We Don’t Want Pastor Jones in the UK
It is reported that the odious Pastor Jones of the Dove Outreach Center is going to come to the UK to speak at a rally of the English Defence League. The two of them deserve each other, but not in this country.
When I see people like Jones, I reach for the sick bucket, as people like him have no place in the tolerant world, where I want to live. After all I’m descended from two groups of immigrants; Jews and Huguenots, who found safety from intolerance and bigotry in the East End of London.
I hope Theresa May does the right thing and bans the visit.
The Devil Would be Proud of Me!
I’ve just found a whole box of bibles in the loft. They went straight in the skip!
The only religious book I’ve kept is a Protestant Dictionary. It’s the funniest book you’ll ever read!
The Devil would be proud of me!
Book Burning
It is being reported that a fifteen-year-old girl has been arrested for burning a copy of the Koran.
My father was a printer and bookbinder and to me, all books are to be treasured and not defaced or burnt in any way. Perhaps, when a book has been fully read, it should be passed on, but only in the last resort, should it be burned and then to do something positive like generate heat.
So the girl was wrong in what she did and arresting her for what was probably a childish act, will only encourage others to do similar things.
We need a lot more tolerance and common-sense.
Especially in these days, where we have had the Sunningdale and Milton Keynes murders and the Derby sex attacks to keep the Police busy, with more much serious problems that could be considered to a racial dimension.
The Ugly Face of Scottish Football
Scottish football seems to going to be hit by a referees strike this weekend according to many reports like this. There has been this comment from John Hughes, a former manager of Hibernian and Falkirk.
The game is in a little bit of chaos. It needs bringing together and I sympathise with the referees because they do get a hard time.
But managers are also open to criticism, that is part and parcel of the job.Referees need to be accountable and there has to be more transparency in what goes on behind the doors at Hampden.
But one thing I will say, if referees are getting phone calls to their home or work place, or their kids are getting a hard time at school, then that is not on, that is way below the belt.
After all, it is just a sport.
I heard a bit last night on Radio 5, where it would appear completely outrangeous claims have been made to employers as well, with even claims of religious bigotry.
Obviously, these critics don’t agree with the last part of John Hughes comment.
No Pope Here!
I will put it this way. The Catholic Church’s attitude to women, homosexuals, child abuse, birth-control and lot of other things are just so far outside my beliefs about what is good for humanity in general, that I’ve declared my personal space a Pope-free zone. It was so refreshing and uplifting to hear of the work of the Bobby Robson centre in Newcastle, yeserday while other channels were covering the Pope’s visit. When you’ve lost your wife and son to serious cancers, it is just so much more important to you, that research is done to make sure others don’t face the same challenges and problems that I do.
Today, I shall be going to Clare, to see the Tour of Britain Cycle Race, go through one of Suffolk’s historic villages. I shall probably pop in to the church, which is one of the finest parish churches in England.
Some may find it strange that a man with no religion should visit a church or a cathedral, which I generally do, when I’m exploring a town or city! But then what is wrong with my contemplation of beautiful buildings in a secular manner?
Papal Merchandise
Thanks to Liz for pointing me at Ship of Fools and their alternative take on Papal Merchanise.
Liz said this
This website is actually a Christian one, but it pokes fun at some of the more outlandish aspects. Ridiculous gadgets and “decorative” items are one of its favourite, and it has done a very special page for the Pope’s visit.
I couldn’t possibly comment, as I haven’t seen any of the official merchandise.
A Very Misguided Cardinal
It is a bit rich for Cardinal Kasper to call the UK a Third World country, because of our attitude to homosexuality, contraception, aggressive atheism, abortion and our multi-cultural society.
Especially, as the Catholic church does not allow the use of condoms to prevent disease and has done little to punish the known child abusers in the ranks of their priests. Every accusation of child abuse, no matter, who is thought to have performed it, should be fully investigated by the proper authorities. Internal investigations are not good enough!
By any stretch of the mind, our crimes are all very small compared to systematic child abuse. C would be ranting today, as she had dealt many times with the worst excesses of child abusers. None as I am aware, were priests of any denomination.
But then Cardinal Kasper is seventy-seven, so he should have advantage of wisdom! Where is it? Nowhere in my mind! We all decry elderly dictators like Robert Mugabe and Kim Il Yong, for holding on to power, but isn’t the Catholic church under the control of a self-serving group of elderly men, albeit with perhaps a better sense of morals. Where are the women at the highest level for a start?
I also have a personal beef against the Catholic Church. They discriminate against coeliacs and don’t allow them to be priests.
I shall not be watching anything to do with the Pope’s visit. I mean him no harm, but the sooner this circus and its associated cult of personality is over the better. I don’t pay my taxes for visits like this!
Israel’s Crazy Clocks
I am a great believer in that you put the clocks forward in the summer to gain the greatest economic advantage to as many people as possible.
For instance, in the UK, I’d like to see us go to the same time as most of the EU. Not only would it make it easier for business and travel with the continent, but it would also give us longer leisure evenings for a greater period of the year, so perhaps outdoor activities would benefit. Horse racing would be able to stage many more evening meetings, which properly handled might create a lot of new jobs. But there are lots of other examples.
So what are the Israelis doing. They’re moving the date the clocks go back forward to fit in with religious groups, who have a strong hold in the Knesset. According to The Independent, it’s not very popular. Even the Jewish Chronicle reports that Israelis are angry.
In the report in the Jewish Chronicle this is said.
A campaign against the early end to summertime is being spearheaded by Dr Shimon Eckhouse, chairman of Nasdaq-traded medical device company Syneron. He also wants to adopt the EU norm and has collected over 90,000 signatories on a petition.
Starting winter time before the end of October “will shorten quality time that parents have with their children, increase the chance of road accidents and cost the Israeli economy millions of shekels”, he said.
There are estimates that the 48 days between September 12, when Israel changes its clocks, and October 31, when the UK and the rest of Europe change their clocks, will cost Israel £4.6 million in higher electricity consumption.
“The only reason to end summertime early is because it supposedly shortens the fast on Yom Kippur,” Dr Eckhouse added. “This is warped because either way the fast continues for 25 hours. I am a Jew who observes tradition and fasts on Yom Kippur.”
Let’s hope Dr. Eckhouse’s reasoned approach succeeds. If nothing because it is better for global warming.
Pouring Petrol on the Fire
I know it’s a very small group of religious nutters, who claim to be Christians, but surely staging a burning of the Koran, as reported here is not a sensible thing to do, given all the problems in Afghanisthan.
I don’t hold any candle for religion at all, but going out of your way to annoy someone, who thinks differently than you is never a good idea! Just think of all the problems there used to be between pairs of football teams in the UK, which could easily be ignited by stupid act by someone who had sawdust for a brain.
I also object to the burning of books, as even if you disagree with what they say, they have generally been put together to with care and thought and sometimes they have been crafted by a proper bookbinder.
But then as my father was a proper printer, I’m biased on the last point.
Self-Repairing Solar Cells
I like this story. It just goes to show that if anything gets the world out of the mess, it will be scientists, engineers and other thinkers, who use science and technology correctly. It will be not be politicians, union leaders or those that believe God is always the solution. These people will just hold back those like the scientists in this story, who might be leading us to salvation from our lack of energy.
The Anonymous Widower 