
ARCHIVED NEWS REPORTS
Fourth News Update of 1998
A short while
back, I said jokingly to a friend "Soon be Christmas!" and she
groaned, as did I - the thought of the Spring and Summer shooting by,
and yet another Christmas coming round seemed dreadful then.
Not long afterwards she told me, "I just saw the first Christmas
cards in the shops" - this was early August!
Now - well, what can I say? What little bit of Summer we had is gone,
the cold winds are back, soon there will be no leaves on the trees, the
nights will draw in again and Christmas will no longer be a distant joke
but a reality. [And by the way, I intend, at last, to turn my Christmas
File into a PDF and place it on the website. For many years I felt the
time was not right and that my thoughts and beliefs about Christmas were
a private thing between me and God. This year I feel the time has come
to go public, and I'll be starting work on the Christmas Report when I
next have a free slot.]
Another year nearly over and gone. We remnant Christians seem to be in
an extended limbo (perhaps this is what the Lord meant when he said we
would be dozing off, feeling the time of waiting was overlong.) Nothing
much appears to be happening, yet at the same time, under the surface,
so MUCH is happening. As in a volcano, there are rumblings and movements
under the crust and the occasional puff of smoke out of a vent, all speaking
of something yet to come.
The "birthpangs" are coming stronger
and closer together each year:
- Nations shaken by financial breakdown and economic decay - especially
in Asia and Russia; threat of global economic catastrophe and a recession
to match the 1930's.
- Year 2000 bug set to cause chaos all round the world.
- European Unity marches on, trampling all objectors. Single currency
due to be launched shortly, causing yet more chaos in the financial
markets.
- Unusual and devastating weather everywhere, including floods, hurricanes
and heatwaves; increasing disturbances of the earth such as earthquakes
and volcanoes.
- Unusual activity in the sun. Threat of disruption to satellites and
electronic devices when sun-spots hit soon.
- President Clinton's authority severely damaged. Yeltsin - ditto. Communism
likely to reappear in Russia. Helmut Kohl of Germany also on the way
out.
- Wars continue to ravage African states, and other countries, with
thousands being killed by direct violence, famine and the effects of
warfare.
- Ever-increasing threat of chemical and/or biological warfare. More
nations developing nuclear warheads, including some unstable empires.
- Violence and persecution against Christians increasing, with fundamentalist
Muslims butchering many in Egypt and other African states. The media,
including advertising, becomes ever-more anti-Christian with blasphemous
attacks on God and ridicule of Christians. The Bible is eroded in the
public eye, and children are no longer taught about Jesus Christ.
- Virulent new diseases and viruses appear, and at the same time antibiotics
and other weapons against disease are becoming less effective.
- Peace policies failing in Israel and Ireland, and increasing desperation
to force the issue.
- No let-up in the advance of unbiblical doctrines, and ungodly activities
in the Church worldwide. The push for unity continues.
- First public trial run of a microchip implanted into a human being.
Increased use of "biometrics" for PIN numbers, and increased
used of Smart Cards; surveillance devices increase year by year, and
privacy is eroded little by little.
- Computer technology linking with TV and other media to form one united
interactive network, worldwide. The internet becomes more widespread
with the aim of linking all people in a global network. Online banking
and e-cash raises the spectre of electronic devices being the only access
to funds in the future.
- Marriage, morality, the family, the Church and all kinds of decent
behaviour increasingly despised. Children are out of control, poorly
educated and without discipline. Education is failing. Homosexuality,
pornography, perversions and indecency floods in, along with drug and
alcohol abuse. The arts are steadily being degraded, fashion becomes
a parade of near-naked anorexic young girls, music becomes ever more
degenerate and demonic. Satanic religions are allowed to flourish with
no real check. Violence in society increases annually, and becomes ever
more vile.
And when these
things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable;
Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth,
ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that
the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. (Luke 21:28-31)
Time and again, through many people and in various ways, the Lord keeps
warning us to be on guard because a crisis is on the way. He keeps saying
"be prepared - be ready!" But He's not telling us EXACTLY when,
nor EXACTLY what (that's why we need faith.)
The problem is, while we know we need to make ready, the trials, stresses,
worries and anxieties are making it terribly difficult to stay on track.
At the very time we most need a solid foundation, the floor is moving
beneath our feet!
It has recently been remarked that the greatest new movement today is
of Christians leaving their churches! I'm sure this is true, and I don't
see it as an entirely bad thing. What COULD happen to all these people
is that they are forged by God into the most devout and spiritually powerful
group of intercessors and evangelists the world has ever seen. A group
called out to do a short, sharp work in the endtimes, just before they
are taken home.
Crisis Management
I want to do a little speculation on the prospects for that mission,
and its result. If things go on as they are in this world, then a crisis
will undoubtedly come, created either by man's arrogance and stupidity
or by a direct catastrophe allowed by God, such as massive earthquakes
or an asteroid strike. Whatever it is (perhaps a combination of things)
the whole world will be thrown into turmoil and panic.
This is the time the satanists know as "helter-skelter" when
everything breaks down and the New Order emerges; it's also the time looked
for by many religions as the crisis that will bring to birth the New Age.
My point is, this crisis will not be unwelcome in some circles, and the
prospect of millions being killed is actually a cause for rejoicing with
some. A global catastrophe is JUST what is needed, they say, to clear
the decks for a whole new humanity that thinks in a different way.
At that time, there will be two stark choices facing mankind. Repent,
and turn to God, or pull together as a Global Community to weather the
storm and create a transformed society for the survivors.
Of course we Christians already know from the Bible two things about
this time of world crisis: (a) mankind won't repent and (b) there's NO
prospect for human survival outside of God.
That is what makes US such a powerful force for prophetic evangelism,
and also a terrible thorn in the side of the globalists.
So, it seems obvious to me that, if such a crisis does arise, we will
be called upon to preach an uncompromising message in order to issue the
last warning from God to mankind. While the media is calling people to
believe in the power of human ingenuity, and all governments are working
together to face up to the crisis, WE little band have the audacity to
tell them it's a judgement from God, and they must either repent of their
wickedness or suffer the consequences.
Can you picture the scene? Everywhere you go, there's panic, and the
only hope on offer is "believe in your leaders, trust in the innate
love and strength of mankind, and in a massive demonstration of world
harmony, visualise and activate deliverance from this evil day."
Then along comes some unknown little man or woman and cuts across this
positive message of hope, with his/her insane babblings about the Bible
and sin and judgement, as if adopting the rituals of an outmoded and moralistic
religion like Christianity could make any difference!
Even worse, as the leaders explain, this negative thinking is destroying
mankind's only chance for survival. It's bad for morale! It's spreading
doom and gloom! It's contradicting our unified message of peace and goodwill.
So the only thing to do is confine these pesky Christians and shut their
mouths before they can do any real damage.
Interestingly, if you look at what Jesus said about ministry leading
up to the Coming, it speaks of just these things.
Now whatever city
or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till
you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household
is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let
your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear
your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust
from your feet.
Assuredly, I say
to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah
in the day of judgement than for that city!
Behold, I send you
out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and
harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to
councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before
governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
But when they deliver
you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will
be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you
who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Now brother will
deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will
rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will
be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the
end will be saved.
When they persecute
you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you
will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man
comes. (Matt 10:11-23 NKJ)
Now if there's any truth in this scenario of mine, it helps me to understand
two things - the reason for this prolonged time of preparation and purging,
and the reason for satan's great hatred of us as a group of remnant Christians.
If we are indeed going to be God's voice of warning and rebuke, then we
can understand why these vicious attacks are coming against us, trying
to make us waver off the path of obedience.
Is the task of "snatching some from the fire" a mission you
would happily accept from God? Do you have a love for the unsaved? Do
you have a deep yearning to reach out to any remaining souls who might
turn away from the wrath of God in the last days? Is your heart still
filled with love and pity for Christians who have unwittingly been caught
up in error, and are now looking for deliverance? Then maybe God is preparing
you to be his minister of the gospel!
Maybe we could be used by God to make a positive contribution in the
last days, instead of just hunkering down and waiting for the Rapture?
Maybe when things get really rough, some of our friends and neighbours,
and fellow believers, will look to us for guidance, help, support - and
we'll be able to help in time of need? I'd love to believe that. I do
believe in miracles - and that's what it will take!! A miracle
will be needed to knock us into shape!
I don't see any real signs of strength in the Remnant at this time -
quite the reverse. I feel a lot of the Christians who are coming out of
their churches are in danger of getting sucked up by the next popular
move. (I hope I'm wrong.)
As for those who are still "in the wilderness" - what is the
state of play? Difficult to say, but if my experiences and those of my
contacts are anything to go by, there's a lot of struggling going on.
People are confused, without real direction. They are spiritually dry,
and very weary.
Now, it's one thing to say that we are in God's hand (we are) and to
see that at the end of the road there is purpose in the shaking (there
is) but to live through despair and trials is never pleasant.
Some are having difficulties and even tragedies, and have no real answer
to their prayers. Some feel desperately lonely, even abandoned. Some yearn
for genuine worship and fellowship but just can't find it. Some have had
their faith shaken and no longer know what to believe. Family troubles?
Marital problems? Financial need? Maybe you are suffering and hurting,
but you're keeping these things under your hat, fearful of being judged
as "weak" or "lacking in faith"? Maybe you even think
God has rejected you, or that you have sinned, somehow? Take courage,
believer - you are NOT ALONE. God's blessings don't come easy now, and
life is an uphill struggle - but not because God has changed his mind
towards us! Something is happening that is putting us through the wringer.
I have known periods of dryness before (none as bad as this present one)
and each time it was a preparation for a new move of God in my life, though
I failed to see that at the time. As we shall see in a moment, under trial
we human beings tend to forget the long focus and get caught up in the
anxiety of the moment.
It was not easy for the Israelites, either, to see why God sent them
through a waterless desert but there was a purpose behind it:
And you shall remember
that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the
wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what
was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna
which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make
you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every
word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.
(Deut 8:2-3 NKJ)
Jesus Asleep in the Boat!
Everything we hold dear, everything we believe, is being tested. And
I mean everything. But God has not deserted us. I think I can best illustrate
this with a Bible event - one that the Lord brought to mind when I was
seeking Him for answers:
VERSION ONE: On
the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross
over to the other side." Now when they had left the multitude, they
took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also
with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat,
so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on
a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You
not care that we are perishing?" Then He arose and rebuked
the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased
and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?
How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:35-41)
VERSION TWO: Now
it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his
disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side
of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep:
and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled
with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke
him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked
the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was
a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? (Luke 8:22-25)
VERSION THREE: And,
behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the
ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples
came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then
he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
(Matt 8:24-27)
If you will, put yourself in the place of those disciples - and remember
these were men who were not yet filled with the Holy Spirit. They loved
and trusted their Master, and depended on Him - and when the storm arose,
HE WAS ASLEEP!
Compare the accounts above. This was no slight breeze - they were in
danger of being overturned and drowned. Many of these men were fishermen,
used to sailing and the water. They had been in storms before, but here
was something terrible that they felt unable to handle. Something altogether
beyond their experience and abilities as men. And at the moment they needed
Jesus most, He didn't seem to be there for them. "Don't you care,
Lord? Don't you care that we are in danger, in jeopardy, perishing?"
"Here we are, tossed about, in the worst storm we have ever known
- and all this while we have followed you, watched you do miracles, seen
your power and authority. We KNOW you could save us! We KNOW that you
love us and care for us. So how can you let this be happening to us, your
disciples? How can you be asleep at such a time as this? Wake up, Lord,
and do something!!"
And what was the Lord's response? Well, apart from calming the storm
- he REBUKED THEM. "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have
no faith?" "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?"
I have been trying to grasp this. Why are you so fearful? DUH!
The boat is sinking! I know if I'd been there I would have reacted just
as they did - I would have been afraid, and perhaps blamed Jesus for being
able to sleep through it, and not helping bale out the boat with me.
Obviously that's the wrong answer. Jesus would not rebuke his
followers if there was no need. They failed. I've failed - because on
occasion that's my reaction too. I'm hurting, I'm afraid and I want him
to bale me out - and he doesn't. Are you guilty of this, too? So we need
to learn from this passage of scripture.
This story is a perfect description of what we are going through now,
and our reactions are just like those disciples. (You could even see this
as a parable, if you like - for it took place "in the evening"
- the endtimes of the world - and they had separated "from the multitude"
and set out to "go over to the other side".)
Truth Our Only Ally
I think my days of trite answers are over. I've had my balloon of hot
air punctured by reality. Just lobbing scripture verses at one another
is not enough - now we have to be grounded in the TRUTH. There are no
easy answers to the problem of suffering.
We just MUST face up to the facts and be truthful about our situation
- truthful to God, and to ourselves. (Even if not to others! Sometimes
it's wise not to draw attention to our situation and receive hurtful comments
about things that others do not understand. Remember Job's comforters?)
If you are crying inside, let it outside, and cry out to God. He understands.
If your prayers don't seem to be answered, tell God. He isn't afraid of
your confusion and doubts, nor even of your anger, if that's how you honestly
feel. I am sure God would rather have you rant and rave a bit than bottle
it all up and be a hypocrite.
Admit it - there are things that you don't understand; prayers you make
that are not answered; times when He seems far away. His blessing come,
but at imprecise moments and for no particular reason. You can't work
things out. You can't decide what to depend on any more. Everything seems
to be in flux, moving around you and slipping. What once seemed easy is
now hard, and you appear to be moving backwards instead of forwards...
any of this sound familiar?
Have you felt like the disciples in that boat? There are times
it seems like God isn't listening. There are times it seems like He doesn't
care. (Go on - be honest.) The waves are worse than you have ever
seen, and the one Person you depend on to protect you does not appear
to be home to callers!
Some have preached a message about suffering that left Christians ill-prepared
for today. It has been suggested we could reach a point of spiritual maturity
and have such deep revelation of the Word that we could overcome every
troublesome thing and live in continual victory. Then - shock! Horror!
We discovered it's not true.
There's no guarantee that you and I will never suffer in this life! [Job
discovered that.] Look for it in the Bible, but you won't find it.
For the disciples in that rocking, sinking boat, there was no scriptural
reason to believe they would not be overturned and possibly drowned.
Jesus had never preached a "positive confession" message
that kept them out of harm's way. Indeed, when he called out Paul to be
his Apostle he said:
... he is a chosen
vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children
of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for
My name's sake." (Acts 9:15-16 NKJ)
However, the disciples had committed themselves into the hands of Jesus,
the Messiah. They had been chosen by Him. They had become the sheep of
the Good Shepherd, and no shepherd lets his sheep be destroyed for want
of watchfulness. Jesus may not have been actively doing anything, but
that didn't mean he was uncaring, or unaware, or unable to help. He
simply chose not to act until the appropriate time.
Jesus the Lord had no problem with the storm. He wakes up, rebukes the
storm and so much as says "What's the fuss? What's the panic?
Why are you afraid - why are you not in faith that God is in control of
everything?" But in the midst of the storm, we look at
the boat, and the wind and the waves, and we get caught up in the moment,
lose sight of the long-term goal, and fail to trust in God.
And that's precisely what the devil is banking on! Can he shake us to
the point of making us lose our nerve? Can he panic us? Can he make us
look at the fierce storm raging around us, and take our eyes off the long-term
Plan for our deliverance? While under testing, we have to "wait patiently
on the Lord" But it's not easy.
Waiting On The Lord
Waiting on the Lord can be nerve-wracking, but we must never allow ourselves
to get to the point of blaming him for his inactivity. Our sufferings
are often of our own making, and even if they are not, if we are being
asked to walk through the fiery trial it is for a good reason, and the
Lord is allowing it for a purpose. He knows everything; He sees everything,
and He will act when he chooses.
Rest in the LORD,
and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers
in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease
from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret-- it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they
shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall
be no more; indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall
be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace. (Ps 37:6-11 NKJ)
The temptation is to blame God for not taking us out of trouble, but
that's because we know so little of God's higher purposes. The crucifixion
is a good case in point. How much did the disciples understand about the
need for that terrible death?
On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus said to his followers:
Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that
ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone:
and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things
I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world
ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome
the world. (John 16:32-33)
Isn't that a contradiction, Jesus? If you have overcome the world, then
why must we endure tribulation? Why don't you just eliminate suffering
and protect us from harm?
That's what the disciples in the boat must have thought. He is the Messiah.
He has miraculous power. Then why isn't he awake and protecting us from
the storm?
That is what the disciples at the time of the crucifixion must have thought.
He is the Messiah, the Saviour, the Redeemer. He can do all things. He
even raises the dead. He says he has overcome the world, and yet he's
under the power of his enemies, being nailed to a cross. It just doesn't
make sense.
But Jesus never promised that storms would not arise, but that HE WOULD
BE WITH THEM in the storm. So it was for their lack of faith IN HIM that
he rebuked them, and their inability to grasp that "all things
work together for good to those that love the Lord and walk in His purposes".
We do not put our faith in being REMOVED from trouble or suffering, but
in being WITH HIM through it all. Jesus and His Bride are both "in
the same boat", storms and all. We believe that He is the LORD, and
therefore that nothing happens to us without his knowledge or permission.
Right now, Jesus (metaphorically) may have chosen to take a nap in your
boat, but that doesn't mean He has abandoned you. It's just that, this
is His will - to put you under trial and testing, to humble you, to prove
you and to know what is in your heart.
It may FEEL like Jesus doesn't care about your terrible situation, and
is not bothering to listen to your frantic cries for help - but remember
that He has promised "I will never leave you nor forsake you".
So you have a choice. Either He's still there, or He was lying! Which?
At the appropriate time, Jesus did rise and still the storm. He
saved them from death. Then they saw that Jesus was the Lord of the storm!
He has authority over the wind and waves, and at his bidding they cease.
As long as Jesus is in control, then there is nothing to fear - even in
the storm!
If you are going through troubled times (and are yet obedient and not
backsliding) then you can be sure that God is controlling the amount and
type of suffering you endure, and using it to produce something fine in
your life.
Pressure Brings Growth
Biblically, pressure (tribulation) is needed to create something
fine and good. Think how many of the bible's good things are produced
under intense pressure and trial:
- GOLD: purified through fire
- WINE: produced by trampling the grapes
- OIL: produced by pressing the olive
- BREAD: produced by grinding the grain and kneading and firing the
dough.
Jesus Himself spoke of the need to pass through death in order to become
fruitful. (True in both a literal and metaphorical way). The seed, he
said, does not germinate and grow, nor produce a harvest, until it is
hidden in the soil alone. This speaks of isolation and seclusion, being
hidden in the darkness for a season, until God brings new life. Yes, the
analogies are all there in the bible - we cannot avoid the conclusion
that tribulation and trial comes before growth.
So - if you are being pressured, maybe you are producing oil or wine?
If you are going through the fire, maybe it's because God wants to refine
you like gold. One of my favourite scriptures was spoken by Job, suffering
even though righteous:
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he
doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand,
that I cannot see him. But he knoweth the way that I take: when
he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job
23:8-10 KJV)
Let that be your confession and belief as the shaking continues.
NOTE: you might be helped
by David Wilkerson's recent article "A Message For Christians Who
Have Bad Days" which is to be found by going directly to this
site: http://misslink.org/chapel/teacher/ts980803.html
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SAD people - help is at hand!
Now a practical note.. I believe it might help some living in Northern
climes, and even in the UK since we had such a dull, cool Summer.
There is a recognised physical condition - the symptoms of which are
a sense of lowness, depression, sleepiness and sluggishness - brought
on by the lack of sufficient daylight entering the brain. Some people
seem more susceptible to it than others. I did read that the Swedish Prime
Minister is having a problem with depression after their long dull Summer
- so I guess he may be a sufferer. Many are.
This is no fanciful new-age health fad - fear not! Indeed, many people
bear out the truth of this syndrome by remarking how much lighter and
more go-ahead they feel with a few days of sun. This is not simply an
emotional reaction, but a physical one. There is actually a measurable
chemical effect in the brain when a sufficient amount of the right kind
of light enters through the eyes. The production of serotonin is increased
and boosted. This chemical (serotonin) produces feelings of well-being,
calm and self-assurance. It also increases energy levels.
On the other hand, levels of the "sleep-chemical" melatonin
rise when there's not enough light on the eye. This makes us drowsy and
slow. (It may account for the phenomenon of winter hibernation is animals.)
(It has also been shown that jet-lag, insomnia and other problems are
caused by disruptions to these particular brain chemicals.)
When people do not receive enough of the right kind of light (because
they work in an office all day, or are housebound, or live in countries
with low levels of light, or are just more susceptible to it than others)
they can suffer bouts of winter depression. This condition has been known
about for many years, and it has been labelled S.A.D, or Seasonal Affective
Disorder.
Some people can have acute reactions, and even become suicidal. More
commonly the symptoms are a craving for starchy foods such a bread and
potatoes, over-sleeping, inability to get up in the mornings, tiredness,
irritability, insomnia, depression and lack of concentration. These symptoms
arrive with the Autumn and become progressively worse throughout Winter,
until the longer days of Spring appear. NoSAD homepage lists the symptoms
as:
- depression starts when days get short
- tired all the time
- you just can’t get going
- increased appetite
- weight gain
- craving for carbohydrates
- withdrawal from relationships
- inability to concentrate or focus
- anxiety and despair
Many have suffered this for years, without knowing what it is, or what
to do about it. Remedies have been tried, but the only real answer is
to get enough light. The most effective cure is to make sure you spend
more time outdoors. Second to that, you can buy a "light-box"
and switch it on for about 20 minutes a day, to top up your levels.
Ordinary light-bulbs will not work, however strong. It is necessary to
buy special light-tubes with the correct spectrum of light, but thankfully
these are becoming more available as the syndrome is recognised more and
more.
I myself bought a light-box many years ago, though I only need it in
the darkest winter days. I find that if I use it at night (to light my
office, for instance) I get TOO MUCH, and get hyper, then I can't sleep.
Obviously something is happening that bears out the official findings.
If all this rings a bell with you, try visiting the SADA websites, and
finding out about light-boxes, and their availability in your area.
Here are a couple of articles on the subject: (If you if not interested
in knowing more about Seasonal Affective Disorder, click here
to go to the next major subject.)
Melatonin May Be The Culprit
The pineal gland, whose
exact function eluded scientists for centuries, senses changes in light
and helps control the cycle of sleeping and waking. The tiny gland senses
when light is shifting to darkness and begins to change one hormone -
serotonin - into melatonin, which signals the body to sleep.
Exactly how melatonin
does that is still not fully understood, said Dr. Yomg Park, a paediatric
neurologist and associate director of the Georgia Sleep Center. The hormone
lightens the skin pigmentation and inhibits oestrus. Sunlight inhibits
its secretion.
Melatonin may be the
culprit behind the "winter blues." Augusta researcher Albert Milliron
and others studied soldiers in Alaska, where the amount of daylight varies
from 21 hours a day in the summer to three hours in the winter.
Studying soldiers who
followed a highly regimented schedule, they found that during the summer
the soldiers had trouble sleeping and were producing little melatonin.
During the winter,
melatonin would peak at 8 a.m., when soldiers were supposed to be coming
wide awake, leaving them depressed.
The hormone may also
play a part in depression among some people as days grow shorter and winter
approaches, a condition known as seasonal affective disorder.
If you would like
more information on melatonin on the internet, Augusta's Albert N. Milliron
has a world wide web site at http://members.aol.com/mindbend2 or http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/6013
Return to Top of Page
Melatonin Tablets Should Be Avoided
- Date: 1996-12-06 13:59:32 EST
- From: NetProphet News Service Press Release
- For More Information, E-mail: Mindbend2@aol.com
Melatonin is being fashioned as the new wonder drug throughout the
country. [USA] Melatonin has been featured in Newsweek, Time, 20/20,
and is the subject of many new books. It is being paraded as the Hormone
to cure sleep disturbances, halt the ageing process, and a cancer
deterrent, but according to Albert Milliron known researcher on Melatonin
in Alaska, "high Melatonin is one of the underlying causes of
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)."
[NB: Melatonin
is not available as an across-the-counter health supplement in the
UK]
"What the health food stores are not telling you is that Melatonin
may cause decreased cognitive functioning, increased depression, and
may be a contributing factor of other psychiatric disorders such as
alcoholism, depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder,
and others".
What you may find, with the approaching Winter months is that people
who normally had no symptoms of winter depression (SAD) will experience
increases in sleep, depression, decreased libido, and lack of productivity.
Hibernation in animals during the winter months is directly linked with
Melatonin. So what may happen is a hibernation type response.
Lack of sunlight naturally increases Melatonin in the system and allows
for other hormones like Cortisol to decrease. If a person is talking
this natural occurring hormone orally, a phase shift in hormones may
take place, and cause symptoms like Seasonal Affective Disorder.
In the Northern regions the incidence of Seasonal Affective Disorder
or Winter blues occurs in nearly one in four. There is also an increase,
much greater than the national average, of domestic violence, depression,
alcoholism, and suicide that may be linked with Melatonin.
The symptoms of SAD are treated with full spectrum light therapy (to
reduce Melatonin) and antidepressants. Milliron states, "I have great
concerns regarding the use of Melatonin orally due to underlying physiology
being tampered with and causing possible hormone imbalances during the
winter months. I strongly recommend people consult a Doctor prior to
using Melatonin."
(Albert N. Milliron is a Seasonal Affective Disorder
researcher whose work is found in Arctic Medical Research, The Society
for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms, and is quoted and referenced
in the Books, Melatonin The Anti-aging Hormone, by Suzanne LeVert and
Melatonin, Natures Sleeping Pill, by Ray Sahielian. He is also a well
known speaker on the subject of melatonin and alcoholism. )
WEBSITES TO VISIT FOR INFORMATION
AND HELP
NoSAD homepage
S.A.D
Home
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM - write to the following address:
SADA - the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (UK)
SADA is the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association. It is a UK registered
charity (No. 800917) which is there to help people with SAD by providing
information. It organises meetings for sufferers and professionals,
it has a nationwide network of support groups, it provides SAD information
packs to sufferers, to health professionals and to the media. It keeps
an eye on scientific developments in the field. SADA was founded by
Jennifer Eastwood in 1985. SADA has now grown into a professional organisation.
The annual membership fee is very reasonable, and well worth it.
To obtain information send a Self-addressed Stamped Envelope to: The
Secretary, SADA, PO Box 989, London SW7 2PZ.
Bible Under Attack
A new Bible series (KJV version) with lengthy critical introductions
is causing a stir, and Paul Slennett, who runs SCB Services in Essex has
resigned as the sole distributor of the Pocket Canons, published by Canongate,
after reading the introductions.
In his letter of resignation, Slennett claims the introductions to the
books are irreverent, and in some cases blasphemous.
He has enlisted the help of a Christian solicitor (Tony Bennett) to take
Canongate to court on charges of blasphemy if the sale of the books goes
ahead next month as planned.
Tony Bennett has circulated a six page analysis of the introductions
to Christian booksellers, asking them to boycott the books.
The Pocket Canon, licensed by the Scottish Bible Board, is supposedly
"thought-provoking" but the introductions, written by various non-Christian
personalities, are critical of Christianity, the Bible and in some cases
God.
In particular, the introduction to the book of Job by Louis de Bernieres
(author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin) says that God is "an unpleasantly
sarcastic megalomaniac" and a "frivolous trickster".
Jamie Byng, the Publisher at Canongate says the complaints would not
halt the publication. "This [the Bible] is not a text they own, as
Christians" he said.
Excerpts from the introductions were printed in the Sunday Mail last
Sunday (5th September). The three featured were by Will Self, (journalist
and writer) Nick Cave (a musician) and the writer Fay Weldon.
Fay Weldon writes a vitriolic piece against the Apostle Paul whom she
considers a turncoat, slippery, power-obsessed and "the very Mandelson
of religious politics, demanding his united front".
Will Self tells a lurid story of early experiences with drugs and sex,
and of a young man who became obsessed by the Book of Revelation (though
not a Christian). Will Self himself read it "once" and "found it a
sick text; I never want to read it again" He says "there's something
not quite right about Revelation..."
Nick Cave tells of his repugnance of the Old Testament and its "maniacal
God who dealt out to humanity punishments that had me drop-jawed in disbelief
at their vengefulness". He concludes that God is malign, even evil.
He says that he left this stage behind, having tired of "watching a
whacked out God tormenting a wretched humanity."
On being advised to read the book of Mark, he then sees Jesus Christ
as a human being with all the frailties of mankind and warms to him, only
to berate the Church even more for "denying Christ his humanity".
These three extracts illustrate the problem we have before us. The only
reason anyone should chose to introduce the scriptures to people unlikely
to have read them before with these scurrilous attacks is surely to denigrate
the scriptures even further and cause them to descend to the place of
"classical" but unwanted fiction, rather like the works of the Marquis
De Sade.
One can only hope and pray that for some people the scriptures will speak
for themselves and rise above these attacks! God needs no apologetics,
and his Word still has that ancient power to convince, convict and convert.
So maybe the publishers will shoot themselves in the foot?
Return to Top of Page
Alpha Course Goes Nationwide
The Alpha Course is going to be the vehicle for a major push in "evangelism"
this Autumn. It's being used by hundreds of participating churches throughout
England and Scotland to attract unbelievers to the Church.
Article in The Scotsman newspaper, 10th September 1998:
CHURCHES PUT FAITH IN £1m CAMPAIGN
Photo: Advertising hoarding -
"You're born. You live. You die. End of story? The Alpha course.
Starting soon at a church near you."
More than 4,000 churches of all denominations started a £1 million
advertising campaign yesterday to get more people interested in Christianity.
It is the biggest interdenominational advertising campaign organised in
Britain. From next week, 5,500 billboards will carry slogans such as "You're
born. You live. You die. End of Story?". Adverts will also appear in more
that 100 newspapers.
Churches around Britain, including about 130 in Scotland, will try
to encourage non-believers or those curious about Christianity to attend
a ten week course for one evening a week.
All the churches will be running the "Alpha course", which was developed
at Holy Trinity Church in Brompton, London, more than 20 years ago.
A total of 6,143 churches including Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist
and Anglican are registered to run the course, which is described as a
light-hearted introduction to the Christian faith.
The Alpha course has been credited with reviving church membership
in areas where it has been taught. Mark Elsdon-Dew, the communications
director of Holy Trinity, said that each church had been invited to donate
£100 in order to take part, though some gave more. In addition, church
members who were involved in the advertising industry donated their time
without payment.
The courses have attracted people from a range of backgrounds, ranging
from those who do not believe in any religion to those who think there
might be something in Christianity.
"It is an evening out and there is a presentation each evening on
some aspect of Christianity, but it is presented in a light hearted way",
Mr Eldson-Dew said. "We are almost certain that there has never been a
campaign before where so many different churches have all come together
supporting the same initiative."
The Rev. Nicky Gumbel, the Alpha course chaplain at Holy Trinity,
added that he felt there was a "spiritual hunger" in the country. Not
everyone would become a committed Christian because of the course, but
all the participants would take something with them.
"It's an opportunity for people to explore issues, to ask questions
and to find out more. No one is pressured into making decisions."
Father Tom Connolly, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church in
Scotland, said it was not involved in the Alpha course on a national level.
But he added: "It sounds like an excellent initiative because anything
that can attract people to the Christian Gospel is to be welcomed."
Andy Lawson-Johnston, of St Andrews Episcopal Church in Alford, Grampian,
one of the co-ordinators of the campaign in Scotland, said "By making
a modest individual commitment, but by making it collectively, churches
in Scotland have been able to join with churches throughout the UK to
mount a powerful national campaign which we hope will bear fruit directly
in towns and villages throughout the area."
The campaign starts as a survey revealed that Sir Cliff Richard was
a more famous Christian than the Pope and is just 1 per cent behind Jesus
Christ in the recognition stakes. Of the 253 people of all ages in Downham
Market, Norfolk, who were asked to name a famous Christian, 9 percent
went for Jesus followed by 8 percent for Sir Cliff. Mother Teresa was
third with 5 percent and the evangelist Billy Graham and civil rights
leader Martin Luther King each came fourth, followed by John the Baptist,
St Peter and John Wesley. The Pope came ninth and the Prime Minister,
Tony Blair, was 14th.
(For those unfamiliar with the Alpha Course, there's an article
on this website to explain it.)
In a climate of uninformed and undiscriminating spiritual hunger [* but
see this note], we can perhaps thank God that this
campaign is at least in some terms broadly Christian, though we now face
the prospect of yet more people making "a commitment" to a religion
(albeit Christianity) to the established Church (mostly apostate) and
to a spiritual experience (of a spirit, not of the Saviour Jesus Christ
in most cases.)
It's a known fact that it is more difficult to evangelise nominal Christians,
and people who believe they are already saved, rather than out-and-out
heathens. Once people get some kind of satisfaction for their spiritual
yearnings, they settle into a routine, and look for nothing more. It will
ultimately prove difficult if not impossible to convert people who think
they have found the answer for their needs..
And the kind of churchianity now on offer has much to please the nominal
Christian - welfare schemes to soothe the trouble social conscience; music
and entertainment a-plenty for the worldly soul, new friends and acceptance
in a comfortable atmosphere of superficial love, and a spiritual buzz
at almost every meeting. On top of which there's a glorious goal of transforming
the world into a better, safer, prettier place.
That's enough to satisfy the longings of almost every man and woman -
especially since he or she will not have to give up the love of the world,
nor conform to "outdated modes of morality" in order to participate.
Rarely, churches might come across a person who can see through the hypocritical,
superficial dross that Christianity has become today. This person will
NOT be satisfied (though he or she will probably not know why, at first.)
This person will chafe and squirm, feeling only guilt that he can't fit
in. He'll endure some meetings, always wondering why he "can't get
it". He'll be looking around at the others, thinking "why am
I so different - what's wrong with me?" His desire for truth and
reality will only grow more desperate, and so he'll go on looking until
God leads him to the TRUE Saviour of his soul.
The sadness is, this person will have to seek alone, and endure the criticism,
rejection and disgust of the modern-day Church. Many "enlightened"
members of the new movements in the Church actively dislike true biblical
faith and spirituality. They pour scorn on a heavenly outlook, or love
of and adherence to biblical doctrine. Such things, to them, are "old-fashioned".
Increasingly, if people are born again of the Spirit of God, they will
have been saved DESPITE the Church, not BECAUSE of it.
I believe the churches (maybe unwittingly) have been sucked into a plot
to create "members" instead of born-again Christians!
With perhaps the best of intentions, they are colluding with a plan to
liberalise the Church and to make it a place where anything goes (except
dissent!), where people give their allegiance to a christianised religion,
instead of to Jesus Christ; where people follow and obey their Pastors
and Priests, instead of God and the Holy Spirit.
As a result, true evangelism is going to take place more and more outside
conventional churches. It will be once again as it was in the early days
of the Church, where individuals speak to their neighbours and friends,
without courses and bible study books, simply with a heart of love for
others, and with the anointing of the Spirit. They will just feel led
to invite somebody home for a cup of tea, and a chat about this glorious
coming Lord.
The real spiritual hunger is for peace, forgiveness, assurance of salvation,
and a personal knowledge of the living God. THAT can only be answered
by biblical faith in Jesus Christ. While there are still British churches
(thank God) who DO know the true gospel and who ARE reaching out to the
lost with a biblical redemption, there are so many more who are not.
So if there is really to be a short time of evangelism to harvest the
lost before the Lord comes, I expect it to be a one-to-one personal outreach
rather than a huge advertising campaign and a suspect course that triggers
the desire to "have a spiritual experience".
NOTE: Although we are constantly being told
(primarily by the Renewal Movement) that the world is spiritually hungry
and looking for inner fulfilment, is this borne out by the facts? Holy
Trinity Brompton, home of the Alpha Course, conducted a survey which
suggests just the opposite is true. It revealed that most people feel
contented and fulfilled (at least in the UK.)
The survey showed that most people are not religious, nor do they have
a desire to seek for inner meaning for their lives. Eleven percent of
people felt "totally fulfilled", 64 percent were "somewhat
fulfilled" and only 5 percent were "totally unfulfilled".
Less than one in five people felt the need to explore the meaning of
life, and they valued the daily newspaper and TV soaps more than the
Bible.
Although a majority of people in England still put "Church of
England" on official forms when asked their religion, 39 percent
said they were "not religious" and 42 percent were only "somewhat
religious" - that's a massive 81 percent of the population that
have little to no interest in religion, let alone Christianity.
Spiritual revival? Are you kidding?????
The Insufficient Gospel
Have you noticed that biblical evangelism is a lost art? While many big
ministries have carefully crafted statements of faith that comply with
biblical doctrine (vetted by their lawyers and scholars to make sure there
are no loopholes!) in practise they do NOT preach a sound gospel message
of salvation.
One case in point is the "salvation message" of Kenneth Copeland,
to be found in one of his recent magazine issues ("Voice of Victory")
and also at this website: Heaven
or Hell?
The prayer of salvation according to Copeland is as follows:
Heavenly Father, I come to
You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, "Whosoever shall call on
the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).
I am calling on You. I pray
and ask Jesus to come into my heart and be Lord over my life according
to Romans 10:9-10. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved." I do that now. I confess that Jesus
is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.
I am now reborn! I am a Christian
- a child of Almighty God! I am saved!
You also said in Your Word,
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:
HOW MUCH MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him?" (Luke 11:13).
I'm also asking You to fill
me with the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, rise up within me as I praise
God. I fully expect to speak with other tongues as You give me the utterance
(Acts 2:4).
Begin to praise God for filling
you with the Holy Spirit. Speak those words and syllables you receive
- not in your own language, but the language given to you by the Holy
Spirit. You have to use your own voice. God will not force you to speak.
Now you are a Spirit-filled
believer. Continue with the blessing God has given you and pray in tongues
each day. You'll never be the same! Find a good Word of God preaching
church, and become a part of a church family who will love and care
for you as you love and care for them. We need to be hooked up to each
other. It increases our strength in God. It's God's plan for us.
To summarise, you (a) believe and say that Jesus is Lord, and (b) ask
for the Spirit, and start speaking in tongues. Then "I'm born again"
- but ARE YOU?
This prayer is wrenching scriptures out of their context and presenting
them as a ritual - doesn't the Bible warn us against such superficiality?
Even the demons believe that Jesus is Lord, and they tremble! Of course
Jesus is Lord - and confessing it (in the sense of saying it out loud)
is no magic cure for sin. It is only to state the obvious.
First of all, the scripture from Acts used in the above prayer is in
the context of the destruction of the last days and the Coming of Jesus,
when men will seek deliverance from wrath:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come
to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be
saved. (Acts 2:20-21)
This scripture comes originally from the book of Joel, (2:31-32) and
was quoted by Peter at Pentecost, and by Paul in Romans 10. In Joel, the
great and terrible Day of the Lord causes everyone to make a decision
either to deny Jesus and to look to humanity and other gods for deliverance,
or to humble themselves under the hand of God Almighty, acknowledging
their sin, their culpability, and their total inability to save themselves.
Nobody in that crisis situation would be unaware of the power of God,
the wrath of God, nor the penalties for sin. Nor would they be unaware
that Jesus Christ was indeed the Lord, the Messiah, the Saviour. Therefore,
whoever consciously and deliberately turned to Jesus and called upon him
for deliverance would be rejecting all hope in human means of salvation.
By their calling upon Jesus they would be acknowledging their desperate
need, which no other Person but He could satisfy.
All this is a far cry from the casual, emotion-driven, self-centred "call"
which a reader might make after reading the Copeland page! This trivialises
the promise of salvation and turns it into "one-stop-shopping".
Confession of Jesus as Lord is MUCH more than a form of words, a mantra,
or a "positive confession" . It must come from an intelligent
examination and an understanding of what that Lordship entails, and what
it implies. It must come in the context of having heard the full
gospel message, understood it, and believed it.
Let's put that scripture of Copeland's into its biblical context (Rom
10:12-17)
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same
Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on
the name of the Lord shall be saved." How then shall they call on
Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him
of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
... So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Confession is Not Just Words
The term "confess Christ" in the bible is NOT just "making
a positive confession". Far from it. It is not about words, but about
a binding covenant, intelligently agreed between two consenting
parties.
To make confession is in Greek HOMOLOGEO. It is made up of two Greek
words 1. HOMOU (together) and 2. LOGO (to speak); thus to "assent,
be in accord with, agree together with".
This means that a person needs to KNOW and UNDERSTAND the meaning of
the life and death of Jesus Christ, before he can possibly AGREE with
that meaning personally. In order to confess Christ, a person has to see
the need for redemption from sin, and see that Jesus is the only Way of
Salvation.
To confess means that a person gives unqualified allegiance to
Jesus as LORD (over every part of his or her life) and to accept him as
GOD - that is, putting him in first place in worship, love, devotion and
obedience.
For a first-century Jew to confess that "Jesus is Lord" he
would have to deny his culture, synagogue, heritage, religion and probably
his family, too. (Maybe even his life).
John 9:22 ... the Jews had agreed already, that if any man
did confess that he [Jesus] was Christ, he should be put out of the
synagogue.
John 12:42-43 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many
believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him,
lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise
of men more than the praise of God.
Being Re-Born is Not Trivial
I take issue with Copeland in leading a person to say "I am reborn"
simply because he or she has repeated the prayer above, probably without
understanding the deeper issues.
To be "reborn" is to experience a Second Birth - and that event
can be as momentous and traumatic as the first birth. The Holy Spirit
of God is involved. God is being asked to bring the person's spirit
to life in a crucially important and everlasting way. This cannot be treated
lightly. It is a very solemn moment in anyone's life, not to be taken
for granted. There is no looking back from the point of rebirth, and it
is not a decision to be taken lightly.
If anyone were to repeat Copeland's prayer, lacking understanding of
what this entailed, he would not be "born again", yet he would
THINK he is. Then his REAL problems would begin - especially if immediately
afterwards he is led to "begin speaking in tongues"!!!
The Dumbing Down of Conversion
The whole trend in the Church seems to be to trivialise the salvation
offered in Jesus. It is often claimed that "thousands are saved"
at renewal meetings and the like. No doubt something is happening
to "thousands" but is it the salvation we read about in the
Word of God?
Are these people really reborn? Or is it that the eager thousands feel
the need to be part of an exciting event, are swept up in the thrill of
a powerful new movement, sense their inadequacy as human beings, see that
God can offer them more out of life, and sign up to "get" what
they can out of it?
These fair-weather Christians are like the plants that result from seed
sown upon the pathways. They spring up quickly, but as soon as the heat
of the sun strikes them they wither away and die.
If the decision has not been taken in the full light of reason and intellectual
consideration, knowing all the implications, and taking stock of what
it might mean, then the commitment to Jesus will wear off at the first
trial.
Feelings fade; faith never does if it's genuine. Feelings of satisfaction
soon pale into boredom, and the next thrill has to be even greater to
keep the new convert's interest.
It's not hard, at a large meeting, to engage a person's feelings (because
most people do have secret feelings of guilt, longing, despair, inadequacy,
loneliness and so on). It's not very difficult to persuade a trusting
soul to come forward and get a blessing, but that blessing seems hollow
the next morning after the razzmatazz and noise and excitement of the
meeting are over.
Then what? That poor trusting soul is as empty as before, but now he
or she has to keep up a charade of "being a Christian" and "going
to Church" in order not to appear hypocritical or a failure.
When they tire of this new form of religion, and lose interest in meetings,
how loyal will they be to the Saviour? (Or, indeed, to their fellow church-goers?)
When persecution arises, and they are called upon to lay down everything
for Him, how "christian" will they be then? As Jesus said "they
have no root..." and that's because they have never been introduced
to the roots of the faith that they profess.
The real blame is in the leaders, who are manipulating
the "thousands" to rush into something superficial they are
not really ready for, which they neither understand nor fully appreciate.
And the real problem is that afterwards these
people - now church-goers and nominal believers - will resist any further
efforts to evangelise them because they think they "are reborn".
Some of them will turn into liberal scholars who will dissect the Bible
and tear it into shreds; some will grow bitter against Jesus and the Church
and turn into open enemies of the gospel; some of them will simply plod
on - confused, inwardly despairing, and frustrated - and they will plunge
ever deeper into "spiritual experiences" seeking the answer
they can never find.
Pity them! Pray for them! But also beware of them because the Church
is filling up with disaffected, brooding, bitter, repressed souls that
will take out their anger on YOU if you give them half a chance!
One final piece of ongoing news:
MILLENNIUM DOME
The Spirit Zone looking for Sponsors.
Despite all the criticism about wasted money, and the disgust of two-thirds
of the population, building on the Millennium Dome is continuing apace.
Speculation about the enormous statue that would dominate the Body Zone
ended when it was decided (true to my predictions about it!) that an androgynous,
half man-half-woman figure would be used, joined at the hip.
But the most important Zone for Christians was of course the Spirit Zone,
with its black glass pyramid and Zen gardens, and so forth. It looks like
no real Christian content will be seen at all, since the Church as a whole
seems (as usual?) locked in disagreement/discussion and slow to take any
appropriate action.
The search for sponsors willing to fund development in the Spirit Zone
came up with a big zero. It seems nobody wants to be associated with spiritual
things! Then, a major Sponsor appeared on the horizon (but the rumour
was quickly denied) - "unlimited millions" were on offer from
a radical Sikh political party willing to save the Spirit Zone. The Sikh
Council for Interfaith Relations. However, said it was unlikely that the
small Sharomani Akali Dal, a group with about 50 members, would be able
to fulfill their promises. (So I guess the Spirit Zone is still open to
offers? I wonder if any of the big, loaded, Christian ministries would
like to funnel some of their millions into the Zone, to make sure it's
not hijacked by other religions. Nope, probably not!)
One Church venture for the millennium is to send a candle and a "prayer"
on a card to every household in the UK. This "prayer", to be
recited over the burning candle at the moment of transition into the new
year, owes more to new-age doctrine than Christian, and fails to mention
or even allude to Jesus Christ or the Christian gospel. (See below)
CHURCHES' MILLENNIUM MESSAGE IGNORES GOD
(Steve Doughty, Social Affairs Correspondent; Daily Mail 3/8/98)
Church Officials
have left God out of their main millennium campaign to avoid imposing
the Christian message on the nation.
They are planning
to send a candle and a 'resolution' to every home in the country to
spread a spiritual message amid the celebrations. But yesterday it emerged
that the resolution will make no mention of God, Christ or any other
Christian symbol.
Instead it will say:
'Let there be respect for the Earth, peace for its people, love in our
lives, delight in the good, forgiveness of past wrongs and from now
on a new start.'
Officials of Churches
Together in England, the interdenominational group behind the £7million
campaign, said it was important not to force Christianity on those who
might otherwise be pleased to light the candle in their windows a few
minutes before midnight on December 31 1999.
The Rev.Stephen
Lynas, one of the group's leaders, said: 'We do not think it is right
to impose on people something with which they do not feel comfortable.
The packages will contain letters saying they are a present from the
local Christian church.' But the traditionalist Bishop of Fulham, the
Rt Rev. John Broadhurst, said: 'It is extraordinary that the Christian
leaders should secularise their unique contribution to the Millennium.'
The move will undermine
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, in his battle to get
more overtly Christian material in the Millennium Dome.
In order to attract tourists to the Dome site, the British Tourist Authority
is launching a worldwide campaign of advertising, but without promoting
the religious or Christian aspects of the year 2000.
It's seeing the millennium as "the greatest tourism opportunity
this nation has ever known" but mention of Jesus Christ would be
a real dampener. Over three million pounds is to be poured into the BTA
advertising campaign, promoting the Dome and other cultural and environmental
events, but they are deliberately leaving out the Christian aspects (what
few there might be!). In their opinion, people can go to Israel to celebrate
the 2000th birthday of Christ, if they choose, but to mention Christ in
this country is a big turn-off, and wouldn't be so profitable.
Personally, I don't see the year 2000 as the "birthday of Jesus"
or anything especially Christian, so it doesn't bother me that the supposedly
Christian elements are being ignored. What DOES bother me is the lily-livered
Church that dares not speak of Jesus or the Gospel, and the anti-Christian
attitude of the Government and Business world.
Still - par for the course these days, isn't it?
Come soon, Lord Jesus!
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