eChurch Blog

The Guardian has an article entitled: Anti-abortion bid in disarray as critics rally, in which they seek to identify the organisations that support Nadine Dorries, and how they are funded.

Within the article Peter Saunders is mentioned:

Dorries confirmed that her campaign was being advised by Dr Peter Saunders of the Christian Medical Fellowship, a lobby group which says that more than 4,000 doctors are members, and “a number” of other organisations, including “one that runs crisis pregnancy centres”, but she refused to either name them or describe their role.

Peter sought to post a comment on the Guardian piece last night; however, at 22:50 Peter noted on his blog:

Now 2250 and 138 comments in two hours largely from rabid pro-abortionists but still no sign of mine. Off to bed.

I asked Peter this morning if his comment had now been published and he confirmed to me that:

I have just checked again at 0950. My comments have still not been posted although 343 others have. When I log in there is a note on the page in red to say that my comments are premoderated – so yes this is deliberate censorship of me personally.

Isn’t the Guardian pathetic. I don’t know why their moderation tactics surprise me, as I follow the blog CIFWatch and witness the same behaviour meted out to those who would seek to support Israel.

It’s still unclear as to whether Peter’s comment will eventually be published; even if is, then the delay will ensure that most folk won’t ever read it.

Here is the offending comment lifted from Peter’s blog:

The above article creates the impression that Dorries/Field, by trying to ensure that women get an offer of counseling independent from the publicly-funded abortion industry, would be forcing them out of the ‘market’. The reality is that they already have an unassailable stranglehold on it.

In 1991 the NHS funded 9,197 abortions carried out by the private sector in England and Wales. By 2010 that figure had risen to 111,775 – an increase of over 1100%. In 1991 the NHS funded 10% of abortions carried out by the private sector. By 2010 that figure had risen to 93% – a total of over £60 million of taxpayers money was paid out. The growth of NHS-funded but privately-provided abortions (BPAS/MSI etc) entirely accounted for this increase.

In addition every accredited pregnancy advice bureau is already linked to this industry and advised by the RCOG whose members carry out most abortions.

This sort of monopoly would not be tolerated in any other ‘service’ area but it is precisely this status quo that Cameron under the influence of Clegg/Harris/Unions has sought to cement to the cheers of the Guardian and the criticism of the Telegraph.

How private abortion providers gained a stranglehold on taxpayer-funded abortions under the last government – http://bit.ly/qyc49A

Abortion raises risk of mental health problems by 81% says major new review – http://bit.ly/o9n60U

Amendment giving women option of independent abortion counseling is a step in the right direction – http://bit.ly/pj5D4C

Evan Harris outwits David Cameron in abortion about-face to appease powerful pro-abortion lobby – http://bit.ly/osSU5X

The Bible is in a sense a biography of God in this world. In it the Indescribable One has in a sense described Himself.

SOURCE

Love it. Details here.

[....] In many ways, he found exactly what you would expect: that educated people are less religious. For example, they are less likely to say that any one religion has ‘the Truth’, they’re less likely to think that the Bible is the actual word of a god. They’re less likely to think that you should follow religious teachings, and more likely to oppose praying and Bible reading in school.

On the other hand, educated people are more likely to read the Bible and to pray frequently. They’re more likely to go to Church and do voluntary religious work, and less likely to say that religious leaders should stay out of politics. And although they switch among religious affiliations, they are no more likely to switch out of a religious affiliation altogether. They still say they belong.

What this tells is is that educated Americans are more liberal and open-minded in their religious beliefs, but more dutiful and community oriented. That’s pretty much what you would expect.

But what about the nub of the matter – actual belief in God? Well, here’s where it gets a little bit more complicated – and where I start to disagree with Schwadel’s conclusions.

[.....]

we can’t really be sure that educated people aren’t less likely to believe. It may simply be that the sample of non-believers was not big enough for us to tell.

Now, this doesn’t mean that education is linked to disbelief, but it does suggest that any link is complicated. That’s not too surprising because there’s an awful lot of variability in what you get when you sign up for ‘education’, after all.

Some colleges are overtly religious, of course. But more important than the nature of the college is the nature of the subject and the nature of the experiences. Other studies have shown that the studying humanities is particularly likely to lead to loss of belief.

It ain’t that education leads to loss of belief. It’s more opening your mind to other perspectives that does it!

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On Wednesday, Britain’s Charity Commission announced the issuance of new, more detailed guidelines under the Equality Act 2010 clarifying when charities may restrict their benefits to persons on the basis of their religion, gender, age and various other protected characteristics.

The Guidance (full text) has special rules for charities that limit their benefits to members of a particular religion. A “religious or belief organization” can restrict membership, participation in their activities, the services they provide or use of their premises on the basis of a person’s religion, belief or sexual orientation, if certain conditions are met.

This type of restriction may be imposed only to comply with the organization’s doctrines, or to avoid conflict with the religious-based convictions of many of the organization’s followers. However, these limitations may not be invoked by an organization that is wholly or mainly commercial.  Also, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is not permitted when an organization is providing a service on behalf of a public authority under contract with it. Yesterday’s Guardian reported on the new Guidance document.

SOURCE

I was going to write a sniggering little piece revolving around the fact that pentecostal televangelist and self-professed prophetess, Juanita Bynum, has been praying in tongues online.

Here’s an example:

“Heavenly Father, BFBXFC BVRVBVBBRX”

As I read about this, I actually laughed out loud. My cunning plan was to highlight this absurdity and note this new gift of typing in tongues.

Well, I was stopped in my tracks as I read this Wiki piece on Glossolalia, which states:

Glossolalia or speaking in tongues is the fluid vocalizing (or, less commonly, the writing) of speech-like syllables, often as part of religious practice.

Or written? Who knew? It would seem that Bynum is doing nothing new after all.

I don’t know about you, but this is quite a revelation to me. Then again, perhaps I should put my cards on the table and confess that I don’t believe in glossolalia, but do accept xenolalia.

“The classical liberal is, of course, entirely correct to assert that belief in the objective existence of God is fully compatible with philosophical and scientific analysis, and that God operates in and through any scientifically investigable process. But such belief can never be restricted to such analysis, nor can that operation be limited to any one or more such processes. Scientific facts cannot be the objects of faith; one is simply obliged to accept them. Likewise, it is thoroughly orthodox to assert that some sort of experience of God underlies each of the great, or indeed small, theistic religious traditions in so far as any such tradition approximates to Christianity, as well as to recognise that His Natural Law is the root cause of similarities to Christian morality in other ethical systems. It is also the case that the full humanity of Jesus Christ must be emphasised most strongly while at the same time asserting that He was the man fully conscious of God in the way that we are all partially capable of being. However, the humanity of Christ must never be allowed to detract from His divinity, any more than vice versa, and a mere ‘degree Christology’ fails to satisfy humanity’s need for a Saviour who is at once God and Man.”

SOURCE

In an apparent infringement on personal privacy legislation and in defiance of laws preventing incitement, an anonymous group has taken to distributing flyers “naming and shaming” Messianic Jews (Christians) living in the Jerusalem-area town of Mevaseret Zion.

The personal details of some 10 people, including photographs and home addresses, are displayed on the flyer, which was delivered to hundreds of households in the town of 30,000 residents.

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I read all manner of obscure stuff online relating to the church, but rarely do I come across an announcement that sounds like it could have been lifted from the pages of the Church Fathers.

As far as I can make out, this is announcing that Orthodox Patriarchs will meet to discuss the Middle East and announce a synod.

Anyway, see what you make of it; to me it’s like white noise, but then I’ve had a few Carlsbergs:

“At the invitation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who is also presiding over deliberations, the Synaxis of Heads of the Ancient Patriarchates and the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus is convening at the Phanar from September 1-2, 2011. The Synaxis will be personally attended by Their Beatitudes, Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, who are arriving today in Istanbul. Patriarch Igantius of Antioch, who ultimately was unable to participate, although he was the first among all invited Patriarchs to accept the invitation to attend the Synaxis, will be represented by His Grace Bishop Isaac of Apameia.

“Their Beatitudes the Patriarchs, the Archbishop of Cyprus and his hierarchal entourage, as well as the representative of the Patriarch of Antioch will concelebrate with His All-Holiness and the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne during the Divine Liturgy to be held on Thursday, September 1, 2011, on the occasion of the feast of the Indiction.  They will also sign the relevant Act prepared for the beginning of the new ecclesiastical year.

“The sessions of the Synaxis will begin on the evening of September 1 at the venerable Patriarchal Church of the Phanar and will focus on the state of the most holy Orthodox Churches in the Middle East at this time, as well as on Orthodox affairs in general, including the matter of the way toward the Holy and Great Synod of the most holy Orthodox Church.”

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This news will make many Catholic folk I know very happy indeed:

Support group says it lacks the resources to take its case to the charity tribunal

Catholic Women’s Ordination has dropped its appeal against the Charity Commission’s refusal to register it as a charity.

The regulator ruled in May that the group, which supports women in the Catholic church and campaigns for the ordination of women as priests, could not be granted charitable status.

In June, CWO appealed against this to the charity tribunal, arguing that its work provided a public benefit by advancing the Christian faith. It said the regulator had overestimated the scale of its campaigning work and underestimated its other work in supporting female lay members of the Catholic church.

But the group has dropped its appeal because of worries about the time and effort that would be required to argue its case before the tribunal.

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