Author: Godinterest

Godinterest is dedicated to proclaiming Christ and set apart, to save and empower lives.
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Societal enables people to connect with one another online through this time of international crisis

Societal is inspired by a passion for all things creative

We’re living through a time of international crisis. Our systems are falling apart, we’re being separated from friends and loved ones, frightened and unsure as to how life may be about to unfold. “Reality” seems to stagger from one disturbing scenario to another. Information and advice keep changing – nothing holds fast, but the idea that everything is going dreadfully wrong. But if there is a silver lining in this crisis, it could be that the virus is forcing us to use the internet as it was always meant to be used – to connect with one another, share information and come up with collective solutions to vital problems.

Launched in March 2020, Societal’s (https://societal.co/) sole purpose is to connect people and allow people to share their thoughts with a big audience.

Societal website administrator Dean Jones a former Central St Martins College of Art & Design postgraduate said, ‘One of the most disastrous months in the history of global medicine and global economics has ended with country after country retreating into their national silos. They are fighting their own individual battles against coronavirus and in their own way, but we must work together. Like it or not the Coronavirus Crisis is showing us how to live online and hopefully Societal can help people with that.’

The new Social Network follows a UK government announcement that everyone should only go outside for food, health reasons or work (where this absolutely cannot be done from home).

Jones hopes his digital platform will help create connections, not conflict in this time of uncertainty.

Jones said further ‘As we isolate ourselves at home to protect our health and our neighbours, we still need each other. Societal means that even in this time when we are physically apart, we can still connect with our friends.”

The Core Principles of Societal are-

  • Respect.
  • Justice/Fairness.
  • Honesty.
  • Service/Giving Back/Contribution.
  • Responsibility.
  • Family.
  • Community.

Societal is trying to shift the paradigm. In a web full of pseudo thought-leaders, Societal promises to be place that people from all walks of life can rely on and cater to those looking for fresh, new, authentic voices and believe wholeheartedly in community. Societal offers free accounts and doesn’t serve ads.

Jones has launched a kickstarter page in order to support this worthwhile project https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/deanjones/societal

Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Societal, on Thursday 26 March, 2020. For more information follow https://pressat.co.uk/

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Life with Christ shouldn’t be shallow

The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:19.

Pray for the impartation of the Holy Spirit and believe that it is for you. Search your own hearts, and prepare your mind for the reception of the Holy Spirit. Do not be satisfied with your present experience. Sincere Christians universally want to “go deeper” in faith and knowledge of the Scripture. 

Prayer should be the natural outflow of the soul – you should pray because you must pray, not because the set time for praying has arrived – but because your heart must cry unto your Lord.

It is the privilege of every believer in Christ to possess Christ’s nature, a nature far above that which Adam forfeited by transgression. He who sees the Son by faith and believes in Him, is obedient to the commandments of God, and in this obedience he finds everlasting life. You will not have a firm religious experience unless you dig deep, and build your house upon the Rock. But spiritual depth isn’t simply about knowledge (a common misconception), but about everyday life and relationships. And where better to begin than reflecting on how to have deeper joy in Christ?

Satan works through many who will be worked, blinding the perceptive faculties, paralyzing the senses with selfish ease and love of the world, and unless a special message direct from heaven comes to them they will not discern their peril.

Many believers waver between different opinions and actions showing feelings of hesitancy when studying the word of God. Many grasp the truth with their perceptive powers, but they sometimes refuse to separate themselves from the world.

Many will not consent to be God’s peculiar people. They know the truth of the Bible, but they do not want to obey, and they turn from the truth. They act out their unbelief, and darkness comes upon their souls. Choosing their own way they are left to be filled with their own devices. Truth is insulted, Christ ignored, and perdition will be their portion unless they turn and repent in the name of Jesus.

While these opposing influences are at work to lead away from the truth, away from conviction, away from heaven into the broad path of self-gratification, the agents of God are to work to save souls that are ready to perish.

Prayer to Seek Truth

Lord, help me to seek truth today
To find it in places and people I wouldn’t otherwise notice.
Teach me that in truth there is wisdom and understanding.
May seeking truth help me overcome my fears and frustrations.

Lord, help me to strive for truth in all that I do today —
That my thoughts, words, and actions may reflect Your goodness.
Show me that only in truth will I be free —
To live honestly and courageously,
To love wholeheartedly and unconditionally.

Lord, help me to cherish truth —
Knowing that You are the author of all that is beautiful, good, and true.
May truth reign in my heart, no matter what I encounter today —
Lies, mockery, confusion, or betrayal.
Your truth gives me clarity and peace.

Lord, You created truth.
You are Truth.
Help me to know truth when I see it;
Learn truth when I am taught it;
Love truth,
Live truth.

Help me to share truth with others today —
Those who are lost and lonely,
The brokenhearted and weary,
Anyone who is suffering from visible or invisible pain.

When I am a son or daughter of truth, I am free to be
Fully alive
Fully myself
And an honest reflection of You.

Truth leads to greater knowledge
Compassion
Understanding
Respect
Charity
And excellence in all virtues.

Truth strengthens me
Guides me
Leads me
Protects me
Keeps me.
I am constant when I dwell in Your truth.
I am unafraid of what I may face.
I am vigilant and poised for speaking
The witness of who You are in truth.

Your Word is truth — may the truth of Your Word ring in the ears of all who are perishing and bring many perishing people to salvation in Jesus name we pray, 

Amen.

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Danny Baker’s royal baby chimp tweet was racist and it’s right he was sacked – what you sow is what you reap

An honest mistake? Maybe he did not think before posting the tweet?However, thats not justification. Life is full of choices. You will reap what you sow. The tweet was very upsetting, and disturbing. You should never speak of a non-white or mixed-race child in the same breath as a chimp.

Radio DJ Danny Baker has been fired from BBC Radio 5 Live after for posting tweet about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s baby son that featured an image of a monkey

The broadcaster said: ‘Sorry my gag pic of the little fella in the posh outfit has whipped some up’

Danny Baker has issued an apology, but unfortunately, that apology isn’t worth a grain of sand as the only person he seems to feel sorry for is himself?

On Wednesday, the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter tweeted a black and white photo of a man and woman holding hands with a chimpanzee in a suit and a top hat, with the caption, “Royal baby leaves hospital.”

The above picture was branded “racist” and people urged Mr Baker to quit from his show on the radio station with immediate effect. Danny Baker has since apologised for the tweet and said it was intended as a joke.

Danny Baker has since been fired from 5 Live on Thursday 09th of May 2019.

Twitter users were outraged by the post with one user tweeting:

“I used to think Danny Baker was funny as too, but if a monkey is the first thing you ‘think’ about regarding a mixed race baby, you’ve got issues clearly!.”


Another wrote: “Is there a petition going to get Danny Baker sacked? My pen is ready #racist.”

The BBC wrote:

“This was a serious error of judgment and goes against the values we as a station aim to embody.”

The BBC

That’s an understatement. It’s the second time Baker has been axed by 5 Live and is the third time he has left the BBC. Clearly the BBC has as problem.

Lack of Diversity in the BBC

The lack of diversity in the BBC is still in stark contrast to their vision for a “diverse and gender balanced senior leadership team” by 2020.

THESE are the faces of the chiefs of the BBC – despite attempts by Auntie to make its workforce more diverse. PUBLISHED: 13:59, Sat, Jun 4, 2016.

White, Oxbridge educated and middle-aged: THESE are the faces of the ‘diverse’ BBC in 2019. As you can see, no noticeable changes since 2016. Could this be the reason why people like Danny Baker were re-hired again and again? And if so what does this really say about the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)?

In 2019 the overwhelmingly middle-aged Oxbridge educated men each earning at least £250,000 a year still make up the majority of the BBC’s Executive Board.

I hope it will become a teachable moment. I now hope to see a stronger commitment to diversity and a series of unconscious bias training for all staff. #AlanSugar

Labour MP Brent Central | Opposition SOS for Women & Equalities | UK’s first elected female African-Caribbean Government Minister 

History of the photograph

The photograph is a picture of famous 1920s chimpanzee Joe Mendi “the gentleman chimpanzee”.

The primate was the most popular animal entertainer of the time.

He was billed as having “the intelligence of a five-year-old child” and toted around Broadway, New York by circus-owner Lew Backenstoe.

Tricks included playing a miniature piano, posing for photographs and drinking Coca-Cola at the local soda counter.

The picture shows the primate dressed to the nines as he attended “Trial of the Century,” the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925. 

Thousands watched as Clarence Darrow defended high school science teacher John Scopes for teaching evolution in his classroom while William Jennings Bryan argued for the prosecution. 

Time magazine described the proceedings as ”the fantastic cross between a circus and a holy war.” 

A Biblical Preceptive on the Danny Baker Post

From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.

When our words help and benefit our people, we honor God. People who experience kindness and encouragement will surely bear good fruit. Many leaders do not realize that what is in their hearts comes out of their mouths, In other words, “What is in a man comes out of the man.” If one’s heart is filled with evil, then he will speak evil.

If Jesus is in his heart, then Jesus is what will come out

This is why we should, as Christian and Business Leaders, be constantly filling ourselves to the brim with goodness, not despair and disaster or things that are not wholesome. How do we do this? Here are a few suggestions:

  • Spend time reading God’s Word
  • Have a relationship with God by fellowshipping with other believers
  • Volunteer in a Ministry in which you can impact the world
  • Devote time with your family sharing your life with Christ
  • Connect in a Bible study or start one yourself
  • Help grow the Church that you attend
  • Encourage and minister to our youth


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The Emoji Bible has arrived… what ever next?

The Emoji Bible has arrived ? ?... what ever next?

In the quest for more diverse emojis the most popular and widely translated works in history, ‘The Holy Bible” has been given a new update with millennials in mind.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and then some time later ? created emoji ? they said.

Introduced as a “great and fun way to share the good news”, it supposedly interprets all 66 books of the King James Version with Unicode-approved emoji and commonly-used internet slang and a multitude of contractions.

Totalling just under 3,300 pages, the book — subtitled “Scripture 4 Millennials” — was made available on the iTunes store for US $2.99.

The translator told said that he or she preferred to remain anonymous, identifying only as the cool-dude-with-sunglasses emoji: ? which kind of says it all.

“I thought if we fast forwarded 100 years in the future, an emoji bible would exist,” said Mr ?. “So I thought it’d be fun to try to make it …

“I wanted to make it similar to how you might text or tweet a bible verse, by shrinking the total character count.”

It took about six months and used a program of the translator’s own creation that linked 80 emoji with 200 corresponding words,

“I started tweeting the verses out and it was sort of like a public proofread.” How profound.

View image on Twitter

The Emoji Bible had been met with a largely positive reception, said Mr ?: “Some really nice things, some not-so-nice things.” But it hardly a surprise as reflected in the response on Twitter.

“‘in the beginning angels created the stars & the earth’ i’m pretty sure it doesn’t go like that,” tweeted one user, prompting a correction from the @BibleEmoji account. Other have raised blasphemy allegations abound.

With the Pew Research Center finding “much lower levels of religious affiliation, including less connection with Christian churches, than older generations” in a May 2015 study of religious affiliation in the US population, its release comes with declining rates of religious affiliation across the current Millennial generation.

Mr Cool said “I think we should worry more about spreading ?? [peace sign emoji] & ?? [heart emoji] & less about what church affiliation we’re doing it under.”

Mystery man why don’t you reveal yourself?


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The Religion Blogosphere

Mission

Welcome to the world of Godinterest weblogs, (or blogs), and the cyberspace they all inhabit, known as the blogosphere. Godinterest bloggers connect to mainstream news sites, other non-faith blogs, and online collaborative knowledge networks such as Wikipedia and can be anything from personal diaries to daily screeds about current events. Some are highly opinionated and include funny personal stories. But their content is also unique as many spiritual blogs are written by people seriously engaging with their faith. Some bloggers write specifically about sacred texts. Others are more culturally oriented, covering the ways faith intersects with the arts and politics. By chronicling how they experience faith in their everyday lives, Godinterest bloggers are not only connecting with the wider public, but also to themselves and are gradually carving out their own section of the blogosphere.

Godinterest is a project of designer, journalist, social & new formats editor and grateful christian dad, Dean Jones.

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Blogging Theology

Blogging Theology

Godinterest Launches WordPress Blogging Portal For Students And Teachers of Religion

Over a week ago, using the fully hosted version of the popular open-source WordPress content management system, Dean Jones introduced a blog portal that focuses specifically on religion to help people share their faith online.

Jones, a 36-year-old ex-lecturer from London argues that Godinterest gives occasion to a whole new set of conversations about religion in public life and represents the possibility of a common conversation among a diverse set of voices. “

There is no doubt that WordPress is one of the most popular blogging platforms so when asked what’s special and about Godinterest, Jones stated the following points: “

– Only for Religion – Godinterest is targeted at those in Religion rather than general blogging. We envision blogs being used to facilitate discussion, replace paper newsletters, encourage students to blog, post videos podcasts and presentation and create class publications.

– Accounts – Godinterest offers a range of accounts not limited to an individual. The basic version is a free account which gives you features comparable to WordPress but without some of the themes and Adverts (a nice incentive to an educator) after that there will be pro accounts which opens up more options like the ability to set up, and monitor, blogs for students, custom domains and visitor stats. Godinterest will also offer free upgrades for students when attached to a Pro blog.

– Privacy – students might be more conscious about their work than your average blogger. The built in privacy features (including password protection) are a great way to help students to build up their confidence.

Modules – We also plan to implement modules in Scripture, Worship (including Sacraments), Church History and Beliefs on Theology Challenges and provide a variety of resources to help teachers and students explore many aspects of religious knowledge. “

The future of education is with online technology and there are fewer and better things to be innovating on than just that right now, Godinterest offers that opportunity for any religious educator or faith blogger with specific themes and features that will make learning even more effective.

About us

Godinterest Sites is a blog-publishing service built with WordPress for Religion that lets you share your faith online

For a limited time Godinterest Sites will be offering free Pro upgrades for religious educational institutions worldwide.

For more information visit http://sites.godinterest.com

Note to Editors: To arrange an interview with Dean Jones, please contact Dean Jones at +44(0)7939024086 or via e-mail at pr@godinterest.com

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Young Christian bloggers

Young Christian bloggers

Some of the web’s most influential voices now belong to bloggers as young as 13.

“Kids often start writing blogs just for the hell of it,” says Sadie Stein, a contributing editor at the US online feminist fashion mag, Jezebel. “Sometimes it’s because they are feeling isolated in small conservative towns and want to connect with other kids; sometimes it’s because they have areas of specialised interest they want to share.”

We think it’s about time to make this official: 2018 is the year of the young‘uns.

We’ve invited children and young people to write for us on a regular basis. Their blogs can be about anything– popular culture, rights in their life, or the issues they care about in the world. We hope their work will mean more young people visit our website, so that they can learn more about the things that matter to them.

Godinterest is built with WordPress a software designed for everyone, emphasizing accessibility, performance, security, and ease of use. The basic WordPress software is simple and predictable so you can easily get started. It also offers powerful features for growth and success.

We believe in democratizing publishing and the freedoms that come with open source.


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Smartphones are paving way for the Antichrist, says head of Russian church

Russia Orthodox leader: The internet is the tool of the Antichrist

In a bold statement on Monday of Orthodox Christmas, Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, warned his congregants about putting too much trust in their smartphone. What spiritual leaders term “external forces” can track and control smartphone users where “location, interests, and fears” have been collected from their devices, a media report explained.

People’s dependence on smartphones and modern technology could bring about the coming of the Antichrist, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church has warned. 

Speaking to Russian state TV, Patriarch Kirill said smartphone users should be careful when using the “worldwide web of gadgets” because it represented “an opportunity to gain global control over mankind”. “The Antichrist is the person who will be at the head of the worldwide web, controlling all of humankind,” he said.

“The Antichrist is the person who will be at the head of the worldwide web, controlling all of humankind,” he said. 

Kirill said he was not against technology, only wary of the possibilities generated. “Control from one point is a sign of the coming of the Antichrist,” Kirill told government-run television network, according to the Moscow Times.

“The Antichrist is the personality who will be the world leader who controls all mankind. Thus, the structure itself presents a danger, ” he told television interviewers. He stated, “if we don’t want to approach the apocalypse, there shouldn’t be a single center (control and access).”

Worldwide Problems

The explosive growth of smart phones used on our earth is mind blowing. An estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide will use a smartphone by the end of 2019 according to research on the Statista website. And the latest statistical patterns do not show a decline. By 2020, according to emarketer.com, the smartphone user base will number 4.78 billion people, more than half the earth’s population. Whether people buy smartphones or not will depend on many factors, some of which might be budget problems. Some people who can’t afford to buy a device may be forced into using one because they follow their peers. There is also a question concerning the environment: Making a smartphone involves mining, and uses a number of precious metals that are in hard to reach places on the planet. Extracting these materials can damage large areas of land and place people – who live nearby in physical danger. Other environmental problems include spills of toxic chemicals and disruption to the planet’s ecosystem.

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – NOVEMBER 11: (AFP-OUT) Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill looks on during his meeting with Israel’s President Shimon Peres on November 11, 2012 at the President’s residence in Jerusalem, Israel. This is Kirill’s first visit to Israel since becoming head of the church in 2009. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner-Pool/Getty Images)

Kirill’s TV appearance on Monday came two days after the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was granted independence from the Russian Orthodox Church– a split that has been described as the largest in the Orthodox Christianity since the Orthodox church became independent from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054.

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A Change Is Gonna Come: Give Me That Old-Time Religion 15 Essential Gospel Hymns

Worship is in an extremely important component of the Christian life. As Christians, our whole lives should be a living sacrifice of worship to God, but undoubtedly, praise and thanksgiving through song play a big role (just look at Psalms). With the rise of Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) in the last 50 years or so, the previous popular choice for corporate worship time, hymns, have become less prominent in some circles.

The best Southern gospel songs are among the most beloved and enduring tunes in all of gospel music. You don’t have to be religious to be affected by the power of gospel music. After all, it influenced soul and R&B music – along with rock’n’roll legends the likes of Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones – and even Bob Dylan tried his hand at writing bona fide gospel songs.

What we need in the churches is the Holy Ghost and fire. We need what the old time saints had. That old time religion.   More than anything else they had a dedication to God. When they prayed you knew that God was there.

There have been times that I thought I couldn’t last for long
But now I think I’m able to carry on
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

Follow our Forever Gospel playlist for more of the most uplifting music you’ll ever hear.

 

[waveplayer ids=”17012,17013,17014,17015,17016,17017,17018,17019,17020,17023,17024,17025″]

 

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We Need to Take Jesus’ Metaphor of Being Born Again More Seriously

After Christ was baptised of John in Jordan the heavens were opened, and the light of the glory of God, brighter than the sun at noonday, shone from the eternal throne. The form of a dove encircled the Son of God, while a clear voice from the eternal was heard saying,
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Communication between heaven and earth, between God and man, had been broken by the fall of Adam; but through Christ man could again commune with God. How grateful should we be for the privileges which Christ has gained for us.

Baptism is for the committed    

All baptised Christians have made a covenant with Jesus, and claim to be His children. But do you live the Christ-life? Have you been seeking those things which are above? When you took your baptismal vows, we’re you truly dead to sin and to the world?

Baptism is for the responsible  

No one is amenable to the gospel of Christ who is incapable of assuming the responsibilities connected with conversion. Jesus taught that those who wish to follow him must be willing to separate from loved ones—even parents—if necessary. The New Testament symbolically represents our union with Christ as a “marriage” (see Rom. 7:4; Eph. 5:22). Those who are dead to sin and to the world should also be dead to fashion and pride, regularly contribute liberally to support the Christian mission field and spend nothing for selfish gratification. Does this sound like you?
“One’s relationship with the Son of God is the most important commitment he will ever have upon this earth.”

Baptism is for one who understands  

As God-fearing parents, we should lead our children to give their hearts to God when they are young. We should tell them our desire to see them converted and baptised, and then work to this end.
Those in whom Christ is abiding will never neglect the duties that they owe to their children. Fathers, mothers, come to the foot of the cross, saying,
“Lord, forgive me for failing to serve Thee and to render grateful praise to Thee for Thy loving-kindness to me. O Jesus, pardon me, and I will begin to live a new life, henceforth serving Thee alone.”

Be careful with arbitrary conclusions

No one can make a sweeping generalization regarding another’s baptism. No one is able to judge, based upon mere age.

Be prepared with gentleness

There is no doubt but that small children will, on occasion, request baptism—when it is readily apparent that they do not comprehend the gravity of the situation.

Remember that our children are not are own, but that they, too, have been “bought with a price,” and that they are to be prepared for a home in heaven. A crown of glory will be placed upon the head of every victorious parent and every victorious child. The gates of the beautiful city will be opened for the entrance of both faithful parents and obedient children. In that day it will be the privilege of faithful parents to say,

“Behold I and the children which God hath given me are saved by grace.”

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Find God in Prayer

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29

There are two kinds of prayer – the prayer of form and the prayer of faith. 

The repetition of set, customary phrases when the heart feels no need of God, is formal prayer. We should be extremely careful in all our prayers to speak the wants of the heart and to say only what we mean. All the flowery words at our command are not equivalent to one holy desire. The most eloquent prayers are but vain repetitions if they do not express the true sentiments of the heart. But the prayer that comes from an earnest heart, when the simple wants of the soul are expressed just as we would ask an earthly friend for a favor, expecting that it would be granted – this is the prayer of faith. The publican who went up to the temple to pray is a good example of a sincere, devoted worshiper. He felt that he was a sinner, and his great need led to an outburst of passionate desire, 

“God be merciful to me a sinner.”

After we have offered our petitions, we are to answer them ourselves as far as possible, and not wait for God to do for us what we can do for ourselves. The help of God is held in reserve for all who demand it. Divine help is to be combined with human effort, aspiration, and energy. But we cannot reach the battlements of heaven without climbing for ourselves. We cannot be borne up by the prayers of others when we ourselves neglect to pray; for God has made no such provision for us. The unlovely traits in our characters are not removed, and replaced by traits that are pure and lovely, without some effort on our part.

In our efforts to follow the copy set us by our Lord, we shall make crooked lines. Yet let us not cease our efforts. Temporary failure should make us lean more heavily on Christ.

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Britain Is No Longer a Christian Country and Should be Systematically de-Christianized, Panel Said

London Mayor Boris Johnson has said £1.3tn of investment is needed over the next 35 years in order for London to retain its world class status

LONDON — Nearly two years ago, the “Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life” published a report on the role of religion in society. The paper made it clear that Britain is no longer a Christian country in any meaningful sense and should be systematically de-Christianized due to the decline of church-going and the rise of Islam and other beliefs.

Britain Is No Longer A Christian Country

The commission has attracted particular controversy because of the authority of those behind it. Patrons include Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury; Lord Woolf, the former chief justice; and Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the former general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain.

“Britain is no longer a Christian country and should stop acting as if it is, a major inquiry into the place of religion in modern society concluded in 2015, provoking a furious backlash from ministers and the Church of England.”

The report triggered a argument as it was condemned by cabinet ministers as “seriously misguided,” while the Church of England said it appeared to have been “hijacked” by humanists.

Remarkably, the overall decline of religion in Britain has coincided with the arrival of three million migrants who tend to have more religious belief than British Christians. In particular, the visual impact of Islam, most obviously expressed in the proposal for a 9,000-capacity ‘super-mosque’ in east London that was rejected by planners about 18 months ago, might give the impression that migration has brought a religious revival to Britain.

You Can’t Throw the Baby Out With the Bathwater

Inevitably, the question of what is to be done about our national Christian institutions will soon arise. Is it appropriate that we are still invited to swear on the Bible in court?

Down The Inquiry Rabbit Hole

The Commission on Religion and Belief in Public Life document said that faith schools are “socially divisive” and the selection of children on the basis of their beliefs should be phased out. The report claimed that the number of Church of England bishops in the Lords should be replaced with imams, rabbis and other non-other non-Christian clerics as well as evangelical pastors. The report also backde moves to cut the number of Church of England bishops in the Lords and give places to imams, rabbis and other non-other non-Christian clerics as well as evangelical pastors. It also recommended that the coronation service for the monarch ought to be overhauled to include other faiths and that thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4’s should include non-religious messages. And it recommended new protections for women in Sharia courts and other religious tribunals — including a call for the government to consider requiring couples who have a non-legally binding religious marriage also to have a civil registration. Most controversially, perhaps, the report also called for a rethink of anti-terror policy, including allowing students to voice radical views on campus without fear of being reported to the security services.

Some will find this sad, others as a sign of progress, but the greater majority will view it with indifference.

Educating The Public

Given all that, why do Christians in the country have so much political and educational power?

“England has an established Church. Its bishops sit in the House of Lords. The Queen is both head of state and also supreme governor of the Church of England. One of the monarch’s titles is Defender of the Faith.”

Because of this, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has told the Daily Telegraph that claims the UK was not a Christian country ignored “both historical and constitutional reality”, its not fact.  The Bible features heavily in the architecture and decoration of the Houses of Parliament, paying silent tribute to its significance in English jurisprudence. Most British law is ultimately derived from the codes of law within the Bible, of which the Ten Commandments is pre-eminent.

“The Equality of All People Before The Law is Another of The Bibles Legacies.”

In short the social institutions and safeguards, as well as many of the benefits people take for granted, were supported by the understanding of human life which was found within the Bible. In this sense, the foundations of Britain’s culture and society can truly be said to be biblical.

The report is dominated by the old-fashioned view that traditional religion is declining in importance and that non-adherence to a religion is the same as humanism or secularism.

Today, as people are facing ever more clearly the perceived threats of global war, the Bible, with its vision of man’s position within creation and responsibility under God to care properly for it, still has a major contribution to make to the future of all humankind.

 

 

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Anja Ringgren Lovn Reveals the Story of Heartbreaking Starving Child in Nigeria

Godinterest  reveals the story behind the heartbreaking image  shared on social media almost one year ago of an aid worker photographed giving water to a severely emaciated child.

Anja Ringgren Lovn, the founder of the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation (ACAEDF), received a phone call about a two to three-year-old boy who had been abandoned by his family.  Anja Ringgren Lovn  gave water to the child, but was accused of being a witch.

 Toddler was found emaciated and riddled with worms by a charity worker  

Anja said: “When we heard that the child was only two to three years old we did not hesitate as a  child that young cannot survive a long time alone on the streets. We immediately prepared a rescue mission.”

Hope is a  casualty  of a much larger superstition problem in Nigeria

Hope  had to have a blood transfusion and be treated for worms, but is now  in a stable condition and is being cared for by Anja.  Hope is just one of many children who Anja has dedicated her life to helping. Four years ago, Anja decided to set up a charity in Nigeria to support children who had been accused of being witches – a casualty  of Nigeria’s much larger superstition problem.

Hope was weak and in bad health when he was found

Anja  said: “I travelled alone to Nigeria where I met children who had been abused and beaten almost to death because they were accused of witchcraft and therefore left alone to die.  What I saw was barbaric and terrible and it left a deep impression on me.  That’s why I decided to sell everything I owned in Denmark to devote my time and life to help ‘witch children’ in Nigeria.  Anja and her partner, David now runs a children’s home for young people accused of witchcraft and  have 34 children living in their care, all of whom have been accused of witchcraft.

Anja said: “When children are being tortured and abused and left alone on the street, it gives a child a lot of terrible trauma they carry around inside.  Being rejected by your own family must be the worst feeling a child can experience, and I don’t believe that anyone can imagine how that must feel like.  Education is the key in the fight against superstition.”

Heartbreaking images were shared on social media two months ago of the Nigerian toddler, named Hope,
Heartbreaking images were shared on social media two months ago of the Nigerian toddler, named Hope,

On Tuesday, January 31, having made a miraculous recovery, the now healthy-looking youngster set off to embark on his education in a strapping red outfit. And to celebrate the milestone, Loven re-created the iconic image of her, encouraging him to drink from a bottle of water.

Hope, two, from Nigeria, is ‘really enjoying life now’, his rescuer Anja said.

According to UNICEF, belief in witchcraft is widespread in Africa, and those most likely to be accused are boys with physical deformities or conditions such as autism. The Washington Post reported that in the southwestern Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom, there are an estimated 15,000 children who have been labeled witches and abandoned on the streets.
According to UNICEF, belief in witchcraft is widespread in Africa, and those most likely to be accused are boys with physical deformities or conditions such as autism. The Washington Post reported that in the southwestern Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom, there are an estimated 15,000 children who have been labeled witches and abandoned on the streets.

African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation (ACAEDF)  works to ensure that all children in the southern Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom have the opportunity to go to school.  

 

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Christian Prayers Along Polish Border Called “Anti-Muslim”

Fighting for the right to pray. Has the media converted to Islam?

Tens of thousands of Catholics in Poland prayed together on Saturday 8th October along the country’s 2,000 mile border and prayed for salvation an act viewed by some as anti-Muslim.

People have said that if the roles were reversed and Muslims were praying at the border, some claim that these same media outlets would be weeping and moved to tears.”

A devotee takes part in a rosary prayer on the Baltic beach in Gdansk, Poland, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. Polish Catholics are holding rosaries and praying together at hundreds of locations along Poland’s 3,500-kilometer (2,000-mile) border, appealing to the Virgin Mary and God for peace in Poland and in the world. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

Godinterest has learned that more than 300 churches supported the event. The organisers stated that the prayer event marked the centenary of the apparitions of Fatima, when three shepherd children in Portugal said the Virgin Mary appeared to them. People take part in a mass rosary prayer, asked God ‘to save Poland and the world’ from the the dangers facing them.

But, the news agency reported, the event also commemorated a large battle in the 16th century, which organizers said saved Europe from Islamization  (also spelled Islamisation, in Arabic: أسÙ”žÃ™”¦Ã˜©’Ž’Ž aslamah), a process of a society’s shift towards Islam, such as found in Sudan, Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia, or Algeria. Fears of Islam were echoed by those in attendance.

“Islam wants to destroy Europe,” Halina Kotarska, 65, told the associated press as she prayed and clutched a rosary. They want to turn us away from Christianity.”

Critics of the event said praying along the border could be seen as celebrating the country’s refusal to accept Muslim migrants, according to the BBC.

Rafal Pankowski, an expert on xenophobia and extremism told the BBC the prayers seemed like a way to express Islamophobia.

“The whole concept of doing it on the borders reinforces the ethno-religious, xenophobic model of national identity,” Pankowski told the news organization.

But organizers say they chose the border because it symbolized wanting to “encompass the world with prayer,” the BBC reported. Nearly 90 percent of the country is Catholic.

“It’s a really serious thing for us,” said Basia Sibinska, who traveled with her daughter Kasia from Kalisz in central Poland. “Rosaries to the border means that we want to pray for our country. That was a main motive for us to come here. We want to pray for peace, we want to pray for our safety. Of course, everyone comes here with a different motivation. But the most important thing is to create something like a circle of a prayer alongside the entire border, intense and passionate.”

 

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7 Faith Based Christian Movies Not to Miss This Year

Traditionally, faith-based films were saddled with microscopic budgets and unable to draw big-name talent, either in front of or behind the camera. However  in recent years there has been some extremely well-made and executed movies  with religion as a theme that have received a lot of press and positive feedback from traditionally harsher critics and viewers.

Finally faith-based films have been able to get the budgets, star power, and wide releases necessary to compete on the national level.

Films studios have created departments geared towards producing such faith-based entertainment, such as Sony’s Affirm Films, which released “War Room,” “Miracles from Heaven,” and “Risen”.

Here’s a list of the seven more notable faith-based films scheduled for release this year.

Hacksaw Ridge

 

“An old-fashioned story that Gibson mainlines with bleeding-edge craft and technique.”

Mel Gibson returns to his religious roots with this true life story of Desmond Doss, as conscientious objector who enlists as a medic and saves the lives of 75 without ever touching a gun. With intense battle sequences and an epic scope, Hacksaw Ridge places Mel Gibson back on the same firm cinematic ground as films like The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.

Hacksaw Ridge DVD release was the 22nd May 2017.

The Shack  

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After suffering a family tragedy, Mack Phillips spirals into a deep depression that causes him to question his innermost beliefs. Facing a crisis of faith, he receives a mysterious letter urging him to an abandoned shack in the Oregon wilderness. Despite his doubts, Mack journeys to the shack and encounters an enigmatic trio of strangers led by a woman named Papa. Through this meeting, Mack finds important truths that will transform his understanding of his tragedy and change his life forever.  With star turns from Sam Worthington (Avatar) and Octavia Spencer (The Help).

“The Shack promises to be the Christian cinema event of the year.”

The Case for Christ

THE CASE FOR CHRIST

Lee Strobel’s investigation into the real evidence of Jesus’ life and death has been a touchstone of belief for readers the world over; it touches on the honesty of searching for meaning, and the challenges of what is confronted. Taking the story of Strobel’s journalistic pursuit, the film studio Pure Flix have crafted a cinematic and thrilling chase of one man’s Case for Christ.

Coming to DVD 29th September 2017

Do You Believe?

The creators of God’s Not Dead have changed lanes somewhat.When a pastor is shaken by the visible faith of a street-corner preacher, he is reminded that true belief always requires action. His response ignites a journey that impacts everyone it touches in ways that only God could orchestrate.

The Do You Believe UK DVD release date is 28 July 2017.

The Star

An animated nativity story, “The Star” follows a small but brave donkey who, with the help of other animal friends, becomes an unsung hero in the Christmas story. There is little known about the film for now except that “The Muppet” creators Brian and Lisa Henson from The Jim Henson Company will be producing the film and Oprah Winfrey will be one of the voice talents.

Same Kind of Different As Me

The film is about an international art dealer who builds an uncanny relationship with a homeless man in order to save his struggling marriage. The movie stars Greg Kinnear and Rene Zellweger. “Same Kind Of Different As Me”is based on a true story.

Silence

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silence-neeson

Breakout artist Andrew Garfield stars in this film about  two Christian priests’ quest to find their mentor in 17th-century Japan is sometimes hard work, but is full of conviction

“The film tackles themes of religious persecution, cultural differences and the “real price” of spreading the Gospel. The movie was released last January.”

The movie has received significant praise after getting an accumulated critics score of 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Be warned the content is strong and may not be suitable for younger or more sensitive viewers.

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone

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Director Dallas Jenkins brings to us this Christian comedy drama. Former child star Gavin Stone (Brett Dalton) must perform 200 hours of community service after trashing a hotel in his Illinois hometown.

“Temptation strikes when Stone learns that the church he’s assigned to clean is staging a lavish religious production.”

After landing the lead role of Jesus Christ,  Gavin finds himself drawn to the show’s director (Anjelah Johnson-Reyes), a young woman who also happens to be the daughter of the affable pastor (D.B. Sweeney).

 

 

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Jesus

ORLANDO, Fla. — Sight & Sound Theatres has brought epic Bible stories to life with their productions over the past 40 years and now for the first time they will present the powerful story of “Jesus” at their Lancaster, Pennsylvania stage.

Sight & Sound Brand Manager Dean Sell spoke to The Christian Post at Proclaim 17, NRB’s International Christian Media Convention last week where he exclusively revealed to The Christian Post that the show would be coming to Lancaster next year for the first time in the theatre company’s history.

“The brand-new epic show coming to the Lancaster theatre in 2018 is going to be ‘Jesus,'” he whispered, as the news hadn’t yet been shared with anyone outside of the company.

“It’s going to be a really unique take on the story, and the focus really is on it being a story of rescue and love that rescues,” he said. “[It will highlight] learning to understand the character of who He was through getting to know the characters around Him  — understanding who people were before they had an encounter with Him [Jesus] and who they became afterwards.”

“Jesus” coming to Lancaster theatres in 2018 is not the only big news for Sight & Sound. On May 2, one of their popular musical dramas will be featured on the silver screen in movie theaters nationwide for a special one-night presentation of “JONAH: On Stage!”

“Jonah” will reach 604 screens from Honolulu, Hawaii, to New York and everywhere in between.

“As a creative company we’re always looking for ways to continue to do what we’re called to do, which is to bring stories to life,” Sell told CP. “As we continue to grow and our theatre seats continue to be filled, we keep asking ourselves the question, ‘How do we reach more people if our theatres are full?’ We also recognize that there are a lot of people who love the Sight & Sound experience but can’t always make it to Lancaster or Branson.”

For more than four decades, Sight & Sound has provided biblically-based entertainment for over 22 million people at their Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Branson, Missouri, performance theatres. In the past 10 years, the company started filming their live shows and making DVDs, but Sell believes God was preparing them for something more.

“God works in mysterious ways. As we look back, we see that he was preparing us for this next step in our journey. When the opportunity presented itself we felt, ‘Man, this feels like a really natural next step for us,'” he said.

Sell wanted to assure people that the live experience of their productions and the theatrical premiere are two different experiences, both great in their own right.

“The Sight & Sound experience is really unique. Big Bible stories coming to life in a way that you can’t experience anywhere else. It’s on a panoramic stage that surrounds the audience on three sides and there’s action happening. Not just on the stage but out onto the audience with live animals. So, when you’re sitting in the theatre, there is nothing like it,” he explained.

“However, when you are watching it on the screen it does really feel like you were there and it’s a different kind of experience — you get the intimate experience of seeing the actors up close and you wouldn’t be able to have that if you’re sitting live in a theatre.”

When asked what he wants people to take away from the theatrical experience of “Jonah,” Sell said: “We hope that this will be a really nice night out for families. That they would have a shared experience through Bible stories. We believe that there is something for everyone in [“Jonah”] and our hope is that it would be a universally appealing. It’s relevant, it’s meaningful no matter your experience in the past or where you’re at in your journey.”

For tickets and more information, click here.

 

 

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