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• Awareness Test
  on Sep 10, 2011 in awareness test humour bear provocative
  Seen it before but still funny:Happy Saturday...
• Lacoste - Image is all
  on Sep 10, 2011 in world gone mad lacoste Brevik
  A news snippet on the radio this morning stated that the French clothing brand, Lacoste, has asked the Norwegian police to make sure Anders Brevik doesn't wear anything bearing their logo when he appears in court!Seems that not all publicity is good...
• The role of education - Obama
  on Sep 9, 2011 in education unemployment recession prayer vocation
  Delivering a speech on the state of the US of A, the President delivered a couple of interesting thought, the first (speaking of putting teachers back into work) seemed to sum up the role of education as the process that delivers earning potential. I...
• In Lotto we trust!
  on Sep 9, 2011 in Lotto culture comment forlorn hope misplaced hope
  Walking back in to the Vicar's Palace this morning I said 'good morning' to a young lady who was approaching. As I did I noticed she was busy scratching away at one of the Lotto products and so I asked if she did it often.The response was, "Every mor...
• Baha Mousa - As I see it
  on Sep 8, 2011 in Baha Mousa Core Values British Forces
  I am already tired of the number of people who assume that being part of the British Armed forces is synonymous with being brutal, engaging in torture and engaging in what are, to be frank, 'war crimes'.Within the British Army there is a culture that...
• If it isn't literal . .
  on Sep 8, 2011 in snake oil salesman Ken Ham evolution literal days of creation literalsit
  Then you isn't Christian (apparently!!!)Engaged in a conversation this afternoon with an intense young man over the issue of evolution and creation the conversation turned to whether or not I was a literalist. When I asked what this meant I was met w...
• On being watchmen
  on Sep 7, 2011 in Watchman confronting sin
  Last Sunday's readings from the Lectionary brought into focus three key points:1. The time to Jesus' return is getting nearer,2. We need to be alert and discharge our duty as Watchmen, and3. Being Christlike is to be reconciling not standing on our o...
• Crime and effective punishment
  on Sep 6, 2011 in police intelligence riots criminal justice Ken Clarke penal
  Working on the theory that Rowan probably won't be racing to respond to Ken Clarke's comments regarding the recent riots as a 'legacy of broken penal system' I thought I'd have a go. Undoubtedly my words will be less erudite and, hopefully, more acce...
• Wrong Worship
  on Sep 6, 2011 in humour worship
  If we are what we eat perhaps we might also be what we sing too?Enjoy...
• C-Section - Customer's Right to Choose?
  on Sep 6, 2011 in caesarian section NICE elective surgery right to choose
  In what has to be one of the more bizarre stories I have come across lately I understand that the NHS watchdog is looking at giving women the option to have a Caesarean regardless of whether or not medical need exists. At last all women will have the...
• Removing imagination from reading
  on Sep 5, 2011 in corrupting language talking books Christian music sound effects education English literature electronic books
  I was watching an interesting news item last week regarding electronic books and the addition of soundtracks and sound effects to them. What made the news piece more interesting was the cry, in unison, from our four children that such a feature would...
• Communication - then and now
  on Sep 5, 2011 in humour Comedy Media Communication
  I thought this was an amazing astute (and funny) cartoon:...
• Parenting - it's about responsibilities
  on Sep 5, 2011 in Children's Act 1984 parenting obesity fostered without contact adoption common sense social workers
  I was pleasantly unsurprised by the social worker who appeared on Radio Four this morning over the potential removal into care of four of their children from their parents because they were 'too fat'! The four children (aged 1, 3, 7 & 11)  f...
• Alert, Loving and Reconciling Watchmen
  on Sep 4, 2011 in rule of life restoration Christian renewing repentance reconciliation caring loving one another alert
  All too often we find the Matthew passage used as an almost legalistic procedure for bringing a member of the community that is Church to book and yet it is not condemnation and expulsion (as we also find in 1 Corinthians 5) but reconciliation that i...
• On being an Apologist
  on Aug 30, 2011 in giving an answer. apologetics Apologist
  Being an Apologist means never having to say 'sorry' I don't have an answer!The opening words of a lecture I attended many years back remain with me as challenge and reassurance. An 'apology' (Gk. 'apologia') is to give an answer or defence for who w...
• New Missal - second thoughts?
  on Aug 29, 2011 in Roman Missal 2011 opposition
  Actually - no!Met an old couple who attend the local RC franchise and guess what? They weren't bothered by the changes either!Mind you, rather reassuringly, it does seem that there is opposition from some quarters over the changes. Phew!
• Football in a nutshell
  on Aug 28, 2011 in humour football despair definition Church
  A great definition of football which applies equally well to Church:"football - a game with twenty-two men in need of a rest watched by sixty-eight thousand in need of exercise!"Pax...
• New Roman Missal - A Catholic BCP?
  on Aug 28, 2011 in Roman Missal 2011 Liturgy
  "I pray that the change will serve as a springboard for a renewal and a deepening of Eucharistic devotion all over the English-speaking world"Pope Benedict XVIWith these words the new Missal is launched, but it's a long way from the Common Worship of...
• Teaching our children - People vs Possessions
  on Aug 27, 2011 in happiness education calling duty making money
  I have received a missive from someone who describes themselves as an educator who takes offence at what I have written. Have a read (seems I might have touched a nerve):"The role of education is to equip our young people to be effective an...
• Ideals are great when you're young
  on Aug 26, 2011 in ambitions goals work ideals ecumenism. integrity
  Speaking to someone about what you in life and how you regard study I was drawn back to a conversation with a passionate young ecologist whose dream was to go to university and then get out and change the world. As time progressed and the 'A' Levels...