As the English nation waits to see whether or not their bid to host the 2018 World Cup succeeds or fails an interesting debate has begun on Principle v Pragmatism.
Recent newspapers articles and a BBC Panorama documentary have cast a shadow over the bid as they have called into question the integrity of some of the members of the FIFA committee who will determine success or failure for the English Football Association.
It has been interesting to listen to the debate as it has raged over the airwaves on radio phone-in shows and television studios. Essentially, there are two sides to the debate. Those who believe that, on point of principle, journalists are just right to expose wrong doing wherever it is found. Running contrary to that there are others who believe that we ought to 'park' principle, at least until the outcome of the bid is decided. Those who take this second view offer the pragmatic reasoning that a successful bid would be good for the economy not to mention the mood of the nation.
So who is right? Is principle more important or are their times when we should forget about principles for the perceived common good? These are not new questions or arguments and we all have to face situations in life where we decide what are our principles? Where are our lines in the sand? These questions can arise in Church life, in home life, in business life and not to mention in political life.
On one extreme there are stubborn people who make a principle out of all of their opinions and cannot be worked with and on the other side there are those without principle who would sell their 'proverbial granny' if it meant they could get their hands on a few more pounds.
As with all situations in life, if we need to make big decisions, if we need to decide what our principles are then we need to seek guidance in God's Word. The Bible read and illuminated with the help of God's Spirit is the best guide for all the eventualities of life.
The Lord Jesus Christ when praying for His followers asked His Heavenly Father to 'Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.' John 17 v17 How good it is to know that in an uncertain world full of untruth and deceit that we have a place we can turn to where we are sure to get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In the previous chapter of John the Lord Jesus promised that 'when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth:' So not only do we have the Bible, the book of truth, but we have God's Spirit, the Spirit of truth to guide us in all the decisions of life. Are we employing these resources?
So back to our original question, principle or pragmatism? Well, it is not for me to decide your principles for you. You need to employ the resources mentioned above and come to decide where you will draw your lines in the sand. There are things in life where we can compromise and be flexible, however, there are times when principle is more important, even if that means that we scupper something that may be of material benefit to ourselves and others.
May God guide you as you seek truth.
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Friday, 26 November 2010
Are you HAPPY?
This is the question that our government intends to ask us in the future. Prime Minister David Cameron announced yesterday that the nation will no longer measure it’s performance solely on GDP but rather in the future they want also to measure our level of ‘well being’. It seems that our Prime Minister has come to realise that increased wealth and increased happiness are not necessarily related. To be fair to the man I at least applaud him for coming to this realisation although I wonder how they hope to accurately measure it. I suppose one measure will be his majority or otherwise after the next general election.
For years the people of our nation have been labouring under the misapprehension that increased wealth means increased happiness. This has manifested itself in rampant materialism, an insatiable desire to have things. The poorest in society just think if only they could get a few pound, a nicer house, a better car or a longer holiday them they would be happy. They do not realise that those who have a nicer house, a better car and a longer holiday are just as miserable as they are.
This rampant materialism is in part responsible for the current global economic woes that our world is facing. If you listen to the media you would think it was all the fault of the banks and their irresponsible lending, however, that is only one side of the coin. What about people’s irresponsible borrowing? In a frantic desire to have more and more people spent money that they did not have, to buy things that they did not need, to impress people they did not even like. Before we go on a rant about how it is all the fault of the bankers we all need to examine the part that we played in fuelling materialism.
By way of contrast the Word of God shows us the path to true happiness. The Apostle Paul when writing to Timothy said that ‘godliness with contentment is great gain’. What a lesson that is for a world drunk on materialism. Live your life the way God wants you to and you will be content. He also said in to Timothy ‘and having food and raiment let us be therewith content.’
Many people look on the Christian life as a life of restrictions, you can’t do this, you can’t do that. However, we need to remember that God made us and knows what is best for us. A life lived for him is an abundant life, was it not Jesus who said.
‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ John 10 v10
It is difficult to explain this verse to someone who has not experienced new life in Christ but I have proved its truth in my own experience. There is a better life than the pursuit of this world’s goods and pleasures, it is a life surrendered to the will of God. Unconverted people need to come to Christ as their Saviour to gain this life and even many Christians need to remind themselves of the importance of living in God’s will for sadly many of God’s people have become caught up in the rat race of this world.
So back to the question, are you happy? Are you?
‘Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.’ Psalm 144 v15
For years the people of our nation have been labouring under the misapprehension that increased wealth means increased happiness. This has manifested itself in rampant materialism, an insatiable desire to have things. The poorest in society just think if only they could get a few pound, a nicer house, a better car or a longer holiday them they would be happy. They do not realise that those who have a nicer house, a better car and a longer holiday are just as miserable as they are.
This rampant materialism is in part responsible for the current global economic woes that our world is facing. If you listen to the media you would think it was all the fault of the banks and their irresponsible lending, however, that is only one side of the coin. What about people’s irresponsible borrowing? In a frantic desire to have more and more people spent money that they did not have, to buy things that they did not need, to impress people they did not even like. Before we go on a rant about how it is all the fault of the bankers we all need to examine the part that we played in fuelling materialism.
By way of contrast the Word of God shows us the path to true happiness. The Apostle Paul when writing to Timothy said that ‘godliness with contentment is great gain’. What a lesson that is for a world drunk on materialism. Live your life the way God wants you to and you will be content. He also said in to Timothy ‘and having food and raiment let us be therewith content.’
Many people look on the Christian life as a life of restrictions, you can’t do this, you can’t do that. However, we need to remember that God made us and knows what is best for us. A life lived for him is an abundant life, was it not Jesus who said.
‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ John 10 v10
It is difficult to explain this verse to someone who has not experienced new life in Christ but I have proved its truth in my own experience. There is a better life than the pursuit of this world’s goods and pleasures, it is a life surrendered to the will of God. Unconverted people need to come to Christ as their Saviour to gain this life and even many Christians need to remind themselves of the importance of living in God’s will for sadly many of God’s people have become caught up in the rat race of this world.
So back to the question, are you happy? Are you?
‘Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.’ Psalm 144 v15
Monday, 15 November 2010
More Filth from Rihanna
For the third week in a row the UK singles charts have been topped by the singer Rihanna with her latest song ‘Only Girl (In The World)’. It seems that everywhere you go this song is booming out at you. Whether I am in a shop, watching television or even when passing kids in the street listening to music on their phones I keep hearing this song. One wonders do the wee girls who are listening to this song realise what they are singing along to, for the lyrics of the song are nothing but filth.
With this song having such a major chunk of airtime and being so popular I decided to find out exactly what the lyrics were all about. Up to that point I was only aware of the line ‘only girl in the world’ which was whirling around my head. I happened to notice on television the other night that Rihanna was to perform this hit so I decided to watch and have a listen to the lyrics. After her performance my wife and I just looked at each other and shook our heads. It was nothing more than filth!
At that very moment in my living room I decided that I needed to ‘blog’ about this. This is not the first time I have felt compelled to ‘blog’ about Rihanna. Last June I ‘blogged’ about the corruption within popular music generally and mentioned Rihanna amongst others. I believe it is important that people understand about the music that is having such an influence on the next generation.
If you think I am overreacting and being a bit of a prude just take a look at the lyrics of this song. I am almost reluctant to type this garbage but sometimes we just have to call sin by its name and shine a light on it.
Verse 1
I want you to love me, like I’m a hot pieKeep thinkin’ of me, doin’ what you likeSo boy forget about the world cuz it’s gon’ be me and you tonightI wanna make your bed for ya, then imma make you swallow your pride
When a pop artist sings about love, they are not talking about love, as the Bible understands it, they are speaking of nothing more than Sex. In this first verse the singer invites her lover to do what he likes to her as she makes herself a bed for him.
Verse 2
Want you to take me like a thief in the nightHold me like a pillow, make me feel rightBaby I’ll tell you all my secrets that I’m keepin’, you can come insideAnd when you enter, you ain’t leavin’, be my prisoner for the night
Verse two begins with a corrupted use of some Biblical language, which refers to the Lord’s return (the song is not talking about the Lords return). In this verse she invites her lover to ‘come inside’. This of course is nothing more than a description of sexual intercourse. The next line, which makes reference to his not leaving and his being a prisoner, may be a reference to some kind of ‘bondage’.
Bridge
Take me for a rideOh baby, take me highLet me make you firstOh make it last all night
The final bridge of the song needs very little comment for the connotation of the word ‘ride’ needs no explanation.
This song from beginning to end is a song about sex. Nothing more, nothing less! It is filthy and the sad thing is that kids, some of them of primary school age, will be walking around the schoolyard today at lunchtime listening to this garbage and singing along. The question you need to ask is this, are my kids listening to this? Are my grandchildren listening to this? Are the kids in my Sunday school class or youth group listening to this?
This garbage is from the pit of hell and is designed to one thing, to corrupt, to poison and to pollute your precious children. Don’t let the devil has his way. These influences need to be removed, but not without explanation and education. Show them why it is so wrong in the light of God’s Word and do it in love, they don’t know any better; they can’t fully grasp the spiritual battle that is going on for their young hearts and minds. To conclude I think the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians sum up how we need to treat the garbage of this world.
‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.’ Ephesians 5 v 11-12
With this song having such a major chunk of airtime and being so popular I decided to find out exactly what the lyrics were all about. Up to that point I was only aware of the line ‘only girl in the world’ which was whirling around my head. I happened to notice on television the other night that Rihanna was to perform this hit so I decided to watch and have a listen to the lyrics. After her performance my wife and I just looked at each other and shook our heads. It was nothing more than filth!
At that very moment in my living room I decided that I needed to ‘blog’ about this. This is not the first time I have felt compelled to ‘blog’ about Rihanna. Last June I ‘blogged’ about the corruption within popular music generally and mentioned Rihanna amongst others. I believe it is important that people understand about the music that is having such an influence on the next generation.
If you think I am overreacting and being a bit of a prude just take a look at the lyrics of this song. I am almost reluctant to type this garbage but sometimes we just have to call sin by its name and shine a light on it.
Verse 1
I want you to love me, like I’m a hot pieKeep thinkin’ of me, doin’ what you likeSo boy forget about the world cuz it’s gon’ be me and you tonightI wanna make your bed for ya, then imma make you swallow your pride
When a pop artist sings about love, they are not talking about love, as the Bible understands it, they are speaking of nothing more than Sex. In this first verse the singer invites her lover to do what he likes to her as she makes herself a bed for him.
Verse 2
Want you to take me like a thief in the nightHold me like a pillow, make me feel rightBaby I’ll tell you all my secrets that I’m keepin’, you can come insideAnd when you enter, you ain’t leavin’, be my prisoner for the night
Verse two begins with a corrupted use of some Biblical language, which refers to the Lord’s return (the song is not talking about the Lords return). In this verse she invites her lover to ‘come inside’. This of course is nothing more than a description of sexual intercourse. The next line, which makes reference to his not leaving and his being a prisoner, may be a reference to some kind of ‘bondage’.
Bridge
Take me for a rideOh baby, take me highLet me make you firstOh make it last all night
The final bridge of the song needs very little comment for the connotation of the word ‘ride’ needs no explanation.
This song from beginning to end is a song about sex. Nothing more, nothing less! It is filthy and the sad thing is that kids, some of them of primary school age, will be walking around the schoolyard today at lunchtime listening to this garbage and singing along. The question you need to ask is this, are my kids listening to this? Are my grandchildren listening to this? Are the kids in my Sunday school class or youth group listening to this?
This garbage is from the pit of hell and is designed to one thing, to corrupt, to poison and to pollute your precious children. Don’t let the devil has his way. These influences need to be removed, but not without explanation and education. Show them why it is so wrong in the light of God’s Word and do it in love, they don’t know any better; they can’t fully grasp the spiritual battle that is going on for their young hearts and minds. To conclude I think the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians sum up how we need to treat the garbage of this world.
‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.’ Ephesians 5 v 11-12
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Remembering A Great Sacrifice
At this time of year in the British Nation we remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in war to ensure our democracy and freedom. We publicly express our gratitude to those who have been killed or injured in the line of duty by the wearing of a poppy. The poppy was chosen to be this symbol of remembrance because it was a common wild flower in the fields of Flanders where so many died in the 'Great War' and it's red petals remind us of the blood that was shed on our behalf.
As grateful as we are to those brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for us there was a sacrifice of much greater worth than any ever made during war. I am talking of course about the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary.
The deaths of our brave soldiers, sailors and airmen may have purchased freedom at the time but it was only temporary. For once one evil regime was defeated another rose up somewhere else to take it's place. Even to this day our soldiers are in daily contact with Militant Islamic fundamentalists who threaten our very way of life. On the other hand the freedom won at Calvary is an eternal freedom from sin. Freedom from the power of Sin in this life, freedom from the Penalty of Sin at death and freedom from the very Presence of Sin in a Heaven where 'nothing that defileth' shall ever be found.
This great Sacrifice at Calvary also has symbols of remembrance. It is not the wearing of a poppy that reminds us of this sacrifice but rather the Bread and Wine of the Lord's Supper. Before He went to the cross the Lord Jesus instituted a remembrance feast for all believers, Matthew tells us in his gospel.
'And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.' Matthew 26 v26-28
Sadly many of God's people rarely take the time to obey their Saviour and they walk away from the table of remembrance. They forget the admonition of the Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 11 where he said:-
'For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.'
I'm glad that as a nation we mark the sacrifice of others on our behalf. It is always good to remember. Most Christians that I know, are very glad to wear their poppy at this time of the year, if only they were just as glad to remember the Saviour in His own appointed way.
'this do in remembrance of me.' Luke 22 v19
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Relativism
I listened, with interest, to a feature on BBC radio 5 live yesterday morning as I travelled to work. A Lesbian Church of England Priest was being interviewed because she, along with a number of other ‘couples’, was challenging the current arrangements relating to Marriage and Civil Partnerships.
Almost as an aside as part of the interview the BBC presenter Nicky Campbell asked this individual how she reconciled her Lesbian way of life with the very clear commands in Scripture against homosexuality.
The answer given was woolly to say the least. She began by saying there were a lot of things to consider when approaching this subject. In the first part of her answer she began to question the validity of Bible translations that suggested homosexuality was wrong. She asked were people consulting the correct manuscripts and were the manuscripts correctly translated.
Not content to bring God’s Word into question by textual criticism she then began to explain how the Scriptures needed to be understood in terms of the prevailing culture at the time that they were written. She suggested that the reason God was against homosexuality 4000 years ago was more to do with His desire to see a population explosion in the nation of Israel rather than any moral consideration. In other words times are different now. The world is heavily populated therefore, procreation is less important.
This type of interpretation of Scripture is known as ‘Relativism’ and this theory is very dangerous. Basically, ‘Relativism’ teaches that truth is not absolute but rather must be understood in light of the prevailing culture in any place at any time. In other words truth is relative to culture and therefore can change or truth is not absolute.
I ABSOLUTLEY REJECT THIS.
If this is how we are to approach Biblical Interpretation then we can make the Bible say all things to all men. If there is a bit we don’t like we can just say, ‘that was for Middle Eastern culture 2000 years ago but does not apply today’. This is no way to handle God’s Holy Word.
GOD SAYS WHAT HE MEANS AND HE MEANS WHAT HE SAYS!!!
How often does the Scripture ring with the authoritative ‘Thus saith the LORD’? We do not decide truth … God decides truth. Let us ever understand God’s word in the plain sense in which He gave it to us.
‘Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.’ Deuteronomy 4 v2
Almost as an aside as part of the interview the BBC presenter Nicky Campbell asked this individual how she reconciled her Lesbian way of life with the very clear commands in Scripture against homosexuality.
The answer given was woolly to say the least. She began by saying there were a lot of things to consider when approaching this subject. In the first part of her answer she began to question the validity of Bible translations that suggested homosexuality was wrong. She asked were people consulting the correct manuscripts and were the manuscripts correctly translated.
Not content to bring God’s Word into question by textual criticism she then began to explain how the Scriptures needed to be understood in terms of the prevailing culture at the time that they were written. She suggested that the reason God was against homosexuality 4000 years ago was more to do with His desire to see a population explosion in the nation of Israel rather than any moral consideration. In other words times are different now. The world is heavily populated therefore, procreation is less important.
This type of interpretation of Scripture is known as ‘Relativism’ and this theory is very dangerous. Basically, ‘Relativism’ teaches that truth is not absolute but rather must be understood in light of the prevailing culture in any place at any time. In other words truth is relative to culture and therefore can change or truth is not absolute.
I ABSOLUTLEY REJECT THIS.
If this is how we are to approach Biblical Interpretation then we can make the Bible say all things to all men. If there is a bit we don’t like we can just say, ‘that was for Middle Eastern culture 2000 years ago but does not apply today’. This is no way to handle God’s Holy Word.
GOD SAYS WHAT HE MEANS AND HE MEANS WHAT HE SAYS!!!
How often does the Scripture ring with the authoritative ‘Thus saith the LORD’? We do not decide truth … God decides truth. Let us ever understand God’s word in the plain sense in which He gave it to us.
‘Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.’ Deuteronomy 4 v2
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Alcohol 'more harmful than heroin'
According to a medical study published in the Lancet alcohol is said to be more harmful than heroin. The reports co-author David Nutt, a former adviser to the last Labour government on drugs, was sacked by the then Home Secretary Alan Johnson. Mr Nutt would be one of those that argues for a more relaxed approach to drug regulations. His report on alcohol is pushing the agenda that, what we think of as elicit drugs are too highly classified. I do not agree with Professor Nutts agenda but his research is none the less very interesting.
I will be honest and say that Mr Nutts findings are not a surprise to me. His study involved 16 criteria including a drugs' effect on the users' physical and mental health, environmental damage, economic costs and social harms including crime and family adversities. The modelling exercise concluded that while heroin, crack and methylamphetamine were the most harmful drugs for individuals heroin and alcohol were equally harmful to society.
As I said, this is not surprising. Just a glance around society is evidence enough of the harm alcohol does. Close to where I work there is what is known as a 'wet hostel', a home for alcoholics. I see these poor creatures making their way each day to the Tesco's off licence to buy the cheapest Cider they can get. Last week one of my colleagues was standing beside one of these poor individuals in a post office queue when the man in question 'wet himself'. Do you think this was the life he intended for himself when he took his first drink. Go through our town centres at closing time and watch young men beat 'the tar' out of one another because they are full of alcohol. Visit the home of the widow made so by a drunk driver. Visit the home of the child or wife beaten by a drunken husband or father. Alcohol is dangerous alright.
The Bible has a lot to say about the subject. Perhaps Mr Nutt and his colleagues should read the words of Solomon when they are doing their next piece of research.
'Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.' Proverbs 23 v 29-30
The thing that I can't get my head around are Christians who promote a 'Libertarian' attitude to alcohol. It is a poison on society and an honest study of the scriptures can only bring you to that same conclusion.
'Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.' Proverbs 20 v1
I will be honest and say that Mr Nutts findings are not a surprise to me. His study involved 16 criteria including a drugs' effect on the users' physical and mental health, environmental damage, economic costs and social harms including crime and family adversities. The modelling exercise concluded that while heroin, crack and methylamphetamine were the most harmful drugs for individuals heroin and alcohol were equally harmful to society.
As I said, this is not surprising. Just a glance around society is evidence enough of the harm alcohol does. Close to where I work there is what is known as a 'wet hostel', a home for alcoholics. I see these poor creatures making their way each day to the Tesco's off licence to buy the cheapest Cider they can get. Last week one of my colleagues was standing beside one of these poor individuals in a post office queue when the man in question 'wet himself'. Do you think this was the life he intended for himself when he took his first drink. Go through our town centres at closing time and watch young men beat 'the tar' out of one another because they are full of alcohol. Visit the home of the widow made so by a drunk driver. Visit the home of the child or wife beaten by a drunken husband or father. Alcohol is dangerous alright.
The Bible has a lot to say about the subject. Perhaps Mr Nutt and his colleagues should read the words of Solomon when they are doing their next piece of research.
'Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.' Proverbs 23 v 29-30
The thing that I can't get my head around are Christians who promote a 'Libertarian' attitude to alcohol. It is a poison on society and an honest study of the scriptures can only bring you to that same conclusion.
'Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.' Proverbs 20 v1
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