the reality that is making you depressed. Me? I just sleep.
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
CHURCH OF ENGLAND BISHOPS GUILTY OF BIGOTRY AND TURNING A BLIND EYE TO BIGOTRY
I am an unemployed, Anglican priest living in the Diocese of Durham, England. The Bishop of Jarrow, Mark Bryant, (in charge now Justin Welby has been promoted to Canterbury) has just been on the BBC News complaining that he can't get priests to fill the vacancies in the Durham Diocese. Yet he won't even give me permission to officiate which would at least give the diocese an extra pair of hands to cover the services in the parishes that can't get priests.
I would point out that I have never been disciplined, taken to court, defrocked or even sent a written warning.
My position is completely down to my former bishop, Martin Wharton, having a prejudice against people who, in the past, have suffered from a depressive illness and the next Archbishop of Canterbury's rejection of his own discernment in order to back up the Bishop of Newcastle.
What is more is that the Church of England bishops are ignoring the skills that I have been given that could actually help get people interested in the Church again. For example, the total number of people downloading just this passed Sunday's podcasted communion service has now risen to a staggering 7270. That is a third of the total number of followers the Church of England tweeter account enjoys.
You would think there would be a bishop somewhere who would risk upsetting Bishop Martin Wharton's feelings in order to employ a priest who has proved his commitment to the mission of the Church, and has done so at his own expense.
Of course, I am not the only person who has fallen victim to the prejudice of church employers and their willingness to use the Church's exemption from employment legislation to get rid of permanently and temporarily disabled priests especially those with current or passed mental health problems.
From THIS IS OXFORDSHIRE:
A curate is suing a religious college in Oxfordshire after it allegedly threw her out, an employment tribunal heard. Dr Sandra Reyes-Beaman also claims a Church of England bishop denied her a job because she was disabled and foreign, the tribunal was told. The 51-year-old alleges she was evicted by Ripon College Cuddesdon, the largest ministry training institution in the Church of England. She also claimed to have been turned down for a post by the Bishop of Leicester.
Giving evidence at a tribunal in Reading, Dr Reyes-Beaman, originally from Mexico, said her background and medical needs – including a benign brain tumour – had led to her being denied a role as a curate near her home.
She also claimed Reverend Sue Fields, Diocesan Director of Ordinands, told her to think “whether with my disability I should ever be trained for ordained ministry because it was very expensive.”
I don't know Sandra but I wouldn't be surprised if she is a difficult person at times. I know I am. Being a problem goes with mental and physical health problems and with being the victim of prolonged prejudice. But being difficult is not a reason to exile somebody from the Church. The disabled in the Church should be treated with the same accommodation as they enjoy in the world of secular employment. Heck, they should receive more help because we are the Church for goodness sake! But, no, even the Bishop of Canterbury elect refused to help me when I asked and looked for reasons not to give me permission to officiate rather than ways of rescuing me and repairing the damage that has been done to me by his colleague across the diocesan border. It always gets me that after over ten years of suffering the prejudice inherent in the Church of England I am now accused of being angry. Ye gods! The ignorance and/or plain nastiness of these people is almost beyond belief.
I would point out that I have never been disciplined, taken to court, defrocked or even sent a written warning.
My position is completely down to my former bishop, Martin Wharton, having a prejudice against people who, in the past, have suffered from a depressive illness and the next Archbishop of Canterbury's rejection of his own discernment in order to back up the Bishop of Newcastle.
What is more is that the Church of England bishops are ignoring the skills that I have been given that could actually help get people interested in the Church again. For example, the total number of people downloading just this passed Sunday's podcasted communion service has now risen to a staggering 7270. That is a third of the total number of followers the Church of England tweeter account enjoys.
You would think there would be a bishop somewhere who would risk upsetting Bishop Martin Wharton's feelings in order to employ a priest who has proved his commitment to the mission of the Church, and has done so at his own expense.
Of course, I am not the only person who has fallen victim to the prejudice of church employers and their willingness to use the Church's exemption from employment legislation to get rid of permanently and temporarily disabled priests especially those with current or passed mental health problems.
From THIS IS OXFORDSHIRE:
A curate is suing a religious college in Oxfordshire after it allegedly threw her out, an employment tribunal heard. Dr Sandra Reyes-Beaman also claims a Church of England bishop denied her a job because she was disabled and foreign, the tribunal was told. The 51-year-old alleges she was evicted by Ripon College Cuddesdon, the largest ministry training institution in the Church of England. She also claimed to have been turned down for a post by the Bishop of Leicester.
Giving evidence at a tribunal in Reading, Dr Reyes-Beaman, originally from Mexico, said her background and medical needs – including a benign brain tumour – had led to her being denied a role as a curate near her home.
She also claimed Reverend Sue Fields, Diocesan Director of Ordinands, told her to think “whether with my disability I should ever be trained for ordained ministry because it was very expensive.”
I don't know Sandra but I wouldn't be surprised if she is a difficult person at times. I know I am. Being a problem goes with mental and physical health problems and with being the victim of prolonged prejudice. But being difficult is not a reason to exile somebody from the Church. The disabled in the Church should be treated with the same accommodation as they enjoy in the world of secular employment. Heck, they should receive more help because we are the Church for goodness sake! But, no, even the Bishop of Canterbury elect refused to help me when I asked and looked for reasons not to give me permission to officiate rather than ways of rescuing me and repairing the damage that has been done to me by his colleague across the diocesan border. It always gets me that after over ten years of suffering the prejudice inherent in the Church of England I am now accused of being angry. Ye gods! The ignorance and/or plain nastiness of these people is almost beyond belief.
THE MIDNIGHT JUKEBOX
 |
| Ben Kyle |
Almost half an hour of top quality, rootsy, American music, performed by beautiful young people, for you to snuggle up with tonight. Enjoy!
Beneath The Trees - Sam Luna
The Dark (Featuring Ryan Adams) - Ben Kyle
Ring Them Bells - Sarah Jarosz
Delivered - Mark Erelli
Fit Against The Country - Horse Feathers
Gone Gonna Rise Again - Kathy Mattea
Waiting For Someone - Joey And Rory
Goodnight - David Ramirez
 |
| Sarah Jarosz |
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
THANKS, BUT I'LL EAT WITH THE SINNERS
From 6KTAL:
A new fine dining club is now joining the landscape of downtown Shreveport. The Last Supper Dining Club is an exclusive club based on the Christian faith. The target audience is primarily church-goers.
"You know that's one of the amenities of The Last Supper Dining Club is for that demographic to have a place that's nice, first class, that you can bring a guest minister to, and not have to worry about the environment of the casino, somebody walking by that may be drunk or loud and noisy," says owner, Theudus Allen.
The application fee and initiation fee is a one-time fee of $300, and then the ongoing reoccuring charges is $50 a month for in-own memberships and $25 a month for out of town memberships. Just like any private club there's an application process.
"The purpose of the application is to make sure that we are accepting people into our club that uphold... that have the same beliefs that we do, that are understanding of what we're trying to accomplish," says Allen. "The fine dining environment, the exclusitivity, but also keeping the Christian values."
Well, all that having to eat with the poor was always a big ask if you ask me. But I hope Theudus isn't expecting me to sign up. I can't imagine anything more boring. Heck, they don't even serve "hard liquor," and I bet there's no lap dancing.
A new fine dining club is now joining the landscape of downtown Shreveport. The Last Supper Dining Club is an exclusive club based on the Christian faith. The target audience is primarily church-goers.
"You know that's one of the amenities of The Last Supper Dining Club is for that demographic to have a place that's nice, first class, that you can bring a guest minister to, and not have to worry about the environment of the casino, somebody walking by that may be drunk or loud and noisy," says owner, Theudus Allen.
The application fee and initiation fee is a one-time fee of $300, and then the ongoing reoccuring charges is $50 a month for in-own memberships and $25 a month for out of town memberships. Just like any private club there's an application process.
"The purpose of the application is to make sure that we are accepting people into our club that uphold... that have the same beliefs that we do, that are understanding of what we're trying to accomplish," says Allen. "The fine dining environment, the exclusitivity, but also keeping the Christian values."
Well, all that having to eat with the poor was always a big ask if you ask me. But I hope Theudus isn't expecting me to sign up. I can't imagine anything more boring. Heck, they don't even serve "hard liquor," and I bet there's no lap dancing.
MADPRIEST'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I was so busy counting my blessings I
didn't see the bus until it was too late.
didn't see the bus until it was too late.
MEAN OR JUST PLAIN SENSIBLE?
From WNDU16:
A new study from the University of Notre Dame asked the question, ‘just how generous are Catholics?’ The answer: not as generous as other Christian denominations in America. The study suggests a “giving gap” between Catholics and other Christians, as well as a lack of spiritual engagement with money.
According to Starks, the study is not intended to say that Catholics are ungenerous, but simply that, on average, many Catholics do not connect money to personal or spiritual growth. He also says that the Catholic Church could have much more potential, but sometimes fails because of a lack of monetary donations.
Phew! Thank goodness for miserly Catholics.
A new study from the University of Notre Dame asked the question, ‘just how generous are Catholics?’ The answer: not as generous as other Christian denominations in America. The study suggests a “giving gap” between Catholics and other Christians, as well as a lack of spiritual engagement with money.
According to Starks, the study is not intended to say that Catholics are ungenerous, but simply that, on average, many Catholics do not connect money to personal or spiritual growth. He also says that the Catholic Church could have much more potential, but sometimes fails because of a lack of monetary donations.
Phew! Thank goodness for miserly Catholics.
DON'T BLAME ME, BLAME MADDAD
A man got on the bus with both of his front trouser pockets full of golf balls and sat down next to a beautiful blonde. The puzzled blonde kept looking at him and his bulging pockets.
Finally, after many glances from her, he said, "Its golf balls."
The blonde continued to look at him for a very long time, thinking deeply about what he had said. Finally, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she asked, "Does it hurt as much as tennis elbow?"
Finally, after many glances from her, he said, "Its golf balls."
The blonde continued to look at him for a very long time, thinking deeply about what he had said. Finally, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she asked, "Does it hurt as much as tennis elbow?"
ENGLISH LOSE FAMOUS SENSE OF HUMOUR
From THE DAILY MAIL:
The Church of England’s official Twitter feed was branded ‘offensive’ yesterday after a quip about gay marriage and former glamour model Katie Price. A user calling himself ‘Just Skippy’ began the exchange by sending a question to the Church’s Twitter account, @c_of_e.
He wrote: ‘Can I ask what @c_of_e thinks about Katie Price marrying for 3rd time making a mockery of marriage yet you are against Homosexual marriage.’
In response, the Church replied: ‘We don’t have an official policy on Katie Price. Having said that, Jordan gets quite a few mentions in the Old Testament’ - a reference to the reality star’s name in her glamour modelling days.
‘Just Skippy’ - whose profile adds ‘It’s me, Chris’ and describes himself as a ‘39-year-old sort of builder from Birmingham’ repilied ‘Oh that has made me laugh, I could almost forgive you on your stance on gay marriage but I won’t.’
The Church of England’s official Twitter feed was branded ‘offensive’ yesterday after a quip about gay marriage and former glamour model Katie Price. A user calling himself ‘Just Skippy’ began the exchange by sending a question to the Church’s Twitter account, @c_of_e.
He wrote: ‘Can I ask what @c_of_e thinks about Katie Price marrying for 3rd time making a mockery of marriage yet you are against Homosexual marriage.’
In response, the Church replied: ‘We don’t have an official policy on Katie Price. Having said that, Jordan gets quite a few mentions in the Old Testament’ - a reference to the reality star’s name in her glamour modelling days.
‘Just Skippy’ - whose profile adds ‘It’s me, Chris’ and describes himself as a ‘39-year-old sort of builder from Birmingham’ repilied ‘Oh that has made me laugh, I could almost forgive you on your stance on gay marriage but I won’t.’
MADPRIEST SNUBBED AGAIN
I am both disappointed and surprised that I was not chosen to read the poem at Barack Obama's inauguration today especially as I had sent them a copy of the verse I had stayed up all night composing for the occasion.
A man from the fiftieth state
was elected despite all the hate.
When he spoke for the poor
the rich showed him the door.
He ignored them and did the full eight.
The poem by the bloke who ended up getting the job didn't even rhyme. I don't know how much they paid him but they were had if you ask me.
A man from the fiftieth state
was elected despite all the hate.
When he spoke for the poor
the rich showed him the door.
He ignored them and did the full eight.
The poem by the bloke who ended up getting the job didn't even rhyme. I don't know how much they paid him but they were had if you ask me.
THE MIDNIGHT JUKEBOX
Forward On The Track - King Miguel
Deliver Me - Yabby You
Don't Touch I Dread - Barrington Spence
Rumors Of War - Peter Tosh
Valley Of Joeasaphat - Smith And The Prophets
Another Dance - Wailers
Cleo's Dub - Hot City All Stars
Old Ground - Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra
Monday, 21 January 2013
DON'T BLAME ME, BLAME MADDAD
A young girl started work in the village chemist shop. She got on okay, but was very shy about having to sell condoms. The owner was going on holiday for a couple of days and asked if she would be willing to run the shop on her own. So she confided in him her worries about selling the contraceptives.
"Look," he said, "My regular customers don't ask for condoms. They'll ask for a 310 [small], a 320 [medium] or a 330 [large]. The word condom won't even be used."
The first day was fine but on the second day a big black guy came into the shop, put out his hand and said, "350." The girl panicked. She phoned the owner on his mobile and told him of her predicament.
"Go back in and check if he has a yellow bucket hanging between his legs," her boss told her.
She peeped through the door and saw the yellow bucket hanging between his legs.
"Yes!" she said, "He's got one hanging there!"
The boss said, "Go back in and give him £3.50. He's the window cleaner."
"Look," he said, "My regular customers don't ask for condoms. They'll ask for a 310 [small], a 320 [medium] or a 330 [large]. The word condom won't even be used."
The first day was fine but on the second day a big black guy came into the shop, put out his hand and said, "350." The girl panicked. She phoned the owner on his mobile and told him of her predicament.
"Go back in and check if he has a yellow bucket hanging between his legs," her boss told her.
She peeped through the door and saw the yellow bucket hanging between his legs.
"Yes!" she said, "He's got one hanging there!"
The boss said, "Go back in and give him £3.50. He's the window cleaner."
I'LL TRY MY BEST BUT...
I joined somebody's cause to "Remember the Six Million" today. But, to be honest, I'm pessimistic. I'm not good with names.
TRUST NO ONE
Heard the latest on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre? It didn't happen. The whole thing was a hoax. Truth be told, it was orchestrated by the Obama Administration in an effort to promote gun control and achieve other nefarious objectives.
"You know in your heart that no one could walk into a school and start shooting defenseless little kids," writes Jay Johnson on his website, SandyHookHoax.com. "They are trying to alter mass perception of the human condition, so that people feel insecure and trust only the government to make things safe."
One of the leading advocates of this particular bit of nonsense is a tenured professor at Florida Atlantic University named James Tracy who in the past has also expressed skepticism about the Kennedy assassination and 9/11. At least he conceded bad things may have happened in Newtown, Conn. But he sees something more sinister than just the wholesale slaughter of innocent children.
"As documents relating to the Sandy Hook shooting continue to be assessed and interpreted by independent researchers there is a growing awareness that the media coverage of the massacre of 26 children and adults was intended primarily for public consumption to further larger political ends," he wrote on his blog.
Not to be outdone, James H. Fetzer, an emeritus professor at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, pulls out an age-old conspiracy card: He blames the Jews. "This is what Israel always does, they go after the children," he wrote while suggesting the massacre was a terror ops strike conducted by agents of the Israeli government to strike fear in the hearts of Americans.
Read more crazy stuff about how that black man is out to get the whities at PASEDENA STAR-NEWS. But be warned, this scepticism about conspiracy theories might just be a conspiracy cooked up by Barack Obama and the ghost of Osama Bin Laden to get you to not trust conspiracy theories and so allow alien lizard people to conquer the United States and eat your cats.
"You know in your heart that no one could walk into a school and start shooting defenseless little kids," writes Jay Johnson on his website, SandyHookHoax.com. "They are trying to alter mass perception of the human condition, so that people feel insecure and trust only the government to make things safe."
One of the leading advocates of this particular bit of nonsense is a tenured professor at Florida Atlantic University named James Tracy who in the past has also expressed skepticism about the Kennedy assassination and 9/11. At least he conceded bad things may have happened in Newtown, Conn. But he sees something more sinister than just the wholesale slaughter of innocent children.
"As documents relating to the Sandy Hook shooting continue to be assessed and interpreted by independent researchers there is a growing awareness that the media coverage of the massacre of 26 children and adults was intended primarily for public consumption to further larger political ends," he wrote on his blog.
Not to be outdone, James H. Fetzer, an emeritus professor at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, pulls out an age-old conspiracy card: He blames the Jews. "This is what Israel always does, they go after the children," he wrote while suggesting the massacre was a terror ops strike conducted by agents of the Israeli government to strike fear in the hearts of Americans.
Read more crazy stuff about how that black man is out to get the whities at PASEDENA STAR-NEWS. But be warned, this scepticism about conspiracy theories might just be a conspiracy cooked up by Barack Obama and the ghost of Osama Bin Laden to get you to not trust conspiracy theories and so allow alien lizard people to conquer the United States and eat your cats.
SOD GODWIN!
From THE IRISH TIMES:
An outspoken Irish Catholic priest has claimed he has been threatened with excommunication for suggesting that women might become priests in the future. Fr Tony Flannery said he is being forced to choose between Rome and his conscience and revealed he is taking legal advice under canon and civil law to help defend his rights as a member of the church and as an Irish citizen. The 66-year-old, who joined the Redemptorists in 1964, said he has been told by the Vatican that if he wants to remain in the church and in his congregation he must stop any involvement with the liberal Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), which he founded. The author, who was stopped ministering as a priest for most of the past year, said he has also been ordered not to engage with the media or publish any books or articles.
From THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES:
A Moscow region priest who supported Pussy Riot has been suspended from service for five years, ostensibly for repeatedly failing to show up to church and for traveling abroad without the blessing of his bosses. Dmitry Sverdlov has been described in media reports as a priest who wanted to apologize on the part of the church to the three female Pussy Riot rockers who were sentenced to two-year prison terms in August over performing an anti-President Vladimir Putin song at a Moscow cathedral. Earlier, in February, Sverdlov asked his boss to relieve him of his post as a superior over "pastoral burnout" and "chronic fatigue" and leave him on part-time as a priest, but his request was turned down.
From THE MAIL:
The Exclusive Brethren, which has 16,000 UK followers, has gained the support of more than 50 MPs in its bid to retain its charitable status – and the entitlement to tax relief on donations. But Wiltshire County Council, local police officers and the Department for Education’s Due Diligence Team has uncovered allegations of a shocking regime inside Exclusive Brethren schools – including pupils being confined at home for using the internet, elders tearing pages from textbooks to remove material about gay rights or sexually transmitted diseases, and teenage boys and girls being banned from talking to each other.
From INDEPENDENT IE:
A rape victim in Germany was turned away by two Roman Catholic hospitals because they might have to advise her on what to do with an unwanted pregnancy, a doctor has claimed. Dr Irmgard Maiworm first treated the 25-year-old woman when she walked into A&E on December 15 saying that she believed that she had been sedated with a date-rape drug and sexually assaulted. Dr Maiworm called the nearby St Vincent's Hospital, run by the Catholic Foundation of the Cellites, to arrange a gynaecological examination but doctors "fearful of their jobs" refused, she said. Another hospital run by the same group also refused to help. Dr Maiworm claimed the hospital, following consultation with the Diocese of Cologne, had decided not to examine sexual assault victims so as to avoid being in the position of having to recommend options such as the morning-after pill.
Let's face facts. We Christians are a bunch of freaking fascists!
An outspoken Irish Catholic priest has claimed he has been threatened with excommunication for suggesting that women might become priests in the future. Fr Tony Flannery said he is being forced to choose between Rome and his conscience and revealed he is taking legal advice under canon and civil law to help defend his rights as a member of the church and as an Irish citizen. The 66-year-old, who joined the Redemptorists in 1964, said he has been told by the Vatican that if he wants to remain in the church and in his congregation he must stop any involvement with the liberal Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), which he founded. The author, who was stopped ministering as a priest for most of the past year, said he has also been ordered not to engage with the media or publish any books or articles.
From THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES:
A Moscow region priest who supported Pussy Riot has been suspended from service for five years, ostensibly for repeatedly failing to show up to church and for traveling abroad without the blessing of his bosses. Dmitry Sverdlov has been described in media reports as a priest who wanted to apologize on the part of the church to the three female Pussy Riot rockers who were sentenced to two-year prison terms in August over performing an anti-President Vladimir Putin song at a Moscow cathedral. Earlier, in February, Sverdlov asked his boss to relieve him of his post as a superior over "pastoral burnout" and "chronic fatigue" and leave him on part-time as a priest, but his request was turned down.
From THE MAIL:
The Exclusive Brethren, which has 16,000 UK followers, has gained the support of more than 50 MPs in its bid to retain its charitable status – and the entitlement to tax relief on donations. But Wiltshire County Council, local police officers and the Department for Education’s Due Diligence Team has uncovered allegations of a shocking regime inside Exclusive Brethren schools – including pupils being confined at home for using the internet, elders tearing pages from textbooks to remove material about gay rights or sexually transmitted diseases, and teenage boys and girls being banned from talking to each other.
From INDEPENDENT IE:
A rape victim in Germany was turned away by two Roman Catholic hospitals because they might have to advise her on what to do with an unwanted pregnancy, a doctor has claimed. Dr Irmgard Maiworm first treated the 25-year-old woman when she walked into A&E on December 15 saying that she believed that she had been sedated with a date-rape drug and sexually assaulted. Dr Maiworm called the nearby St Vincent's Hospital, run by the Catholic Foundation of the Cellites, to arrange a gynaecological examination but doctors "fearful of their jobs" refused, she said. Another hospital run by the same group also refused to help. Dr Maiworm claimed the hospital, following consultation with the Diocese of Cologne, had decided not to examine sexual assault victims so as to avoid being in the position of having to recommend options such as the morning-after pill.
Let's face facts. We Christians are a bunch of freaking fascists!
PRIEST SACKED FOR GETTING DEPRESSED CREATES FIRST ANGLICAN MEGA-CHURCH
These are my the stats for yesterday's podcasted service of holy communion that I cobbled together for the online congregation of Saint Laika's.
All those downloads, all that successful mission, and yet the bishops of the Church of England won't even give me permission to officiate let alone find me a paying job. I have achieved something that nobody within the institution has yet achieved. I have created a format for internet worship that appeals to people of all ages that is both novel and traditional. While other innovators have focussed on the young and trendy I've stuck with my own kind, the ageing and quietly trendy (in their own way). The Saint Laika's experiment has ended up being far more successful than I ever imagined it would be. Furthermore it has given me a reason for stubbornly refusing to lose either my religion or priesthood because of the actions of one bigoted bishop and his friends in high places.
BUT, this is only possible due to the generosity of my friends who support me financially. When I launched saint Laika's I received about £500 per month from my supporters. Unfortunately over the last year or so this has dwindled down to about £400. I really could do with more regular support. I realise that God has not let me go under so far, something always turns up, usually at the last minute, but such living on faith causes havoc to my mental wellbeing. I'm a nutter, for heaven's sake - I need more stability in my life.
Therefore, I need those of you who enjoy my ministry and/or support the evangelistic elements of it, and who do not contribute to my ministry already, to consider sending a regular donation in to me which I will spend firstly on the costs of the ministry itself and secondly on food and stuff. It would be so nice if I didn't have to send Quiz out into the cold every morning to beg for scraps on the streets, which he then loyally brings home for Mrs MP to add to the small pot of gruel bubbling away above the one tallow candle that we can afford to light.
You do not need to have a PayPal account to subscribe or donate via the buttons below. If you want to make a regular monthly donation (which I really would appreciate) click on the up and down arrows beside the options on the first widget, choose an amount you would like to send and then follow instructions. If you want to send a one off gift please use the second widget.
All those downloads, all that successful mission, and yet the bishops of the Church of England won't even give me permission to officiate let alone find me a paying job. I have achieved something that nobody within the institution has yet achieved. I have created a format for internet worship that appeals to people of all ages that is both novel and traditional. While other innovators have focussed on the young and trendy I've stuck with my own kind, the ageing and quietly trendy (in their own way). The Saint Laika's experiment has ended up being far more successful than I ever imagined it would be. Furthermore it has given me a reason for stubbornly refusing to lose either my religion or priesthood because of the actions of one bigoted bishop and his friends in high places.
BUT, this is only possible due to the generosity of my friends who support me financially. When I launched saint Laika's I received about £500 per month from my supporters. Unfortunately over the last year or so this has dwindled down to about £400. I really could do with more regular support. I realise that God has not let me go under so far, something always turns up, usually at the last minute, but such living on faith causes havoc to my mental wellbeing. I'm a nutter, for heaven's sake - I need more stability in my life.
Therefore, I need those of you who enjoy my ministry and/or support the evangelistic elements of it, and who do not contribute to my ministry already, to consider sending a regular donation in to me which I will spend firstly on the costs of the ministry itself and secondly on food and stuff. It would be so nice if I didn't have to send Quiz out into the cold every morning to beg for scraps on the streets, which he then loyally brings home for Mrs MP to add to the small pot of gruel bubbling away above the one tallow candle that we can afford to light.
You do not need to have a PayPal account to subscribe or donate via the buttons below. If you want to make a regular monthly donation (which I really would appreciate) click on the up and down arrows beside the options on the first widget, choose an amount you would like to send and then follow instructions. If you want to send a one off gift please use the second widget.
UNREGISTERED TRADEMARK
There's a right rumpus going on in South East Asia at the moment. Traditionally the Christians of Malaysia have referred to the great "I Am" as Allah rather than God. As Allah means God and, in theory, they are the same Allah/God this should lead to slight ambiguity at times but not an interfaith slanging match. However, Muslims in the region have decided to go all Coca Cola over the Christians' adoption of the name of their only one god and have got all legal and penal over it to the point of changing their national law to try and force their Christian neighbours into screaming "Oh, God!" rather than "Oh, Allah!" when they drop something on their foot. The quality of the debate, especially the pronouncements coming from the Muslim camp, is up there with the most pathetic examples of rhetoric that grace the output of Fox News or come out of the mouths of the talking heads of Anglican Mainstream. Take, for instance, this statement from one Islamic big wig:
From THE NEW STRAITS TIMES:
Muslims are reminded that allowing other religions to use the word Allah is not an act of tolerance but a sign of weakness as this allows the sovereignty of Islam to be challenged. The Imam of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah mosque, Firdaus Subhi, when delivering the Friday sermon prepared by Selangor deputy mufti Datuk Abdul Majid Omar last week, said Muslims must think about the long-term ramifications of allowing it to be used in Malay bibles. It would suggest that all religions were the same, and eventually, this would give rise to religious pluralism.
"Do we want to see a family where the father is a Muslim, the mother a Christian and their children free to embrace other religions?" he said in a special Friday sermon to explain the concept of the word Allah," he said.
And then there is this.
From MALAYSIA TODAY:
Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali has called on Muslims to seize and burn copies of Bibles which contain the term “Allah” or other Arabic religious words. Stressing that he was not instigating communal tension, the Pasir Mas MP insisted that it was the only way to stop non-Muslims from stirring the sensitivities and sentiments of the majority of population in the country.
“Muslims must unite to protect their religion. They must seize those Bibles, including the Malay editions, which contained the term Allah and other Arabic religious terms, and burn them. This is the way to show our anger against disrespect to our sensitivity,” he told a press conference after delivering his presidential speech at a Perkasa convention here today.
Oh, the poor dears and their sensitivities.
At first, like the rantings of most insecure, right wing nutters, this nonsensical hogwash comes across as quite comical to those of us who are confidant in our own faith and the ability of both Allah and God to take care of themselves. But, of course, this sort of nonsense leads to the more malevolent forms of religious oppression that have dominated the Islamic cultures of the Middle East since the birth of Islam and which are now infiltrating the post-Arab Spring governments of North Africa.
From FOX NEWS (ironically):
The 15-year prison sentence given to a woman and her seven children by an Egyptian court for converting to Christianity is a sign of things to come, according to alarmed human rights advocates who say the nation's Islamist government is bad news for Christians in the North African country.
A criminal court in the central Egyptian city of Beni Suef meted out the shocking sentence last week, according to the Arabic-language Egyptian paper Al-Masry Al-Youm. Nadia Mohamed Ali, who was raised a Christian, converted to Islam when she married Mohamed Abdel-Wahhab Mustafa, a Muslim, 23 years ago. He later died, and his widow planned to convert her family back to Christianity in order to obtain an inheritance from her family. She sought the help of others in the registration office to process new identity cards between 2004 and 2006. When the conversion came to light under the new regime, Nadia, her children and even the clerks who processed the identity cards were all sentenced to prison.
In our present age Christians can claim the moral high ground when it comes to matters of religious tolerance. We just don't execute or imprison people who convert to other religions. We just look down on them with disdain in the way that only Christians and Jews are capable of. However, we must not be complacent. The Russian Orthodox churches are becoming increasingly Stalinist about imposing their way on those who do not accept their oligarchical view of the world as the Pussy Riot ladies found out at the cost of their freedom. The Papal State is becoming more involved in the politics of other sovereign nations and is using both money and threats of ex-communication to get their way. Evangelicals, and not just the usual suspects in the U.S.A. are now confident enough to start dictating the decisions of their host denominations and even their own national governments with a complete disregard for the religious sensibilities of those who don't believe in the inerrancy of their magic book. Christianity even now totters on the edge of the precipice that descends into the sort of religious partisanship that ends up negating any claim to godliness or allahness that they religions may have originally possessed. It was not that long ago that the English were murdering Jews on the streets of York for being Jewish and executing the ministers of denominations other than the one adhered to by the monarch at the time. We could return to that state of affairs tomorrow if the wrong people get into positions of power. One thing is for certain, if we remain reluctant to call out the sins of people of other faiths because we don't want to offend them, then it is more likely that we will fail to see the same sins gaining hold in our own religious institutions.
From THE NEW STRAITS TIMES:
Muslims are reminded that allowing other religions to use the word Allah is not an act of tolerance but a sign of weakness as this allows the sovereignty of Islam to be challenged. The Imam of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah mosque, Firdaus Subhi, when delivering the Friday sermon prepared by Selangor deputy mufti Datuk Abdul Majid Omar last week, said Muslims must think about the long-term ramifications of allowing it to be used in Malay bibles. It would suggest that all religions were the same, and eventually, this would give rise to religious pluralism.
"Do we want to see a family where the father is a Muslim, the mother a Christian and their children free to embrace other religions?" he said in a special Friday sermon to explain the concept of the word Allah," he said.
And then there is this.
From MALAYSIA TODAY:
 |
| Ibrahim Ali (M.P.) Malaysia - "Respect my sensitivitah!" Cartman (Spoiled Brat) South Park - Respect my authoritah!" |
Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali has called on Muslims to seize and burn copies of Bibles which contain the term “Allah” or other Arabic religious words. Stressing that he was not instigating communal tension, the Pasir Mas MP insisted that it was the only way to stop non-Muslims from stirring the sensitivities and sentiments of the majority of population in the country.
“Muslims must unite to protect their religion. They must seize those Bibles, including the Malay editions, which contained the term Allah and other Arabic religious terms, and burn them. This is the way to show our anger against disrespect to our sensitivity,” he told a press conference after delivering his presidential speech at a Perkasa convention here today.
Oh, the poor dears and their sensitivities.
At first, like the rantings of most insecure, right wing nutters, this nonsensical hogwash comes across as quite comical to those of us who are confidant in our own faith and the ability of both Allah and God to take care of themselves. But, of course, this sort of nonsense leads to the more malevolent forms of religious oppression that have dominated the Islamic cultures of the Middle East since the birth of Islam and which are now infiltrating the post-Arab Spring governments of North Africa.
From FOX NEWS (ironically):
The 15-year prison sentence given to a woman and her seven children by an Egyptian court for converting to Christianity is a sign of things to come, according to alarmed human rights advocates who say the nation's Islamist government is bad news for Christians in the North African country.
A criminal court in the central Egyptian city of Beni Suef meted out the shocking sentence last week, according to the Arabic-language Egyptian paper Al-Masry Al-Youm. Nadia Mohamed Ali, who was raised a Christian, converted to Islam when she married Mohamed Abdel-Wahhab Mustafa, a Muslim, 23 years ago. He later died, and his widow planned to convert her family back to Christianity in order to obtain an inheritance from her family. She sought the help of others in the registration office to process new identity cards between 2004 and 2006. When the conversion came to light under the new regime, Nadia, her children and even the clerks who processed the identity cards were all sentenced to prison.
In our present age Christians can claim the moral high ground when it comes to matters of religious tolerance. We just don't execute or imprison people who convert to other religions. We just look down on them with disdain in the way that only Christians and Jews are capable of. However, we must not be complacent. The Russian Orthodox churches are becoming increasingly Stalinist about imposing their way on those who do not accept their oligarchical view of the world as the Pussy Riot ladies found out at the cost of their freedom. The Papal State is becoming more involved in the politics of other sovereign nations and is using both money and threats of ex-communication to get their way. Evangelicals, and not just the usual suspects in the U.S.A. are now confident enough to start dictating the decisions of their host denominations and even their own national governments with a complete disregard for the religious sensibilities of those who don't believe in the inerrancy of their magic book. Christianity even now totters on the edge of the precipice that descends into the sort of religious partisanship that ends up negating any claim to godliness or allahness that they religions may have originally possessed. It was not that long ago that the English were murdering Jews on the streets of York for being Jewish and executing the ministers of denominations other than the one adhered to by the monarch at the time. We could return to that state of affairs tomorrow if the wrong people get into positions of power. One thing is for certain, if we remain reluctant to call out the sins of people of other faiths because we don't want to offend them, then it is more likely that we will fail to see the same sins gaining hold in our own religious institutions.
CHRIST ON THE TREE
It is claimed that in the right light conditions and if you squint your eyes, you can make out the face of Jesus Christ in the bark of this tree in Gulfport resident Henry Marshall's backyard.
Full story at WLOX13.
Full story at WLOX13.
Sunday, 20 January 2013
MEMORIES OF THE WAY WE WERE
A GOOD COVER OF A GREAT SONG
Jolene must be one heck of a cracker if this young, Canadian lady "can't compete" with her.
The fiddle player on this video is a very talented, Canadian lass called Stephanie Cadman. She has a new album out entitled "Foggy New Year" that is well worth checking out.
The fiddle player on this video is a very talented, Canadian lass called Stephanie Cadman. She has a new album out entitled "Foggy New Year" that is well worth checking out.
WORSHIP AT SAINT LAIKA'S
A SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION
THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
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.
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.
Click on the arrow on the player to stream.
Download via the MP3 icon below the player.
Download podcast via iTUNES.
MP3 File
CLICK HERE for order of service and credits
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