Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
I Was Recently Approached To Be Filmed For Channel 4′s 4Thought
I was recently approached by a media company called Waddell Media in Holywood, nr. Belfast who are Channel 4′s producing a series for Channel 4 called 4Thought. This series consists of short films focused on faith and religion, redolent of Thought for the Day, which feature diverse perspectives on questions around morality, religion and ethics. These short programmes transmit 365 days a year, straight after the Channel 4 News every evening. Each programme is approximately 2 minutes long, and features a single person speaking to camera. Each week, the programmes are linked by an underlying theme, related to news events, important anniversaries or religious ideas.
At the time of writing they are setting up a week of films where seven people will be exploring questions around the role of women within the Christian Church and other religious institutions. The springboard is the debate within the Anglican Church regarding women Bishops, and broadening this question to encompass other Christian Churches and also Islam, Hinduism, Judaism etc. The central question is whether women can be spiritual leaders and whether they can have authority over men in this regard.
I was rather chuffed to have been asked to appear on this but was disappointed to discover that they were looking for someone who was opposed to women leading in churches so I didn’t get to do it. Never mind, as the media company have said that they will contact me in future for possibly filming on other subjects.
An open letter to President Obama from Jon Voight
RT @washtimes Dear Mr. President … from Jon Voight – Washington Times http://bit.ly/cyUBKI – hard hitting stuff. Say it as it is.
Primark shamed into axing padded bikinis for girls of 7 after being accused of ‘disgraceful’ sexualisation of children
Glad to see that Primark has withdrawn its controversial range of ‘sexy’ clothes for 7 year olds.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265873/Primark-withdraws-padded-bikinis-7-year-olds.html
Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa’s biggest problem – the crushing passivity of the people’s mindset
Matthew Parris, a columnist with The Times newspaper
I was fascinated and pleased to read that Matthew Parris, a columnist at The Times newspaper wrote
“Now a confirmed atheist, I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts.”
He goes on to say “Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.”
Couldn’t agree more. As one who has over the years campaigned for justice for developing nations – for Fair Trade, cancellation of debt and for political reform – I see the value of these but have long held that only the power of God can bring lasting change.
A truly refreshing, objective bit of media critique. Read more at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article5400568.ece
Lords back free speech shield in ‘gay hate’ law
The Government has been defeated in the House of Lords over its attempt to repeal a free speech protection from a sexual orientation ‘hatred’ law. Peers voted by 186 to 133 to keep the protection in place. The matter will be passed back to the House of Commons where MPs voted for repeal.
The protection makes clear that criticising homosexual conduct or encouraging people to refrain from such conduct is not, in itself, a crime.
Whilst I have no intention of treating homosexual people with contempt and accept their right to freedom of speech I am glad that at least we all can maintain that right.
Video: quizzed by police for criticising ‘gay rights’
The 2005 story of Joe and Helen Roberts – an elderly Christian couple from Lancashire who were interrogated by police because they criticised a ‘gay rights’ project being run by their local council.
In this new video, Helen speaks about how intimidating it was to be questioned by police officers for over an hour. The officers told them they were near to committing a hate crime which carries a seven year prison sentence.
Joe says Wyre Borough Council kept talking about ‘diversity’ but the council’s brand of diversity didn’t seem to allow him and his wife to express their religious beliefs on sexual ethics.
He says he never thought he would see the day when British police officers would be interrogating citizens because they had expressed a point of view in a telephone call.
A year after the events, following a legal action supported by The Christian Institute, the police and the council admitted they had acted wrongly towards the Roberts and changed their policies to avoid it happening again.
Last year Parliament passed a free speech protection making it clear that criticising homosexual conduct is not, in itself, a crime. But the Government is trying to repeal it. We expect a vote in Parliament sometime in July.
Subscribe to this site's RSS feed.
