protestant nationalism

I don’t often post about the Orange Order because it is a topic I get very angry about very quickly. However, reading a recent BBC news article has really annoyed me. It highlights a major issue with the Orange Order’s raison d’être. Reverend Stephen Dickinson is quoted in the article as saying, “This [referring to Orange Order demonstrations/marching] is about Protestantism, this is about Britishness.”

Why, oh why, do they so link Protestantism with Britishness?! One is not related to the other in any way. Furthermore it is very dangerous for the church to be (apparently) of a certain political persuasion. This idea is regrettably perpetuated in the media, which refer to Protestants generally as the unionist/loyalist community and Roman Catholics generally as the nationalist/republican community.

What a load of crap! I am a Protestant, yes, but I am not so ignorant or simple-minded as to have my politcal views entrenched in this archaic tribalism. Does the Orange Order believe Protestant Nationalism to be an oxymoron or (dare I suggest it?) even heresy?!

ineffective Christianity

I’ve been quiet over recent months here even though many things have been on my mind. From exhausting and exciting weekends with a bunch of young people, to enjoying long meals and sharing dear memories with old university friends. From growing closer to those people I’m close to, to a good friend dying from cancer. The last few months have indeed been filled with many experiences and thoughts and feelings and questions, none of which have been voiced here.

But something annoyed me last week, and I want it to annoy others.

A Christian man is wanting to prosecute the producer of “Jerry Springer – The Opera” and sue BBC Director General Mark Thompson because the musical contains images that “vilify God and the Bible”. [BBC]

“What good can come from following this through?” I ask. “Well, Mark, a bad tasting show will not be shown on the BBC again,” replies someone else.

Big freakin’ deal!

God doesn’t need us to defend Him, or to keep the entire world from saying bad things about Him. That will happen whether or not “Jerry Springer – The Opera” is shown or not. There are much more pressing matters to attend to than some procrastinating court case. Like feeding the hungry, satisfying the thirsty, housing the homeless, healing the sick and freeing the persecuted. So-called “Christianity” in the UK is so damn safe and politically correct, it makes me wonder if passages like Matthew 25 [BIBLE GATEWAY] are in many people’s bible; it’s ineffective and crowd-pleasing and easy.

If “Jerry Springer – The Opera” comes on TV, just press the OFF button and get back to doing what Jesus (our Master, right?) commanded us to do!

scared, frustrated, angry and learning patience

The more I watch the news these days, the more scared and frustrated and appalled I become. What is up with the world? Super casinos, homosexuals adopting children, the British government turning a deaf ear to both the Roman Catholic church and Anglican church…?! All these things will lead to the decline of morals and respect in the UK. Decadent behaviour and chaos will ensue. The land will become darker and darker as it falls into secularism. Christians will suffer in this land, as the darkness gets darker and threatens to swallow up what little light we now emit.

Casinos are a waste of time and just encourage people to get into debt.

Homosexuality is wrong and I cannot believe that any right-thinking person would let a homosexual couple adopt a child. Talk about screwed up!

The government wants to play god without even learning from His experiences? Fools.

Now, I know that God is sovereign and in control and all this crap is only happening because He allows it. I know that I should have faith and be strong and persevere. But that’s not how I feel. I feel scared, frustrated and angry. Even the church that I belong to is growing darker. Some people don’t know what forgiveness is. Some people don’t know what grace is. Some people are so damn arrogant. Some people make me want to do things and say things that would probably get me arrested. (By God’s grace – and only His grace – I have bit my tongue and kept my fists balled in my pockets.)

As I sit here and let all this angst fall out upon my keyboard, part of Jesus’ life story has just popped into my head. Jesus, surrounded by people who were crying out for His death, stood before them and said nothing. Instead He let the events run their course and let the suffering happen… but all for a glorious end. I guess I’ve got to learn patience through times of trial, patience through suffering and patience through injustice… all before a glorious end.

islam in the Christian church

Do you remember recently when the Pope quoted Emperor Manual II Paleologos of the Byzantine Empire (14th Century)? The Emperor’s words were: “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”

Now I do not want to comment on the political correctness, tact or validity of the quote; rather, I want to briefly mention words I heard a London Imam speak while being interviewed on BBC Radio Ulster. (I’m afraid most of the detail has left my memory, including the Imam’s name, but I vividly remember this thought he voiced.)

The interviewer asked a standard question of the Imam: what do you want to happen now? The Imam, predictably, demanded a full apology of the Pope but then went further to say that he wanted a change in teaching in Christain churches, seminaries, Bible colleges, etc. He wanted Islam to be taught to Christian people the same way Judaism and Christianity were taught; he wanted Islam to be recognised as a valid religion in the eyes of Jewish and Christian teachers and to be taught as such. He then said a rather terrifying thing: “Until this is so there will never be peace”.

Is Islam a valid religion? Yes. Is Islam a way to God, a means of salvation, divinely given instruction? No. And I’m pretty sure that the Imam wanted Islam portrayed as a way to God, rather than just a collection of ancient texts, rituals and traditions.

There can never be an agreement here. Christians and Messianic Jews believe that Jesus is the only way. Islam teaches that Jesus was merely a prophet and that getting to heaven is more about how we act in this life and then whether or not Allah chooses us for heaven. To teach both as truth is relativism (and implicitly labels Christ a liar). Relativism is a self-defeating philosophy and cannot be successfully argued.

Doesn’t that London Imam see this? It really frustrates me how mistaken some people can be… and these people are almost always in influencial positions. God help us!