The Two Big B's of the World

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy. Ernest Benn

And since Bush and Blair so like to pat each other on the back, I thought the Bush and Blair mutual admiration society would be pretty appropriate.

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The REal B.O.B.

I am not a fan of stoopidity for stoopids sake. But I have to say, this sound byte from a British radio programme, cracked me up.

WILL THE REAL B.O.B (Brain of Britian) please stand up!!

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Christianized paganism

Q107: Which is the second commandment?
A107: The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
[1]

1. Exod. 20:4-6

Q108: What are the duties required in the second commandment?
A108: The duties required in the second commandment are, the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his word;[1] particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ;[2] the reading, preaching, and hearing of the word;[3] the administration and receiving of the sacraments;[4] church government and discipline;[5] the ministry and maintenance thereof;[6] religious fasting;[7] swearing by the name of God,[8] and vowing unto him:[9] as also the disapproving, detesting, opposing, all false worship;[10] and, according to each one's place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry.[11]

1. Deut. 32:46-47; Matt. 28:30; Acts 2:42; I Tim. 6:13-14
2. Phil. 4:6; Eph. 5:20
3. Deut. 17:18-19; Acts 10:88; 15:21; II Tim. 4:2; James 1:21-22
4. Matt. 28:19; I Cor. 11:23-30
5. Matt. 16:19; 18:15-17; I Cor. ch. 5; 12:28
6. Eph. 4:11-12; I Tim. 5:17-18; I Cor. 9:1-15
7. Joel 2:12-13; I Cor. 7:5
8. Deut. 6:13
9. Isa. 19:21; Psa. 76:11
10. Acts 17:16-17; Psa. 16:4
11. Deut. 7:5; Isa. 30:22 [The Larger Catechism]

Is Christmas Christian?

Christmas the popish holy day, which everyone thinks of as some celebration commemroating the birth of Christ, is in actual fact, by the very definition of the word, all about the death of Christ, and the ceremonial slaying of Him over and over again? biblical huh? click here

And seeing as these Holy Days' have every root firmly planted in paganism, is it really a thing Christians should take any part in? Jer 10:1-5


The Origins of Christ-Mass:Catholic-PaganismPage 4 of 5
WHEN THE CATHOLICS INVENTED CHRISTMAS
Regarding the period when Catholicism originated Christmas, the Catholic Encyclopedia says it was NOT among the early festivals of the Church, because Ireneus and Tertullian, at the end of the second century, omit it from their list of feasts. The first evidence of any observance of the birth of Christ (says this same authority) appears about 200 AD in Egypt. It was not earlier than 330 AD that Dec. 25 was chosen by any "Pope", and it was not universally accepted till long after that--for the position and authority of the "Pope" was then still far from established. In the Schaff-Heroz Religious Encyclopedia, we are told--
"From the beginning of the fourth century, when the restless searchings of the nature and persons of Christ drove men's minds into many singular errors, the Eastern Church began to feel the importance of emphasizing the actual birth of Christ by a separate festival...The date once fixed, Christmas gradually became one of the three great annual festivals of the Church."
And from the Abbott-Conant Dictionary of Religious Knowledge--
"Christmas seems to have first appeared in the Roman Church after the middle of the fourth century. At a somewhat later period it spread into Eastern Asia. It was not received with equal readiness by all the churches. Some denounced it as an innovation... It was not till the sixth century that anything like unanimity prevailed as to the day to be observed.
"The manner in which this festival came to be observed in the Romish Church, and through it to the other churches, is as follows: In this season of the year, a series of heathen festivals occurred, the celebration of which was in many ways closely interwoven with the whole civil and social life of the Romans.
"These festivals had an import which easily admitted of being spiritualized, and tranformed into a Christian sense. First came the Saturnalia, which represented the Golden Age, and abolished for a while the distinction of ranks.
"Then came the custom, peculiar to this season, of making presents, afterwards transferred to the Christmas festival.
"After the Saturnalia came the Festival of Infants [Juvenalia], at which the children were presented with images.
"Next came a festival still more analogous to Christmas, that of the shortest day [Brumalia], the Winter Solstice1, the Birthday of the New Sun, about to return once more toward the earth... Hence the celebration of the Nativity of Christ was transferred to December 25.
"In the Romish Church, Christmas is a very high festival."
HOW THE EARLY CHRISTIANS FELT
Regarding the attitude of early Christians toward such things, Auld says--
"As for the first believers, they had NOT THE SLIGHTEST INTEREST IN ANYTHING OF THE KIND. Hope in the Lord's imminent return from heaven in great power and glory was the flame that fired their devotion."
In the book, The Customs of Mankind, we read--
"Christmas was originally a festival of the Winter Solstice. It was customary to hold great feasts in honor of the HEATHEN GODS. The early teachers of Christianity PROHIBITED THESE FESTIVALS as unsuited to the character of Christ. Yet the symbols and customs of the old festivals are adapted to the new, and so we find Christmas patterned with many customs of pagan origin.
"To the mind of the Puritans, Christmas smelled to heaven of idolatry... The Puritans abolished Christmas as a hateful relic of Popery."
Tertullian--who wrote (says Encyclopedia Britannica) "in a period when a LAX SPIRIT OF CONFORMITY had seized the churches": about 200 AD--says regarding decorating with evergreens and ceremonial candles--
"Let those who have no Light, light their lamps, let them affix to their posts laurels. YOU [Christians] are the Light of the World, a tree ever green. If you have renounced temples, make not your own gate a temple [by heathen wreaths]."
Crippen says--
"At the time of persecution, Christians were detected by NOT decorating their houses at the Saturnalia."

And the nativity scenes which is so popular in schools all around the world, and churches too sadly. Goes right against making images as in the second commandment. So I have my own nativity pic (below) and seeing as dogs are not made in the image of God, there is no breaking of the 2nd commandment, and besides dat tis kinda cute! I have plenty more to say on this subject, but here is not the place.

But tell me honestly. What does Christmas as defined above, have in the least resemblance or connection to Christianity or Christ? And I repeat the question....

Is Christmas Christian?

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Enemies Make....

Strange bed-fellows. but sometimes, even natural enemies love each other. We could learn alot from the animal kingdom!!

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Bittersweet

Have you ever had a prayer answered, and it was answered in exactly the way you hoped and longed for, and yet the result still left a bitter sweet taste. none of us knows what lies ahead in this life. People are shocked when I tell them that up to two and a half years ago I walked my dog two and a half miles a day, and are now more or less totally immobile through sickness and desease. Three years . Three years of what for the most part has seemed like hell on earth. Three years of dwelling in darkness and tasting bitter herbs and the river of tears forever ready to pour forth. And then yesterday, my prayer was answered. In exactly the way I had prayed for it to be. But the end result means my life will be considerably shorter than most folks assume theirs will be. A pallative illness can take years to have its final affect. And i never do anything or go anywhere till I'm good and ready, and don't plan on it this time either! And my big thing with looking for God's work in stuff, is keeping an eye on Providence. We don't always think providence is good providence when we are living it at the time. And yet when I look back, to the darkest of days when starting out in life I see the hand of providence imprinted so clearly upon it from todays view. Doctors misdiagnosed me for years. They said I was an incurable hopeless schizoprhenic, that would always, need drugs to keep me from harming myself. Piffle and poppycock! Have been off those drugs for over four years now. And the seizures that were never fully understood. The violent moods and outbursts. And yet, in one day, after the present three years of illness where each day has seemed a struggle to survive physically on some level, God vindicated me fully, not just before the eyes of the world, but in a way that only God can. Porphyria the illness that ails me, is the only illness in mankind that could explain the symptoms similar to schizoprhenia and the uncontrollable seizures. But I am not mentally ill, a term that is not found anywhere legitimately in Scripture. I have a phyiscal illness which impacts every part of ones body including ones brain.

And yet about a month ago, the blessings in other ways started to pour forth. First it was a concienceness that despite no matter how ill I may feel on any day, I never felt abandoned by God. And somehow He would manifest Himself and His love in some way. And as I was contemplating on the Beautitudes from Matt 5, I knew full well that Heaven doesn't only start in the next life, the Kingdom of God is here and now, and if you have that, you are wanting nothing else.

And yes, I am giong to get the medical help that would be provided anyone else who is ill with any other condition. Rather than feeling abandoned and tossed on the scrap heap mostly as someone whose a medical mystery. And the treatment for it is normally very limited and often pretty inaffective. But I have survived enough by God's hand alone to know that if treatment doesn't help a fat lot, I can continue to do so. And if I live another five, ten, fifteen years, which of any of us knows for certain we shall make it thru uscathed? None. I have a window to what is likely and maybe that's an advantadge. As there's nothing likehaving one foot in the grave so to speak as to plant the other foot in Heaven. And if not for this desease, the future would be blacker than anything in this life. As God uses whatever means He has to, to draw us to Him. So, I can say honestly along with the Psalmist, It is good for me that I was afflicted. Psalm 119:65-72

4"O LORD, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing[b] they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

12"Hear my prayer, O LORD,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
a guest, like all my fathers.
13Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!" [Psalm39]

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No Judas

Well, i am off to get genetically engineered....! ;-)

A long awaited hospital appt that's taken me three years to even get this far, and in those three years, my health has rapidly spiralled. It feels a bit like waiting for judgement from a mere human. As the outcome of this doctors decisions, will in one way or another, seal my future.

Sometimes when things are so extremely tough, we wonder what God is diong with us. Where He's taking us. Whateveer the out come of this appt, or subsequent ones, my biggest prayer right now, is that whatever does or doesn't happen, He still keeps His grip on me. The times I've wanted to run and hide since the timing of my conversion seemed so intricatly interwined with my health suddenly going to pot. Sometimes its felt like being in different kind of bondage than before. And one I was helpless to have any say in. As a close friend has often said to me, we never think the life of a Christian will be an easy one, but sometimes we are never prepared for just how hard it can be.

But whatever turns out to be the case with this doctor, I pray that to paraphrase a prayer Queen Elizabeth I made when she thought her life was about to be taken by Bloody Mary that I can still say this afterwards. I trust that I will whatever the outcome.

I never thought to come here a prisoner, I beseech you all my friends and fellows, to bear witness that I come here no traitor but as true a subject to God's majesty as any now alive.
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Holy Mother!

I have no doubt there are true believers in every church, including the R.C. church, or that Mary was indeed blessed among women, but just one of the many reasons why the R.C. Church is a false church. From: Rome's Denial of Jesus

Save Me, Holy Mother!

The Catholic Church gives an elevated position to the Virgin Mary, calling her “Queen of Heaven” because she rules over the Church with Jesus Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church Par. #996). They also say that she is “The All Holy One. She is the model and source of holiness” (CCC # 2677). Mary had to be willing to give her consent to be pregnant with Jesus or there would be no salvation (CCC #2030). Mary is considered to be co-redeemer with Jesus which means that she also is our savior. Catholics believe that Mary’s prayers and good works redeem us (CCC #1477). Even though the Bible says that Jesus is our only mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), the Catholic Church teaches that Mary is our mediator (mediatrix) and co-redeemer (co-redemptrix) with Christ and that no grace can be applied to man except through her (CCC #969). They also say that she has “saving office...to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation” (Documents of Vatican Council II Vol. 1 p. 418). The Catholic Church does not discourage their members from venerating Mary “higher than all other women and all other humans.” Rosaries are used by Catholics as a tool to help them to pray to Mary (and God the Father). All over the world, Catholics are worshipping Mary with the Pope’s full knowledge. If this were happening in Biblical Christian Churches, these people would be

excommunicated for false worship. The Pope himself thanked Mary for saving his life(Time, Dec. 30, 1991 p. 69). Instead of excommunicating Mary worshipers, they have as part of the church, a “liturgical cult of the Blessed Virgin,...” (Vatican Council II No. 28 VIII #66, 67 - Flannery). Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said of Jesus, “There is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). By praying to Mary and considering her a co-savior and co-mediator, the Catholic Church puts Mary on a similar level with Jesus. Thus they deny Jesus his rightful place as our only mediator, savior, and redeemer by placing part of his work with someone else.
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Change--As good as a rest?

I don't know if that is a legitimate saying or another one of my grans' classic home-grown ones! But you may recall that Screwtape said one of the devils' best tools was "the horror of the same old thing." Ain't that the truth? Some folks are afraid of being bored if they don't make big changes in their lives. And everything will be become mundane and monotonous and meaningless. Other folks have the horrors of the same old things from their lives repeating in various ways and making an ongoing ever-lasting chain or chasm that cannot be broken.

Me, I fall somewhere between the two, with a bit of both at times seemingly over majorly significantbut still both grounded in fear.

So, the Crazy Calvinist is breaking out of this mind-set, and far it be from me to think about making any New Years resolutions, cos I always ended up busting them when I did! But are gonna make lots of new leaps into the future, which considering how things are, how they are likely to be, feels like one small step for mankind, and one jumping off a cliff for moi!

i dislike change in any format. It takes me a while to catch up with it and actually get used to it. seemingly much longer than the average person. It takes my brain a while to catch up with the reality that change has actually gone ahead and happened in any area. I dont know about this change thing being as good as a rest. Bloomin' Heck!!! I need a flippin' rest to try and cope when it keeps happening! !But change is progress right? not always I agree but that's actually the intent in many instances. So, I am not sure what areas exactly I am seeking to change, except to quit being a scardy cat with change itself!!! But, come next year, Houston, we have lift off!!
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The Lady Jane upon the Scaffold

These are the words that the lady Jane spake upon the scaffold, at the
hour of her death. First, when she mounted upon the scaffold, she said to
the people standing thereabout, "Good people, I am come hither to die,
and by a law I am condemned to the same. The fact against the queen’s
highness was unlawful, and the consenting thereunto by me: but, touching
the procurement and desire thereof by me, or on my behalf, I do wash my
hands thereof in innocency before God, and the face of you, good christian
people, this day:" and therewith she wrung her hands, wherein she had her
book. Then said she, "I pray you all, good christian people, to bear me
witness that I die a true christian woman, and that I do look to be saved by
no other mean, but only by the mercy of God, in the blood of his only Son
Jesus Christ: and I confess, that when I did know the word of God, I
neglected the same, loved myself and the world; and therefore this plague
and punishment is happily and worthily happened unto me for my sins;
and yet I thank God, that of his goodness he hath thus given me a time and
respite to repent. And now, good people, while I am alive, I pray you
assist me with your prayers." And then, kneeling down, she turned her to
Fecknam, saying: "Shall I say this psalm?" And he said, "Yea." Then said
she the psalm of "Miserere mei Deus" in English, in most devout manner,
throughout to the end; and then she stood up, and gave her maiden,
mistress Ellen, her gloves and handkerchief, and her book to master Bruges.
And then she untied her gown, and the hangman pressed upon her to help
her off with it; but she, desiring him to let her alone, turned towards her
two gentlewomen, who helped her off therewith, and also with her frowes,
paaft and neckerchief, giving to her a fair handkerchief to knit about her
eyes.
Then the hangman kneeled down and asked her forgiveness, whom she
forgave most willingly. Then he willed her to stand upon the straw; which
doing, she saw the block. Then she said, "I pray you dispatch me
quickly." Then she kneeled down, saying," Will you take it off, before I
lay me down?" And the hangman said, "No, madam." Then tied she the
handkerchief about her eyes, and feeling for the block, she said, "What
shall I do? Where is it? Where is it?" One of the standers-by guiding her
thereunto she laid her head down upon the block, and then stretched forth
her body, and said, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit;" and so
finished her life, in the year of our Lord God 1554, the 12th day of
February.

As told by John Foxe in his Acts and Monuments
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