In its heyday it was said of the British Empire that the sun never set on it. Because so many lands across the globe bore the English flag, it was once the world’s great superpower. Of course today that grand empire is no more. And for that matter, England itself is almost no more.
As has been documented here on numerous occasions, the UK is on the verge of giving it all away, renouncing everything that once made it great. Like so much of the rest of the West, it is committed to abandoning its Judeo-Christian heritage, and with it, all that makes for national greatness.
Three more links in a massive chain dragging the UK to its doom can be mentioned here. Each link in itself is not enough to destroy a nation, but when hundreds of such links are joined together, the heaviness of the chain around a nation’s neck is almost impossible to carry.
The three episodes all occurred in the past few days, and simply add to the oppressive burden of national self-destruction. The first concerns the ever widening grip of Islamic fundamentalism. A recent news item has noted that Britain now has 85 sharia law courts. One press report says this:
“At least 85 Islamic sharia courts are operating in Britain, a study claimed yesterday. The astonishing figure is 17 times higher than previously accepted. The tribunals, working mainly from mosques, settle financial and family disputes according to religious principles. They lay down judgments which can be given full legal status if approved in national law courts. However, they operate behind doors that are closed to independent observers and their decisions are likely to be unfair to women and backed by intimidation, a report by independent think-tank Civitas said.”
It is difficult for any nation to maintain any sort of social cohesion when it effectively has two different law systems in operation. Yet that is what we seem to find here. One Conservative MP, Philip Davies, expressed his concerns:
“Everyone should be deeply concerned about the extent of these courts. They do entrench division in society, and do nothing to entrench integration or community cohesion. It leads to a segregated society. There should be one law, and that should be British law. We can’t have a situation where people can choose which system of law they follow and which they do not. We can’t have a situation where people choose the system of law which they feel gives them the best outcome. Everyone should be equal under one law.”
While it is good to hear the Opposition speaking out on this, things in fact get worse. The second episode I wish to highlight in fact concerns the Tory leader in the UK, David Cameron. He has just recently spoken at a major homosexual pride event, and he has been bending over backwards (no pun intended) to win homosexuals over to the conservative side of politics.
He apologised for a 1988 law passed under Margaret Thatcher, Section 28, which banned local authorities from portraying homosexuality in a positive light. Cameron said that one of his “proudest” moments as leader of the Conservatives was when he told a party conference in 2006 that they had a duty to support a “commitment to marriage” among men and women, between a “man and a man, and a woman and a woman”.
The real question is, with leaders like this, just how conservative is the Tory opposition going to be? In trying to woo the homosexual vote, he is making the Tories indistinguishable from the Labour Party, and doing his own bit to finally destroy marriage and family in England.
A third episode which also speaks to the decline of Christianity in England is the advent of atheist summer camps. Yes, you heard me right. Concerned atheists are setting up summer camps to help make sure that little Johnny or little Sarah do not get too close to any of that nasty religious stuff.
Here is how one news report describes the story: “Now, an atheist summer camp for children set up in the United Kingdom is to offer a ‘godless alternative’ to religious camps. The 24 places on Camp Quest UK (CQUK), which will be held next month near Bath, Somerset, in England’s West Country, have already been booked up, according to organizers. Organizers said the purpose of the camp was ‘to encourage critical thinking and provide children with a summer camp free of religious dogma.’ The camp, supported by scientist Richard Dawkins, plans to expand after receiving hundreds of inquiries.”
The camp organiser said, “We want to encourage children to think for themselves and to evaluate the world critically and thus draw their own conclusions. However, parents should be aware that we adopt a critical, scientific approach as opposed to a ‘faith-based’ approach. At Camp Quest, children aren’t taught that ‘There is no god,’ Instead, they are taught to come to their own conclusions, but more importantly, that ‘It’s OK not to believe in a god.'”
Hmmm, really? What if, upon examining the evidence (and it all depends on what evidence the kiddies are actually allowed to examine), they come up with the conclusion that God in fact does exist? Will they then say, ‘It’s OK to believe in a god’? Somehow I just don’t think so.
But you have to hand it to our atheist buddies – they are always good for a laugh. They are absolutely sure that God does not exist, yet they are working overtime making sure they can convince everyone of this. Maybe they aren’t so sure after all.
One thing can be said with certainty: they are certainly evangelistic for their cause, on a holy mission to spread the good word. They seem to be one of the more active missionary religions around at the moment. Onward atheist soldiers, marching as to war….
These three recent episodes speak to the slow but steady decline of the UK. By themselves they may seem minor. But when considered with the many other examples produced here and elsewhere, the cumulative case for a nation on the brink is easily made. One simply has to ask how many more links must be added to the chain before the whole nation is dragged down into the abyss.
Just on the point of Sharia Courts, it is the same in Malaysia where there is the sharia system for the moslems there. The “judges” are not legally trained, the women are treated unfairly and with no sense of justice. In fact I have afew Malaysian moslem friends going through and have gone through horrendous treatments under that system of oppression,where one women and this was witnessed in this court was awarded 50 Malaysian ringgit (AUD$16.666) per month to care for her 6 or 7 children and the “judge” did not even flinch at ordering this nonsensical amount fo her to live on and feed her children. My friend who witnessed this account stood up in shock and was asked to sit down.The harrowing treatment by the men who oppress these women. Why, why is the UK allowing this mistreatment of these women who should have realised they are in a country where they could have been treated fairly under the civil system existing,with procedures in place tested over time, judges trained ,laws propounded much fairer and in more complex situations, a system where they would have had better hope of equitible treatment. Uk is not a moslem nation, why have they allowed this? what hope is there for these women in moslem nations then if this can happen to a western nation?
Siti Khatijah.
When I was a boy it never crossed my mind that in my lifetime I would see the near total erosion of the Christian ethic in this or any Western nation.
“When common sense ceases to be common, a society is in terminal decay.” G K Chesterton
I think I first saw you mention this quote, Bill – it becomes truer each day… We are surrounded by such madness today that it’s almost ludicrous, certainly fantastic, if it all weren’t so terrifyingly real.
I get very tetchy when people start talking about prophecy and try to link all news items to “what next on God’s prophetic calendar” rather than to concentrate upon Christ. However the example of Britain shows us that we are seeing a scenario of what may occur in the future.
We have Islamic radicals, who I believe are examples of St John’s “antichrists” that he refers to in his Letters, who he was already battling in his own day. We have pliable politicians who will lay the pathway for eventually the Man of Sin, and we have atheists influencing a generation and preparing them for the future, which sees Christianity replaced by the new religion of scientific naturalism, which could be accepted as orthodox and Christianity as heresy and thus open up Christians to being persecuted.
Even in the surrounding darkness, we should be lights, because One day the darkness will be defeated.
Wayne Pelling
Is there no-one praying for Britain? The Commmonwealth (old Empire) nations are all tied spiritually, and physically to Britain. When Britain goes down so will the rest of us. God help us around the world to pray for Britain.
Greg Brien
Margaret Thatcher was a better man than David Cameron will ever be. Homosexuals are few in number so he could not be after their votes per se. Gay activists typically have plenty of funds for their agenda. Perhaps he is an amoral opportunist after financial support for his party. Just a suggestion. Politicians have been known to prostitute their party’s principles for money.
Atheist summer camps for children? Without knowing the details I would imagine the people behind the effort are Secular Humanists and maybe Freethinker or Rationalist groups. That talk about “critical thinking” (atheist prejudice dishonestly tarted up as impartial logic) is a giveaway. I was in the stagnating Secular Humanist movement decades ago. The good news is that whatever initiative they take tends to wither on the vine. They typically portray themselves as being at the cutting edge of “moral progess” via “rational ethics” but in reality they often tag along for the ride like fleas on dogs, whether the issue is feminism or gay activism or abortion “rights”. Teaching Secular Humanism to children is child abuse. Under that banner they can be taught anything from the claptrap pseudoscience of “memes” (Dawkins) to paedophilia isn’t all that bad (Vern Bullough) to the mass-murder of the unborn (any psychopath). Like Stalinists, they will also be taught to falsify history. For example, that Christianity was the enemy of science and not its parent. And they will be taught to honour dubious men as heroes, such as the loony Giordano Bruno or the serial adulterer Bertie Russell.
Secular Humanists like to see themselves as intellectually independent. Yet the joke was that during the Cold War they took orders from Moscow, metaphorically speaking. They were that pink. Indeed I knew a Secular Humanist who thought the Soviet army in Afghanistan was the good guy because the Soviets were atheists.
John Snowden
Wayne wrote “I get very tetchy when people start talking about prophecy and try to link all news items to “what next on God’s prophetic calendar” rather than to concentrate upon Christ.”
Yes Wayne there are some that get out of centre with their Christian walk when the message becomes more important then the messanger. But prophecy in its right place and interpretation is for the Church so she is not walking blindly getting caught unawares with life’s happenings. Prophesy is to prepare and comfort believers in hard times. Christian denominations and individuals who hold a liberal view of Christianity would not do so if they took prophecy more seriously. They would understand more clearly God’s plan v the works of satan.
The word “anti” in our times is known to mean against but in the the Greek NT the word means “In place of”. The Antichrist could be someone who will endevour to usurp Christ and take His place at the head of the Church from the inside rather then appose her from outside.
Keith Lewis, Ballarat
I think that politically, the best we can do, is to join the political party of our choice. Get involved on the braod range of issues including this one involving non-Christian based legal systems, in order to reverse the tide.
If the pagans take such an active interest in a broad range of policy issues, we Christians need to join and be active in our local branches of the Lib/Nat/ALP/DLP/CDP/FF and also seek leadership roles within those Parties. There is no way to reverse this thing, politically speaking, without doing the hard yards.
Michael Webb
Yes, regarding UK politics, it has been said that we now have only a choice between “New Labour” and “Blue Labour” (I think the Liberal Democrats, also, believe in the same sort of things: gay power, membership of the EU (this last will be the real, final, downfall of Britain), etc.). Most depressing is the unholy alliance of the Far Left and radical jihadism. However, looking at the media, recently, I have detected the possibility of the kow-towing to Islam being able to be set against radical atheism. The materialist rulership (eg. TV interviewers, etc.) will happily rubbish the theistic values of Christians – but they’ll be a lot more careful, and deferential, to Muslims.
John Thomas
Michael Webb is right up to a point, but the great hope for Australia and the West is ultimately not in politics but in a revival of Christianity. Unless and until this happens we can only hope to slow the decline through political activism (and I speak as one who is politically active).
Our problem is not so much the liberals in the various political parties as it is the liberals in the church. A backslidden and lukewarm church is our problem and a revived and on-fire church is the solution. It’s difficult to convince politicians to govern in righteousness when so much of the church would be found opposing them if they did.
Ewan McDonald.
Concerning the pseudo-conservative David Cameron and his pro-homosexual ways, our own “conservative” leader Malcolm Turnbull isn’t much better:
You beat me to it Ewan, I was about to remark that conservative politics in Australia is also a dead horse.
If the Liberals cared about conservatism, they would have made someone other than Malcolm Turnbull leader.
The 07 election was ironic, since both leaders represented the most conservative sectors of their party. But the implication is – Howard is gone and there is no one to take his place. So when the Prime Minister loses either an election or the ALP leadership…what happens then…
The Left of both parties hold hands and walk down the aisle in a political marriage and invisible coalition?
Yarran Johnston
Yes, Yarran so true. I suspect that a lot of politics is smoke and mirrors, that the real power moves across parties and brings their will to bear irregardless of the ‘front’ that is the party. Lib vs Lab is not so much the issue as godly vs godless.
And Ewan, you said “A backslidden and lukewarm church is our problem and a revived and on-fire church is the solution.”
Therein lies the truth. Friends, Australia needs to be spiritually revived and *that* will change the course of this country. Not discounting or minimising the importance of political involvement for the Christian, I believe that the answer lies in us truly taking up the Cross and following Christ – throwing our hats entirely into the Kingdom ring – burning our bridges with a worldy life and self interest and being consumed with passion for reaching people with the Good News, in whatever form that takes for what we are called to by God.
“If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Garth Penglase
“It’s OK not to believe in God.”
Alrighty. Are we allowed to doubt Darwin though?
Tristan Ingle, Sydney.
As I continue to read the biography of the late Derek Prince, I am struck by occasional insights into some of the dilemmas of the present day.
For example, as the Prince family hold on in Jerusalem during early 1948 the sectarian fighting over the establishment of the State of Israel brought home to Derek some startling truths about his own country’s culpability.
One day a piece of shrapnel flew through their window and buried itself in their wall. Derek examined it and found that it was from a British-made shell! He wrote “An Open Letter From Jerusalem” challenging the hypocrisy of British policies concerning the region.
The biography goes on to say (p166)
“By favouring the Arabs, Britain had betrayed the Jews, betrayed the UN, and betrayed her own citizens, he believed…He began to believe that if England did not repent of her treatment of the Jews, she would lose her empire and, worse, lose the blessing of God.”
Point to ponder: The Empire is certainly gone, and the Commonwealth is a hollow shell. Is Britain now suffering the consequences of policies put in place long ago which, despite the liberation of the land in WW1 and the Balfour Declaration, have been most often against the Jews, rather than for them?
Whilst everyone has had to deal with the Arab nations too, it is clear that US policies declare them to be a friend to Israel, in a way that Britain’s policies don’t.
John Angelico
John said “One day a piece of shrapnel flew through their window and buried itself in their wall. Derek examined it and found that it was from a British-made shell! He wrote “An Open Letter From Jerusalem” challenging the hypocrisy of British policies concerning the region.”
I think God is allowing Britain to come under the yoke of the Arabs because she dealt treacherously with Isreal after the war. It seems to be God’s way of dealing with nations that work against Him but He will strengthen His Church in these trying times and She will shine like a jewel in the midst of all this darkness. Keith Lewis, Ballarat
Dear Bill,
You’ve just got to love those atheists.They are rejecting the same god that I reject. I don’t believe in the god they don’t believe in either. You know, the religious one who sets all the rules you have to live by. Trouble is, all the religions have different rules, especially supposed christianity which has over 2000 proestant denominations alone. No wonder confusion reigns supreme, and not only among atheists, but most people in general. People are so confused they will follow any old dogma instead of seeking out the truth. It is much easier to just follow the rules-just tell me what I have to do and then leave me alone! But, Christianity is not following a bunch of rules in some prescriptive sense. This is what sets true Christianity apart from all religions, including what passes for christianity for most people.
Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden light. What does that mean? It means that as we let THEM (Father,Son and Holy Spirit) loves us, as we accept that we are fully accepted already in Jesus, as we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, as we seek relationship with THEM, as we realise we are already adopted into THEIR family, fully reconciled (with shalom), sons and daughters who cannot unson or undaughter themselves-in other words repent (greek metanoia-to change our mind), we will naturally tend towards Christlike behaviour as a description of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. And of course, Jesus kept the law. But only in terms of the full face to face relationship He has with His Father in and throught he Holy Spirit.
This is not the god athesits are rejecting. They are rejecting the false ones because religion has confused them. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will lead them to the truth, who just happens to be a man-Jesus Christ, the God become man!
Blessings to you all,
Lou d’Alpuget
Dear Lou
Yes the Lord loves us first even whilst we were still in our sins and He died for us on Calvary. That however is only the beginning. We are not puppets or play actors upon the stage an God doesn’t keep slaves. What God also has done as well as die for us is to give us freedom to love each other and to love Him. The Lord says “if you love me you will keep my commandments”. Now many people takes these as ‘rules’ and say the commandments are not necessary but the Lord also said that He came NOT to ‘remove one jot or tittle’ and in another place the Lord says ‘those who relax the law will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven’. So I know that the Catholic Church teaches thse things, along with many of the mainstream denominations more or less. There is a “prescriptive sense” in following the Lord and for the yoke to be light we follow the commandments in the new Spirit of discipleship as shown to us by Our Lord Jesus in His words and example.
Michael Webb
Sir,
Re. the above story, you must be aware that, prophetically speaking, God will, and does, remove the sceptre from the nation that turns away from Him. He will gives warnings and chances, but if that nation continues to go their own way, doing what is ‘right in their own eyes’, God will lose patience and, well, that’s when the trouble begins.
It is only that we are still in the Age of Grace, and the Holy Spirit is not yet removed as Restrainer, and the prayers of the saints (US!!), that things have not yet succumbed fully to the spirit of antichrist, but it’s not far off…
Since 1948, we have lost our major sea gates, as as delineated in the prophetic books of Daniel and Ezekiel, as well as ‘our’ Empire, and are coming under the authority of the EU(SSR). These are the last of the Last Days and the True Christian Church – NOT any given denomination – needs to wake up to the urgency of the days that are coming, as all of the prophetic indicators, as given by Yeshua to the disciples and, later, to John on Patmos, are almost in place.
I may be telling you the ‘bleedin’ obvious’, so to speak, but not many Christians in the world outside of, mainly, the USA, and especially in the UK, don’t know, realise, or understand, due to the non-, poor or woolly level of Biblical teaching, and at a level where people understand – non jargonised or technical/overspiritual in nature. Yeshua used everyday vernacular, allegories and illustration that the people He spoke to understood. The worldwide church necessarily doesn’t, by and large. And it confuses the issues.
Still, the sun is setting on England? We’re down to near twilight.
Chris Maguire, UK
Dear Bill, Those of us who still have relatives, friends and acquaintances in the old country know just how hopelessly muddled and confused most of them are when it comes to understanding the nature of their Christian heritage. I have had the experience of gaining a good insight into how some of these lukewarm, so called ‘Christians’ think. They imply that they are Christian but say that Our Lord meant Christianity to be a private thing between oneself and God. It was certainly not meant to be discussed and does not require any outward show of public loyalty like going to church. I always thought that as Christians we were expected to follow Our Lord’s example in every way we can. Didn’t he go very public for three years to show us the best way to live which included going to the synagogue? Wasn’t He cruelly persecuted and died very publicly on a Cross which some Christians are called to do? Didn’t His disciples believe in His Message and Resurrection so much that they too zealously and courageously spread His message to anyone who would listen? Hasn’t it been so down through the centuries? In short if Christianity was meant to be kept to oneself and all Christians had been silent about their faith we in the 21st century would not have inherited anything would we? Strangely though these so called ‘Christians’ are the first to bemoan the fact that Muslims are gradually taking over their country and that their Christian heritage is gradually slipping away from them. Yet they unfairly and irrationally imply that those who they know very well are doing their best to be committed Christians are nothing more than religious fanatics if they dare open their mouths and so much as mention Our Lord, His Blessed Mother, the saints, the Pope etc etc because in their opinion that is preaching and it makes them feel inferior. Religion is like politics they say. It must be the subject of a silence so deathly it cannot be mentioned because it is such a private thing. All I can say is I don’t want anything to do with such a lukewarm and wimpish Christianity which deserves our contempt and what is coming. Sadly, those in England who have loved Our Lord with every fibre of their being and only wanted Him known and loved are going to suffer too. I agree England really does need our prayers. God Bless always and thank you for the article.
Patricia Halligan
Thanks Patricia
Yes you are quite right about “lukewarm and wimpish Christianity” and how it differs from the very public, very vocal, and very bold true church of Christ thoughout the ages.
Just on the point of Sharia Courts, it is the same in Malaysia where there is the sharia system for the moslems there. The “judges” are not legally trained, the women are treated unfairly and with no sense of justice. In fact I have afew Malaysian moslem friends going through and have gone through horrendous treatments under that system of oppression,where one women and this was witnessed in this court was awarded 50 Malaysian ringgit (AUD$16.666) per month to care for her 6 or 7 children and the “judge” did not even flinch at ordering this nonsensical amount fo her to live on and feed her children. My friend who witnessed this account stood up in shock and was asked to sit down.The harrowing treatment by the men who oppress these women. Why, why is the UK allowing this mistreatment of these women who should have realised they are in a country where they could have been treated fairly under the civil system existing,with procedures in place tested over time, judges trained ,laws propounded much fairer and in more complex situations, a system where they would have had better hope of equitible treatment. Uk is not a moslem nation, why have they allowed this? what hope is there for these women in moslem nations then if this can happen to a western nation?
Siti Khatijah.
When I was a boy it never crossed my mind that in my lifetime I would see the near total erosion of the Christian ethic in this or any Western nation.
“When common sense ceases to be common, a society is in terminal decay.” G K Chesterton
I think I first saw you mention this quote, Bill – it becomes truer each day… We are surrounded by such madness today that it’s almost ludicrous, certainly fantastic, if it all weren’t so terrifyingly real.
Garth Penglase
Not surprised. Peter Hitchens, author of The Abolition of Britain, has been a critic of the Labour-Lite pseudo-conservative Cameron for years.
Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane
I get very tetchy when people start talking about prophecy and try to link all news items to “what next on God’s prophetic calendar” rather than to concentrate upon Christ. However the example of Britain shows us that we are seeing a scenario of what may occur in the future.
We have Islamic radicals, who I believe are examples of St John’s “antichrists” that he refers to in his Letters, who he was already battling in his own day. We have pliable politicians who will lay the pathway for eventually the Man of Sin, and we have atheists influencing a generation and preparing them for the future, which sees Christianity replaced by the new religion of scientific naturalism, which could be accepted as orthodox and Christianity as heresy and thus open up Christians to being persecuted.
Even in the surrounding darkness, we should be lights, because One day the darkness will be defeated.
Wayne Pelling
Is there no-one praying for Britain? The Commmonwealth (old Empire) nations are all tied spiritually, and physically to Britain. When Britain goes down so will the rest of us. God help us around the world to pray for Britain.
Greg Brien
Margaret Thatcher was a better man than David Cameron will ever be. Homosexuals are few in number so he could not be after their votes per se. Gay activists typically have plenty of funds for their agenda. Perhaps he is an amoral opportunist after financial support for his party. Just a suggestion. Politicians have been known to prostitute their party’s principles for money.
Atheist summer camps for children? Without knowing the details I would imagine the people behind the effort are Secular Humanists and maybe Freethinker or Rationalist groups. That talk about “critical thinking” (atheist prejudice dishonestly tarted up as impartial logic) is a giveaway. I was in the stagnating Secular Humanist movement decades ago. The good news is that whatever initiative they take tends to wither on the vine. They typically portray themselves as being at the cutting edge of “moral progess” via “rational ethics” but in reality they often tag along for the ride like fleas on dogs, whether the issue is feminism or gay activism or abortion “rights”. Teaching Secular Humanism to children is child abuse. Under that banner they can be taught anything from the claptrap pseudoscience of “memes” (Dawkins) to paedophilia isn’t all that bad (Vern Bullough) to the mass-murder of the unborn (any psychopath). Like Stalinists, they will also be taught to falsify history. For example, that Christianity was the enemy of science and not its parent. And they will be taught to honour dubious men as heroes, such as the loony Giordano Bruno or the serial adulterer Bertie Russell.
Secular Humanists like to see themselves as intellectually independent. Yet the joke was that during the Cold War they took orders from Moscow, metaphorically speaking. They were that pink. Indeed I knew a Secular Humanist who thought the Soviet army in Afghanistan was the good guy because the Soviets were atheists.
John Snowden
Wayne wrote “I get very tetchy when people start talking about prophecy and try to link all news items to “what next on God’s prophetic calendar” rather than to concentrate upon Christ.”
Yes Wayne there are some that get out of centre with their Christian walk when the message becomes more important then the messanger. But prophecy in its right place and interpretation is for the Church so she is not walking blindly getting caught unawares with life’s happenings. Prophesy is to prepare and comfort believers in hard times. Christian denominations and individuals who hold a liberal view of Christianity would not do so if they took prophecy more seriously. They would understand more clearly God’s plan v the works of satan.
The word “anti” in our times is known to mean against but in the the Greek NT the word means “In place of”. The Antichrist could be someone who will endevour to usurp Christ and take His place at the head of the Church from the inside rather then appose her from outside.
Keith Lewis, Ballarat
I think that politically, the best we can do, is to join the political party of our choice. Get involved on the braod range of issues including this one involving non-Christian based legal systems, in order to reverse the tide.
If the pagans take such an active interest in a broad range of policy issues, we Christians need to join and be active in our local branches of the Lib/Nat/ALP/DLP/CDP/FF and also seek leadership roles within those Parties. There is no way to reverse this thing, politically speaking, without doing the hard yards.
Michael Webb
Yes, regarding UK politics, it has been said that we now have only a choice between “New Labour” and “Blue Labour” (I think the Liberal Democrats, also, believe in the same sort of things: gay power, membership of the EU (this last will be the real, final, downfall of Britain), etc.). Most depressing is the unholy alliance of the Far Left and radical jihadism. However, looking at the media, recently, I have detected the possibility of the kow-towing to Islam being able to be set against radical atheism. The materialist rulership (eg. TV interviewers, etc.) will happily rubbish the theistic values of Christians – but they’ll be a lot more careful, and deferential, to Muslims.
John Thomas
Michael Webb is right up to a point, but the great hope for Australia and the West is ultimately not in politics but in a revival of Christianity. Unless and until this happens we can only hope to slow the decline through political activism (and I speak as one who is politically active).
Our problem is not so much the liberals in the various political parties as it is the liberals in the church. A backslidden and lukewarm church is our problem and a revived and on-fire church is the solution. It’s difficult to convince politicians to govern in righteousness when so much of the church would be found opposing them if they did.
Ewan McDonald.
Concerning the pseudo-conservative David Cameron and his pro-homosexual ways, our own “conservative” leader Malcolm Turnbull isn’t much better:
http://www.rainbowreporter.com/turnbull-actively-progay/
http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2008/09/20/turnbull-reaffirms-personal-pledge-to-gay-community/1772
Ewan McDonald.
You beat me to it Ewan, I was about to remark that conservative politics in Australia is also a dead horse.
If the Liberals cared about conservatism, they would have made someone other than Malcolm Turnbull leader.
The 07 election was ironic, since both leaders represented the most conservative sectors of their party. But the implication is – Howard is gone and there is no one to take his place. So when the Prime Minister loses either an election or the ALP leadership…what happens then…
The Left of both parties hold hands and walk down the aisle in a political marriage and invisible coalition?
Yarran Johnston
Yes, Yarran so true. I suspect that a lot of politics is smoke and mirrors, that the real power moves across parties and brings their will to bear irregardless of the ‘front’ that is the party. Lib vs Lab is not so much the issue as godly vs godless.
And Ewan, you said “A backslidden and lukewarm church is our problem and a revived and on-fire church is the solution.”
Therein lies the truth. Friends, Australia needs to be spiritually revived and *that* will change the course of this country. Not discounting or minimising the importance of political involvement for the Christian, I believe that the answer lies in us truly taking up the Cross and following Christ – throwing our hats entirely into the Kingdom ring – burning our bridges with a worldy life and self interest and being consumed with passion for reaching people with the Good News, in whatever form that takes for what we are called to by God.
“If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Garth Penglase
“It’s OK not to believe in God.”
Alrighty. Are we allowed to doubt Darwin though?
Tristan Ingle, Sydney.
As I continue to read the biography of the late Derek Prince, I am struck by occasional insights into some of the dilemmas of the present day.
For example, as the Prince family hold on in Jerusalem during early 1948 the sectarian fighting over the establishment of the State of Israel brought home to Derek some startling truths about his own country’s culpability.
One day a piece of shrapnel flew through their window and buried itself in their wall. Derek examined it and found that it was from a British-made shell! He wrote “An Open Letter From Jerusalem” challenging the hypocrisy of British policies concerning the region.
The biography goes on to say (p166)
Point to ponder: The Empire is certainly gone, and the Commonwealth is a hollow shell. Is Britain now suffering the consequences of policies put in place long ago which, despite the liberation of the land in WW1 and the Balfour Declaration, have been most often against the Jews, rather than for them?
Whilst everyone has had to deal with the Arab nations too, it is clear that US policies declare them to be a friend to Israel, in a way that Britain’s policies don’t.
John Angelico
John said “One day a piece of shrapnel flew through their window and buried itself in their wall. Derek examined it and found that it was from a British-made shell! He wrote “An Open Letter From Jerusalem” challenging the hypocrisy of British policies concerning the region.”
I think God is allowing Britain to come under the yoke of the Arabs because she dealt treacherously with Isreal after the war. It seems to be God’s way of dealing with nations that work against Him but He will strengthen His Church in these trying times and She will shine like a jewel in the midst of all this darkness. Keith Lewis, Ballarat
Dear Bill,
You’ve just got to love those atheists.They are rejecting the same god that I reject. I don’t believe in the god they don’t believe in either. You know, the religious one who sets all the rules you have to live by. Trouble is, all the religions have different rules, especially supposed christianity which has over 2000 proestant denominations alone. No wonder confusion reigns supreme, and not only among atheists, but most people in general. People are so confused they will follow any old dogma instead of seeking out the truth. It is much easier to just follow the rules-just tell me what I have to do and then leave me alone! But, Christianity is not following a bunch of rules in some prescriptive sense. This is what sets true Christianity apart from all religions, including what passes for christianity for most people.
Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden light. What does that mean? It means that as we let THEM (Father,Son and Holy Spirit) loves us, as we accept that we are fully accepted already in Jesus, as we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, as we seek relationship with THEM, as we realise we are already adopted into THEIR family, fully reconciled (with shalom), sons and daughters who cannot unson or undaughter themselves-in other words repent (greek metanoia-to change our mind), we will naturally tend towards Christlike behaviour as a description of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. And of course, Jesus kept the law. But only in terms of the full face to face relationship He has with His Father in and throught he Holy Spirit.
This is not the god athesits are rejecting. They are rejecting the false ones because religion has confused them. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will lead them to the truth, who just happens to be a man-Jesus Christ, the God become man!
Blessings to you all,
Lou d’Alpuget
Dear Lou
Yes the Lord loves us first even whilst we were still in our sins and He died for us on Calvary. That however is only the beginning. We are not puppets or play actors upon the stage an God doesn’t keep slaves. What God also has done as well as die for us is to give us freedom to love each other and to love Him. The Lord says “if you love me you will keep my commandments”. Now many people takes these as ‘rules’ and say the commandments are not necessary but the Lord also said that He came NOT to ‘remove one jot or tittle’ and in another place the Lord says ‘those who relax the law will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven’. So I know that the Catholic Church teaches thse things, along with many of the mainstream denominations more or less. There is a “prescriptive sense” in following the Lord and for the yoke to be light we follow the commandments in the new Spirit of discipleship as shown to us by Our Lord Jesus in His words and example.
Michael Webb
Sir,
Re. the above story, you must be aware that, prophetically speaking, God will, and does, remove the sceptre from the nation that turns away from Him. He will gives warnings and chances, but if that nation continues to go their own way, doing what is ‘right in their own eyes’, God will lose patience and, well, that’s when the trouble begins.
It is only that we are still in the Age of Grace, and the Holy Spirit is not yet removed as Restrainer, and the prayers of the saints (US!!), that things have not yet succumbed fully to the spirit of antichrist, but it’s not far off…
Since 1948, we have lost our major sea gates, as as delineated in the prophetic books of Daniel and Ezekiel, as well as ‘our’ Empire, and are coming under the authority of the EU(SSR). These are the last of the Last Days and the True Christian Church – NOT any given denomination – needs to wake up to the urgency of the days that are coming, as all of the prophetic indicators, as given by Yeshua to the disciples and, later, to John on Patmos, are almost in place.
I may be telling you the ‘bleedin’ obvious’, so to speak, but not many Christians in the world outside of, mainly, the USA, and especially in the UK, don’t know, realise, or understand, due to the non-, poor or woolly level of Biblical teaching, and at a level where people understand – non jargonised or technical/overspiritual in nature. Yeshua used everyday vernacular, allegories and illustration that the people He spoke to understood. The worldwide church necessarily doesn’t, by and large. And it confuses the issues.
Still, the sun is setting on England? We’re down to near twilight.
Chris Maguire, UK
Dear Bill, Those of us who still have relatives, friends and acquaintances in the old country know just how hopelessly muddled and confused most of them are when it comes to understanding the nature of their Christian heritage. I have had the experience of gaining a good insight into how some of these lukewarm, so called ‘Christians’ think. They imply that they are Christian but say that Our Lord meant Christianity to be a private thing between oneself and God. It was certainly not meant to be discussed and does not require any outward show of public loyalty like going to church. I always thought that as Christians we were expected to follow Our Lord’s example in every way we can. Didn’t he go very public for three years to show us the best way to live which included going to the synagogue? Wasn’t He cruelly persecuted and died very publicly on a Cross which some Christians are called to do? Didn’t His disciples believe in His Message and Resurrection so much that they too zealously and courageously spread His message to anyone who would listen? Hasn’t it been so down through the centuries? In short if Christianity was meant to be kept to oneself and all Christians had been silent about their faith we in the 21st century would not have inherited anything would we? Strangely though these so called ‘Christians’ are the first to bemoan the fact that Muslims are gradually taking over their country and that their Christian heritage is gradually slipping away from them. Yet they unfairly and irrationally imply that those who they know very well are doing their best to be committed Christians are nothing more than religious fanatics if they dare open their mouths and so much as mention Our Lord, His Blessed Mother, the saints, the Pope etc etc because in their opinion that is preaching and it makes them feel inferior. Religion is like politics they say. It must be the subject of a silence so deathly it cannot be mentioned because it is such a private thing. All I can say is I don’t want anything to do with such a lukewarm and wimpish Christianity which deserves our contempt and what is coming. Sadly, those in England who have loved Our Lord with every fibre of their being and only wanted Him known and loved are going to suffer too. I agree England really does need our prayers. God Bless always and thank you for the article.
Patricia Halligan
Thanks Patricia
Yes you are quite right about “lukewarm and wimpish Christianity” and how it differs from the very public, very vocal, and very bold true church of Christ thoughout the ages.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch