singing in chester

Walking along the street with D in Chester, there was the black man who sings hymns and preaches in the street.  He called D over and I had to follow. In the midst of the conversation, he said to the people in the street that I would sing with him, and so I did.  TWICE.  I think he is doing a great work handing out tracts and booklets.  Who knows what happens and how God uses them when people get home.

The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian

Chic Murray & Eric Sykes in "The Journey"

Chic Murray interview part one.

Chic Murray - Aberdeen, 1984

not first pope, never was and possibly never reached Rome.

St Peter was not the first Pope and never went to Rome, claims Channel 4

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Catholicism holds that the Pope is the sole successor to the 'supremacy' of Peter 

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent

12:01AM GMT 23 Mar 2008

Comment

St Peter's journey to Rome led to the spread of Christianity in the West and the foundation of Roman Catholicism, so the Church has always taught.

• Have your say: Is St Peter part of a conspiracy?

But a new documentary will challenge the link as nothing more than a "conspiracy of faith". In it, prominent academics accuse the Vatican of misleading the world over the fate of the man regarded as Jesus Christ's closest disciple. In allegations likely to spark controversy, they accuse the Church of fabricating a connection with the apostle to validate giving ultimate power to the papacy.

Catholicism has taught for centuries that Peter was martyred and buried in Rome and that all popes succeed him, but the documentary will challenge this by asserting that he never reached the Italian city. Instead, it will accuse the Church of ignoring the discovery of a tomb in Jerusalem that archaeologists believe contains the bones of Peter.

Leading theologians said that these views were an "attempt to smear Catholicism" and criticised Channel 4 for allowing such "outlandish" claims to be broadcast.

They expressed concern that they would appeal to people who are easily persuaded by conspiracy theories, such as the idea that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene, as proposed in Dan Brown's best-seller The Da Vinci Code.

Dr Robert Beckford, a theology lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, who presents the documentary, denied that this was an attempt to attack the Catholic Church. "This is about looking at what the pillars of power are founded on and examining the scholarship that most Catholics take for granted," he said.

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"We found that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that Peter was buried in Rome, but yet the rival theory has not got out because it challenges the Church.
"If you undermine its basis for power you undermine the Church. It's tragic that the faith gets reduced to manipulating the facts and to one Church trying to make itself superior to others."
As Christianity spread following the crucifixion of Jesus, it became important for the new churches to claim a link with the disciples and led the Catholic Church to establish a connection with St Peter.
Catholics believe the proof that Christ constituted St Peter head of His Church is found in the two Petrine texts, Matthew 16:17-19, and John 21:15-17. In Matthew, the office is solemnly promised to the apostle as Jesus addresses him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven."
Roman Catholicism holds that the Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, is the sole successor to the "supremacy" or primacy of Peter and is thus the "Vicar of Christ" for the world.
It is traditionally believed that he was crucified in Rome and buried where the Basilica of St Peter was later built, beneath the high altar.
In 1939, the Vatican announced that the bones of Peter had been found in Rome during an archaeological dig. But the documentary casts doubt on this, questioning why the dig was carried out "in total secrecy", and led by a "personal friend" of the Pope.
"The Pope's authority over the world's one billion Roman Catholics derives from the belief that Peter died and was buried here almost 2,000 years ago," said Dr Beckford.
The documentary, The Secrets of the Twelve Disciples ­(Channel 4 today at 5.45pm), suggests it that is much more likely that St Peter was buried in an ossuary found in Jerusalem with the inscription Shimon Bar Jonah - Simon son of Jonah - the Hebrew name for Peter.
However, Gerald O'Collins, professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome, said that the documentary contradicted the "great weight" of tradition that accepted Peter had been martyred and buried in Rome. "This is awful stuff, total ­nonsense," he said. "This kind of outlandish garbage drives me nuts."
John Medlin, the general manager of the Latin Mass Society, said of the "intellectually-challenged" arguments: "They are on a par with Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and are unsubstantiated. It shows undisguised

the birthday weekend

the Birthday weekend in Kettlehill with the family was brilliant.  I got lots of love, Good gifts and D surprised me.  I drove her to what she had told me was her friends house.  All I can say is I got the biggest and most delightful surprise upon arrival.

James Prescott, Jory Micah and Steve chalke. What a motley crew.

http://jamesprescott.podbean.com/e/jory-micah/

 http://jamesprescott.podbean.com/?s=steve+chalke

I have no idea who James Prescott is.


Short time later, hmm, he is a pod caster.

George falconer gods kaliedoscope radio shropshire

Ed Shaw: Why your church shouldn't sign Steve Chalke's charter for gay marriage - Premier Christianity

Ed Shaw: Why your church shouldn't sign Steve Chalke's charter for gay marriage - Premier Christianity: It has been announced that Steve Chalke's church will offer same sex marriages (click here to read a blog by Steve Chalke about his decision). In this piece, celibate same sex attracted Christian Ed Shaw responds to Steve's 'Open Church Charter' that argues for the full inclusion of LGBT people in churches

midtown book festival George Falconer

Stirling Jail George Falconer

Stirling from the jail George Falconer

George Falconer the Mousetrap before I saw it.

Sunday morning reflecting on Stornoway.

George Falconer the Mousetrap without the answer .

George Falconer the Mousetrap

George Falconer the Mousetrap before I saw it.

George falconer gods kaliedoscope radio shropshire

Ukraine: "1944" by Jamala - Winner of Eurovision Song Contest 2016 - BBC

on the radio

My radio interview has been broken down into chunks, two of which go out this Sunday. and more the following Sunday.

Guitar: The Wee Cooper o' Fife

what did they learn?

Alcohol was strictly prohibited at the college that I attended, even off campus. When I turned 21, some of my girlfriends and I thought we would “be bad” and go out for a drink.  The four of us split one cocktail and we giggled about how “rebellious” we were being.
Someone among the group felt it was her spiritual duty to rat us out (give me a break) and the next day we were each called to the dean’s office. Oh what a predicament I was in. If I tell the truth, I would get kicked out of school my senior year of college for sharing one drink with four girls at the age of 21. I am a truth person to the core of my being, but I had watched great Christian girls get kicked out of Bible school for similar behaviors.
I was honest with my parents about what was happening and they advised me to keep the truth to myself.  They had just spent thousands of dollars putting me through college and were not about to see their daughter get kicked out of school for such a small crime. I regretted not obeying the rule because I was now in a place where I had to lie. Oh how I wrestled within my soul.
I was faced with two commandments:  Honor they father and mother OR lie? I chose to honor my parents and their investment and thank God I did because the girls who admitted the truth got kicked out of school. I know lying is wrong, but the heavy spirit of legalism I was under was even worse. I strive to never put myself under the authority of legalism again, as it was crippling to my soul and even served as a stumbling block for me to sin.
This is one of those stories where I am oh so thankful for the grace of Jesus Christ and that by His sacrifice I am forgiven for my sins!  I will strive not to lie for the rest of my life, but I am certain I will lie again and anyone who says they won’t ever lie again is a liar. The love of Jesus surpasses all of our mistakes and sets us free to be in a genuine relationship with Him.  He does not see our sin any longer if we are in Him and He is in us.  He doesn’t just love us, he likes us despite our human flaws.






The above is from a blog.  On the surface, it seems like an injustice.  However the person who ratted on them, I wonder where they are now and what their relationship is with God?  She must have know that her confession would cause trouble and result in them being expelled and yet she did it.  I do not think drinking in itself is wrong, but this college had such a rule and it was only for the duration that the student is there.  One learns discipline from rules, even ones we do not agree with.

the person who ratted, had a much more tender conscience.  the writer of this has still not learned the lesson in humility.  Many of us have to endure rules we do not agree with and sometimes not for a short duration.  I live under a rule, I do not agree with, but does it cause me hardship? NO.

One can appear to be serving God, yet be a mighty rebel.

Self examination

Matthew 7:21-23New International Version (NIV)

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

I find these words of Jesus very sobering.  They should cause all of us to examine ourselves and ask the question, “ Am I a true believer, or have I deceived myself”?  You will notice that these people whom he is talking about actually prophesied and did miracles in his name.  They will think that they know Jesus only to find out too late that they were wrong and he whom they claimed to serve will say that he NEVER!  Knew them.  Not once you were a Christian and then fell away ( real ones are secure in the lord) but that right from the start they were never true disciples.

It also shows that doing mighty works is no guarantee of God’s acceptance.  You will note that it is their works that they are claiming makes them belong to him.

We have to remember that contrary to what the TV commercials may say when we are told, “ WE are worth it”, we are not worth it.  God in in his love has provided a sacrifice for us even when we were his enemies.  He did not have to do that.

I do not think we should take these verses and use them to judge other people who profess Christ.  What we should do is take these verses and use them to shine a light into our own lives and if there is anything we find there that is in doubt, then we need to address the issue before it is too late.

Self-examination is a good thing.

GODS NOT DEAD 2 Interviews, feat: Melissa Joan Hart & Jesse Metcalfe

JM

Many Christians don't seem to realize the pain female ministers face throughout their lives. Our very deepest longings are openly debated & Christians continually dismiss our callings as sinful or a figment of our imagination.
We watch our sisters in Christ, who deny our calling, become prinicpals of schools, head nurses or doctors, and CEO's; yet, we are not permitted or preferred among our own "family in Christ" to be pastors, elders, & Bible teachers to adult men & women. Sometimes, not even worship leaders, youth directors, college directors, and the list goes on.
We watch our male peers, who are often less educated than us and have less unpaid experience than us, get hired to be pastors. We love our minister brothers in Christ, but most of them have blindly stepped over us. Most have not defended us. Most have simply enjoyed their privlage.
We volunteer and work with children. We make the coffee. We serve with a smile on our face, hoping someday, someone will see us. But they don't. Many of us have given up. Many of us have lost hope. Sometimes it all feels pointless.
How long will it take to convince the Church that we are here? That we are called? That we are gifted for the task? That we exist?
I am not sure, sisters, I wish I knew. But, do know that I see you and if I see you as a mere human, then God must see you too. I believe God has collected all of our tears and not one ounce of our suffering will go to waste. God will not forget us. God will not leave us behind.


the above is from JM. the remark about about tears was originally about those who are being persecuted and even put to death, which in the USA they are not.  Also the issue about being called is a feeling, it is not validated by what the bible actually says in bold black and white.

Beadles About Theme song

CHIC MURRAY. Telling the Long Nose Story.

women and the church

Youths oppress my people,
    women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;
    they turn you from the path.

The above is what God said to Isaiah in chapter 3.  If God has declared it then we have a choice. We can choose not to believe it, or we can choose to believe it.  In this verse we see that the people had women ruling over them and God was not pleased.

Likewise the apostle Paul said the following

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Note he did not confine it to the local situation that Timothy faced. Indeed he reminded Timothy of the creative order.  To put it another way, what Paul was saying is that Adam was not deceived, Eve was because women are more intuitive that men.  Feelings can and often do deceive and for that reason in the church women were not permitted to hold authority over men, nor to teach.  It is these two things we have to concentrate on. 

Today we use the term, “Leadership” It is a somewhat vague term.  In most churches the treasurer is part of the leadership.  The fabric convener (the early church did not have fabric, ie buildings) is part of the leadership and there is a whole host of other positions that the early church did not have.  They neither teach, nor have authority over men for their spiritual wellbeing.  In fact they are more like deacons.

The usual approaches to what Paul said, it to ignore it, or to confine it to Timothy’s local situation.  However Paul did not do that it was s command from God.  So where does the debate come from?  It comes from the same lie that the devil told Eve, “Did God Say”.    In this case, Did God say you were not permitted to teach men or hold authority over them in church ( note it is confined to church)  The answer is yes he did, but there are those who are deceived into believing God has called them to do just that, when it is written down that they are not.  God means what he says and one day he will judge us.  If we fight against his word then we can expect that God will not be pleased.  Today it seems to me that many women feel Called of God (even if they are in fact not) because what Paul revealed does not suit their ambition and that is what drives it.  It has nothing to do with being called by God.
Furthermore, I think the debate is fuelled by a wrong attitude to God. For many years, in order to reach out to people, the gospel was watered down and made more palatable.  Less offensive.  God was your friend.  Indeed for those of us who are saved he is our friend. However he is also holy and just and mighty and a whole host of other things including just.  How do we think he will judge those who rebel against what he has revealed and encourage others to do likewise?  He is not our buddy or pal, he is to be revered and worshipped and obeyed.