iGod

A muslim cleric's view of persecuted Christians and the UK Church

I heard last weekend about an interview on a radio station with Sheikh Dr Muhammad Al-Hussaini, founder of Scripture Reasoning and Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Leo Beck Rabbinical College, has said that the ‘church hierarchy’ in the UK is to blame for Christian persecution around the world because it ‘simply doesn’t care’ and only offers a ‘whimper’ in response to incidents:

The one thing we Muslims can absolutely rely upon is that whereas the tiniest thing kicks off in Gaza or the West Bank and there are protests in Muslim cities all the way from Jakarta to Timbuktu, in the case of persecuted Christian minorities—horrendous machete attacks take place in Nigeria, Christians in Iraq are burned out of their houses, Christians in Pakistan are stoned or attacked on the slightest pretext, Christians in Palestine suffer under Israeli occupation—in all cases what we will hear is just a whimper.

Interestingly and, perhaps, surprisingly, he calls upon the Church to be a voice for justice for persecuted minorities, which he claims would speak ‘into the heart of the Muslim community.

He saves a lot of his criticism for the established church in this country, which he says is more concerned with social position and power than fighting the injustices on behalf of the poor in other parts of the world.  If it was, it would be a faith worth listening to.

Although, there is perhaps some truth in the cleric’s words, maybe we should remember that this is not an excuse for bringing daily misery to the lives of thousands normal Christians who are just trying to survive as a minority in a religiously hostile environment. But an interesting and useful perspective all the same.

ASD

Church worker hits front page of Evening Standard

Having posted this morning the story of the stabbed church worker who is fighting for his life, it has since been elevated to front page news. The man has been named as father of four Simon Somerville. Be good to pray for him and his family tonight.

ASD

When faith is tested, others notice

 I spoke earlier this week of my uncomfortable conversation with a non-Christian who thought Christianity should stand for something and make us different from others. His experience was not great.

Today I heard Prince Edward talk on the radio on how the Duke of of Edinburgh Awards holds a ‘chance of death’. It seems to have caused no small ripple in Australia. He went on to say, of course, he hoped no-one would die, but it has happened. Has it put people off? Far from it. It has only added to the experience

The truth is Christianity is exciting, but sometimes it can be dangerous. At this point everything that we proclaim to hold dear is tested.

Perhaps it is humility that stops us saying how different we are to people.  Sometimes it is because we just don’t feel that different!  Our being a Christian can be seen as ineffectual.  It is only when faith is tested that we find out if it means anything or not.

Last night the faith of a 41-year-old man was tested in south London.

In today’s Evening Standard on page 5, tucked away in the top right-hand corner is a story of a church volunteer who was stabbed repeatedly by a load of youths in Deptford outside a church-organised meeting. The event was aimed at trying to keep teenagers away from crime.

He is now fighting for his life in a south London hospital. It was also reported that a 16-year-old boy stepped in to try and stop it and found himself being stabbing.

It was a church’s initiative to bring peace to the streets of London. They did not have to hold such a meeting, but they did. 

It was a man’s own initiative to go and speak to the gang. He did not have to get involved, but he did. 

It was the 16-year-old boy’s initiative to try and help this man, more than twice his age. He did not have to, but he did.

It is all too common nowadays to just look the other way or walk on the other side of the street.  The man is now fighting for his life. What could compelled someone to do such a thing other than Jesus?

These are the kind of Christians I would like my non-Christian friend to meet. 

Please join with me in praying for that man and boy in Deptford, and that God’s peace may break out in this part of south London with young lives being transformed and given hope.

Today I feel privileged to be part of this beloved thing we call the Church.

ASD

Who is the most commonly sung about person in a song, dead or alive?

Here's a useless bit of trivia picked up from the Chris Evan's drive-time show last night on Radio 2.

Apparently the most frequently mentioned name in a song is...God!  This is followed by Jesus. Interestingly, the devil makes an equally high appearance at number three. A space where perhaps the Holy Spirit might have occupied to give us a truly triune experience, given the songwriting opportunity.

Does the devil have all the best tunes?  Okay, I hear you, let's not go there.

ASD

Living in a growing culture of distrust

Is society broken? Now there’s a question.

It is something that I have asked myself repeatedly this weekend when reading the newspapers. Here are three quick cases in point.

Firstly, just down the road, not far from where I live, in Great Tey, Colchester, I heard how a dinner lady has been suspended for telling a bullied child’s parents what was happening to her at school. Apparently, the school was not amused that confidence had been being breached. However, friends, neighbours and fellow parents have rallied around this popular woman in an act of community-led solidarity.  

Secondly, I read earlier in the week in another part of Essex how a boy aged just nine was allegedly accused of racism for making the gun shape with his fingers towards a friend during a lesson. After a conversation with the deputy head he went home to ask his parents what racism was.

From what I understand the child was simply playing a game, but because the other boy was Polish it was seen as more sinister.  Hmm!  

Thirdly, I hear that school teachers can no longer apply a plaster or antiseptic cream to a cut or graze. Instead they give a child a damp cloth to put on it. At the end of the day the teacher has to ask each child if they have been hurt at all and then write it up to report back to each parent. Of course, at 5 years old children see this is as a game, not an exercise in health and safety.

All this leads me, and probably you, to think what is happening to our society. It seems to be equally gripped by fear and good intentions. It is not hard to see how stories like these breed distrust while earnestly no doubt trying to protect the vulnerable. Of course, there are always two sides to a story and I suspect the teachers have been misrepresented along the way for just trying to do their jobs.

There is undoubtedly an element of good in the original thinking, but I am concerned by the increasing reaction by some who should, perhaps, rediscover the merit of giving the benefit of the doubt. Now that’s a phrase that isn’t heard too much nowadays, is it?

In the school playground, in the workplace and among neighbours our society is being taught to become suspicious of others. Nothing is to be taken as innocent anymore. Not a great place to build good relationships from.

It has been my experience that even when you have known someone for a long length of time they can still think the worse of you. Is it something you have done?  No. The problem often lies with the insecurity that has been exploited in us. They have been taught not to trust, to think the worse, because that is how you survive. How sad.

Remember Jesus’ words: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind”?

I find our Lord’s words becoming increasingly relevant these days. Trust has become an unreliable word. Church leaders aren’t trusted. Doctors aren’t trusted. Police aren’t trusted. Politicians definitely aren’t trusted.

The notion of trust needs to be redeemed. It is a central tenet in Christian thought and is part of the common Christian experience. We should not underestimate how trusting someone empowers them and gives confidence. Not least helps them be fulfilled as adults. With trust comes responsibility. Surely that is no bad thing.

If ever the church can find space to stand out for something in these insecure and fearful times it is by living out a culture of trust in church life.  Of course, this will mean from time-to-time people will take advantage of us, but that is part of the cost of vulnerability. We have to be willing to be fools for Christ for people to see the wisdom of his words.

Meantime, in our church we will do our government-required CRB checks. We will do our best to practice grace to all; acceptance of all. We want to live by the Christ-like principle of giving people the benefit of the doubt, not thinking the worse.  

And just for the record, the teachers in my kids’ schools do a wonderful job.  They have my trust. Furthermore, if one of them broke the ranks and stuck a plaster on my child’s graze they would not be hearing from my solicitor, but probably my wife, along with a letter of indebted thanks.

ASD

Why X Factor has the Ah! Factor

Unless you have been on holiday in a remote part of the world where electricity is still an aspiration, it will not have escaped your attention that  X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing are back on our screens.

Much like last year my family and I have become full goggle-eyed X Factor addicts, even though my disdain for TV in general continues to grow weekly. But I do have to concur, it is the best escapist TV around - and in more ways than one.

I hear from a friend who knows how the X Factor producers work that the best way for your act to be seen by millions of people on national TV and YouTube is: a) be able to sing and b) have a sob story ready. Being talented and from a stable middle-class simply doesn’t cut it.

I have lost count how many times we have been introduced to a single mum wanting to re-kick start her life with a new career in music.

Last year you may remember we had Daniel who lost his wife to a terminal disease and sang at the audition in memory of her. The hardiest of us were caught out dabbing our moist eyes on the sofa.  However, the show painfully never allowed us to forget for one minute his loss and subsequently the media turned on him, accusing poor Daniel of using his wife’s memory to manipulate the judges’ decision. It felt quite uncomfortable.

There is a new film out this week called Fish Tank. It is the story of a girl  called Mia living on a rough council estate who is socially trapped. She drinks heavily and has problems with her mum’s choice of boyfriends. All she wants to do is become a professional dancer and find a way to escape the ‘fish tank’ that is her life. She goes for an audition only to find out that they want lap-dancers, not street dancers. Your heart sinks for her. It is not a happy film and has no Disney ending.

I wonder if the attraction of X Factor is that it is a people’s show. It gives hope that anyone of any social background has the chance to escape a unhappy and desperate life. It is the ultimate rags-to-riches TV show. No wonder the Americans love it.  The huge queues seem to bear witness to this theory.

Sometimes the naked desperation in people’s faces of wanting to be loved is almost too painful to watch. Surely some of them must know they can’t sing for toffee before they go on. Why doesn’t a friend stop them?

You have to also ask: what it is that drives people to risk making a public fool of themselves?

This may explain why X Factor has a higher viewership than BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, which follows ‘D List’ celebrities that have already had their own fair share of fame and fortune, regardless of what they have done with it.

A teacher friend of mine in our church said recently that she asked her class of teenagers what they wanted to be when they grew up. More than one of them said “to be famous”.

It is easy to be cynical and dismissive of this response, but knowing something of the challenging school she teaches in the answer is not as shallow as you might first think. If you had your mother's boyfriend hitting you what would be your ideal situation?

Youngsters are more disconnected, confused, mixed-up than ever before. With the erosion of community life, and the cheapening of the currency of long-term loving relationships it is not hard to see how teenage depression has become a national phenomenon. They simply want a way out!

In my limited experience I do not see the same aspiration to be famous from children from happy homes who are blessed to have a mother and father. I am not sure either this is always to do with social hardship. Life can be living hell coming from a broken privileged background too. Sometimes it has very little to do with money.

As a Christian I wonder what the best response might be. At the moment I sit on my sofa on a Saturday night and shed a tear over some stranger's story. I know I have to do more. I must. Jesus’ words about “loving your neighbour” have never been more pertinent.

ASD

Share your happiest memory on World Alzheimer’s Day

I am not sure if you have ever experienced anyone with Alzheimer's Disease, but is pretty horrific. I've seen someone I love being slowly robbed of their mind, memories and relationships and it broke my heart.

On this day that specially remembers the fight against Alzheimer's, can I ask you to consider taking a couple of minutes out to visit Alzheimer's Research Trust's microsite: Memories Matter? It allows you to share your happy memories and show your support. I see there's a few odd celebs on there too, including the Prime Minister.

It is a great feel-good Monday thing to do - and very worthwhile. 

ASD

To choose mercy is the tough choice

The release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi has not been far from the front page in the last few days.

It has caused a huge stirring of feelings across the Transatlantic waters with our American friends. British jouno Ben White has guest blogged on Jim Wallis' God's Politics website on some of the other views abounding. There are some uncomfortable things being said here (I don't necessarily agree with them mind you).

In a nutshell, he talks about how we treat others makes a huge statement about our own morals. It ultimately defines us. Mercy, for sure, is not a light or soft option. However, it is a virtue that will undoubtedly test the most stoical of us at least once in our lifetimes.

ASD

The science of happiness in serving others

 I have just come back from an enjoyable day at New Wine in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. For those of you uninitiated, it is an annual summer event for Christian families and individuals attended by some 30,000 people, giving the opportunity to be spiritually and physically refreshed and renewed.

Actually, might need to scrub 'physically' after seeing the muddy and tired condition of some families around. Some of them I am told had to be evacuated from one of the top fields when rain water sprung up all around and in their tents. Not easy when you have a baby and a toddler screaming.

Now you may wonder why anyone in their right frame of mind would put themselves through so much angst. But, on the whole, it didn't bother people. They were happy. Yes, happy! Can you believe that?

A while ago The Times magazine ran a cover story on the science of happiness. One of the interesting things that came out of it was that exercises in gratitude, such as counting your blessings, writing a gratitude journal increased physical health health, raised energy levels and, for patients with neuromuscular disease, helped relieve pain and fatigue. It reported:

"The ones who benefited most tended to elaborate more and have a wider span of things they were grateful for.

"Another happiness booster ...is performing acts of altruism or kindness - visiting a nursing home, helping a friend's child with homework, mowing a neighbour's lawn, writing a letter to a grandparent. Doing five acts of kindness a week, especially all in a day.

"[Serving people should be] both random and systematic. Being kind to others, whether friends, strangers, triggers a cascade of positive effects - it makes you feel generous and capable...and wins you smiles."

Now if all this is done out out of love and gratitude to Jesus, I reckon that wins the biggest smile of them all. Think what that must do for us spiritually.

Time to apply the science.

ASD

40 years ago three men land on the moon - and read from the book of Genesis

I can remember being woken up by my father and brought downstairs to watch the moment when three US astronauts landed on the moon for the very first time. The year was 1969. I was just five years old. It was a very vivid memory.

I heard last week that Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buz Aldrin did something rather remarkable before stepping out of Apollo 11. The three of them read from the Book of Genesis, then apparently Neil Armstrong took Communion.

For reasons at the time, due to an atheist complaining about reading from a Bible in space, this latter fact had been concealed. I wonder what fresh meaning that simple meal of the bread and the wine had for Armstrong.

The Guardian on Saturday published its original front page. On it was an article quoting the Pope's reaction: "In an ecstasy of this prophetic day - a real triumph for man-made means for the dominion of the universe - we must not forget man's need and duty to dominate himself."

At the time there were three major conflicts raging back down on planet earth: Vietnam, Nigeria and the Middle East - with a fourth just erupted between El Salvador and Honduras.

The Pope concluded: "It is absolutely necessary that the heart of man should become freer, better, more religious as the power of his machines, his weapons, his instruments become greater and more dangerous."

To Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin's minds the world must have just looked plain innocent.

it makes me reflect on how Genesis chapter 1 must have read to them thousands of miles away from the earth; and how Jesus' death and resurrection was seen. One can only imagine. From their perspective, I am sure It would have looked perfect and untainted, and inconceivable that a tiny planet like theirs could hurt itself so much.

Neil Armstrong commented later, "It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small."

In John 3:30 when John the Baptist testifies about Jesus, he says forthrightly: "He must become greater; I must become less." When we have the kind of perspective of John the Bapist or Neil Armstrong there is hope for humanity. While we still want to be great we know the human race has its work cut out.

ASD