“I did nothing” – and saved the world
There once was a man who was simply doing his job as he best understood it – but was vilified by his countrymen for not fulfilling their expectations of his duty. He kept his cool when emotions were running high. His political masters expected one thing in the circumstances, but he did another. A self-effacing […]
HEADLINE news: Dawkins to debate a Christian!
On October 3rd, a fascinating debate will take place in (of all places) Birmingham, Alabama. (The details are on the Fixed-Point billboard). Prof Richard Dawkins (aka ‘Darwin’s Rottweiler) will debate Dr John Lennox. Obviously, John has nothing like Dawkins’ profile, but is a fellow Oxford University teacher and is a mathematician and science philosopher, and […]
micah challenge – what reasons NOT to?
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To ACT JUSTLY and to LOVE MERCY and to WALK HUMBLY with your God. (Micah 6:8) 23rd Sept was our annual World Needs Sunday at All Souls. A challenging day, needless to say. Chris Wright in particular was […]
Before and after – the blossoming “sin” service industries
Was struck by two separate news items in the last couple of weeks or so. But then of course, the market will always adapt to make money from newly identified ‘needs’. 1. The €19 Alibi – for when life gets complicated (Report: Guardian – Wed 12th Sept) Life would be so much easier if […]
Zimbabwe: a despotic shrug, but at least things are happening
Making a stand It’s always difficult to join a bandwagon – but then, if that bandwagon is heading in the right direction, then not to join it is itself problematic. So good to see Gordon Brown making a strong stand for the EU-AU summit (yesterday) Also inevitable to see Mugabe shrugging it off (today) Also, […]
haikus – the art of being succinct
came across this the other day on a random stumble. There is nothing i love more than potent succinctity (i just wish thatwere a word – it says so much more than succinctness). The ability to convey complexity in a just few words or paragraphs is a gift (please note, i am NOT talking about […]
Zimbabwe: spot the difference
Following Doc Mtusi’s brilliant apologia pro vita sua (see previous post), i was concerned that this blog was all getting a bit too heavy. We all need to let our hair down from time to time. So let’s play a game. It is a game for all the family. It requires sharp observation skills as […]
the God I don’t understand – an awesome series
We’ve just had the joy of a 3-sermon series by Chris Wright at All Souls over the last 3 Sunday nights. It is entitled THE GOD I DON’T UNDERSTAND, in which he takes 3 hot potatoes about which there is much confusion and panic. In fact, these are dry runs for a book that Chris […]
Zimbabwe lunacy – “fasting is actually good for you”
This is about a month and a half old – but only had it brought to my attention by this week’s THE WEEK (for the uninitiated, The Week is a seminal publication, reducing journalists’ blather and waffle into a manageable read). In SA’s CAPE TIMES newspaper back in July, there was an interview with an […]
Hangovers – “the flaw in paganism”
nice little twist here from the caustic pen of Dorothy Parker. it’s something too many hedonists and ‘happy pagans’ perhaps forget – the interruption of reality; the drizzle of a grey morning after. The Flaw In Paganism Drink and dance and laugh and lie, Love, the reeling midnight through, For tomorrow we shall die! (But, […]
US election – they DO do God
This is an interesting website – because the Americans DO do God when they vote. Not that we get to cast anything in this election, despite the fact that it affects us all…
Spy, Traitor/Whistle-blower, Conspiracy Theorist, Mystic, Messiah – the peculiar world of David Shayler
This is very weird indeed. Remember David Shayler from a few years back? MI5 operative who came in from the cold to reveal all. Well now he’s claiming to be the Messiah. The news blew in August and he was interviewed in the Times and here on Channel 4 news – but i only got […]
