Saturday, December 31, 2005

Poverty in Canada

Proverbs 31:8-9: "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Canada has the greatest provision for the needy in the Americas and is among the best in the entire world - however, we still have a long way to go...

Persons in low income after tax, by prevalence in percent (StatsCan):

40.9% of Canadians in female lone-parent families are considered low-income
29.4% of all single Canadians (28.4% M, 30.5% F) are considered low-income
If you remove seniors from the equation, the number of low-income single males shoots up to 30.7% and the percent of low-income females reaches 37.5%

11.5% of all Canadians are considered low-income


Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM, table (for fee)
202-0802 and Catalogue no. 75-202-X.
Last modified: 2005-08-12.

To learn more about low income cut-offs, consult On poverty and low income.

Find information related to this table (CANSIM table(s); Definitions, data sources and methods; The Daily; publications; and related Canadian Statistics tables).


(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com  

Friday, December 30, 2005

The Golden Rule

Leviticus 19:18 -  "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD."

Matthew 7:12 - "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Luke 6:31 -"Do to others as you would have them do to you."

Romans 13:9 - The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"[a] and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbour as yourself."[b]

See also:
Exodus 20:1-21; Deuteronomy 5


---
Michael Ramsay
Herald of the Good News
The Salvation Army's Renew Network
www.renewnetwork.net

Unforgivable comments...

I have been considering the number of verses that have been pointed out to
me that may relate to the unforgivable sin and something occurred to
me...one of the problems that I have been having with this topic is the 'P'
that runs through the Calvinist-Armenian divide...Many of the verses brought
to my attention relate to the 'perseverance of saints'.

While I have never claimed to be a 5, 3, 2 or any point Calvinist, I must
admit that the concepts of 'Irresistible Grace' and 'Perseverance of the
Saints' are near and dear to my personal relationship with God. Personally,
I cannot understand why I would ever resist grace and, really, the thought
of 'not persevering', abandoning God, is so foreign to me that I will never
really understand how people could ever do it- though I know those who claim
they have. It is a mix between my love for God and the concern around those
people that has led to all of my questions.

My main questions are still these (cf. Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Unforgivable sin?)

1) Can one really know God and turn one's back on Him? b) How can one know
him without loving Him?

2) Does anyone know anyone personally whose testimony is that they actually
renounced God (not just the church and not just disobeying Him) and then
returned to serving Him and being used voluntarily to build the Kingdom?

There are a lot of links to scripture, reference to our other blogs on this
topic available in the footnotes of our Wednesday, December 28, 2005 blog -
' More on the Unforgivable Sin?'

(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always
necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

re: fully sacramental

This comment was received in response to our blogs on baptism:

Trinitarian flag nothing! The argument that there is baptism by immersion,
sprinkling and even without water is wrong. Baptism means 'with water'.
Baptism does not mean 'by the Spirit' unless it says 'by the Spirit'. We are
commanded to baptise (We can not baptise 'with the Spirit' only the Spirit
can do that!)

We are commanded to go into the world and to baptise. Anything less is
disobedience to the Bible. Once you start disobeying the Bible, or picking
and choosing what commands to follow and what ones to disobey, you are on a
slippery slope.

(The person who submitted this regrets the use of inflammatory language and
has asked me subsequently not to include their name. I thought that it added
something to our debate anyway and I encourage you to read past the 'tone'
and into the 'heart' of the comments. As well, please view our previous
blogs on this subject: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - We are a fully
covenanted, fully sacramental people... AND Monday, July 11, 2005 - Baptism.

If you would like to submit a comment for me to post here, just let me
know - Michael

---

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Child Poverty

The Nova Scotia Child Poverty Report Card 2005

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/documents/Nova_Scotia_Pubs/2005/Child_Poverty_Report_Card_2005.pdf or http://www.policyalternatives.ca/Reports/2005/11/ChildPoverty/index.cfm?pa=BB736455

Between 1989 and 2003, child poverty rates decreased in five provinces while increasing in the other five. However, the net result for Canada was an overall increase of 16.6 percent from 15.1 percent (1989) to 17.6 percent (2003).

Manitoba was the worst offender in 1989. Now we are in the top half of the provinces for eliminating child poverty. British Columbia was 3rd best in 1989. Now they are the worst offenders in the country when it comes to child poverty.

---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com  

Churchill Quote


Winston Churchill is quoted as saying, "Where there's a need, there's The
Salvation Army". Is it as true in the 2000's as it was in the 1940's? I
believe so. Let's keep it that way - and more!

- MR, Herald of the Good News

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

More on the Unforgivable Sin?

2 John 1:7-11 -Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

If this is an extension of / an example of / or the unforgivable sin itself...what then should we really do (academic theory aside) if friends and / or family commit it? - not a rhetorical question necessarily


cf: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 blog: 3 Questions (1 John 5:13-20);  Wednesday, December 21, 2005blog: Unforgivable Sin?(2 Peter 2:17-22); AND Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:29-30; Luke 12:10; AND Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; Acts 13:50-52

(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com  

Salvo Stats


The Salvation Army in India http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ind/www_ind.nsf

The Salvation Army first established its presence in India in 1882 and its membership now totals 352,346. Currently there are 1,410 Salvation Army churches, 1,314 outposts, 218 social institutions (which include hostels, children's homes and hospitals) and 73 schools.

Soldiers as Percent of Population: 0.033%  - Soldiers as Percent of Christian Population: 1.42%

The Salvation Army in Indonesia http://www.salvationarmy.or.id/

The Salvation Army commenced its work in Indonesia in 1894 with a network of educational, medical and social services. These programs continue as its 42, 581 members operate 196 churches, 128 outposts, 94 schools, 6 hospitals, 18 clinics and 21social institutions.

Soldiers as Percent of Population: 0.018% - Soldiers as Percent of Christian Population: 0.21%

The Salvation Army in Canada http://www.salvationarmy.ca

The Salvation Army began its work in Canada in 1882. The Salvation Army has 1,250 active officers, almost 23,000 members. There are 350 + corps (churches) and over 150 social service institutions.

Soldiers as Percent of Population: 0.07% - Soldiers as Percent of Christian Population: 0.1%

We'vew still got some work to do...


(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com  

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

3 Questions (not including supplementary Q's) on 1 John 5:13-20 and more

3 Questions

1 John 5:13-20: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the
confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to
his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we
know that we have what we asked of him.

If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he
should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not
lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he
should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does
not lead to death.

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was
born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that
we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the
evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us
understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is
true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

---
James 5:19-20: My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and
someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from
the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of
sins.

QUESTIONS: 1) What is the sin that leads to Death? a) Is it what is what 2
Peter calls the unforgivable sin? b) Is it blaspheme against the Holy
Spirit? c) Are they the same?

2) Why would we not pray for someone - or better worded, how would we know
if they had committed that sin that leads to death and so not pray for them?
Bear in mind what James says about those that leave the faith. Cf. Wed.,
Dec. 21 Blog on "Unforgivable Sin?"

3) Anyone born of God does not continue to sin. a) Are you born of God? b)
Do you sin? Why (not)?

(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always
necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Monday, December 26, 2005

From the Pope's Christmas Address

From Pope Benedict  XVI's 2005 Christmas Address: "Today we can dispose of vast material resources. But the men and women in our technological age risk becoming victims of their own intellectual and technical achievements, ending up in spiritual barrenness and emptiness of heart," he said.

"That is why it is so important for us to open our minds and hearts to the birth of Christ, this event of salvation which can give new hope to the life of each human being."

http://www.vatican.va/liturgical_year/christmas/index_2005_en.htm

(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com
 

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Holy Christmas Everyone!

1 John 1:1-7

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. 
 
 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
 
If we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus purifies us from all Sin: are you holy? Do you want to be? You can be. Merry Christmas!

(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com  

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Merry Christmas

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

Merry Christmas!
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Friday, December 23, 2005

2005 Armed Conflict Report by Ploughshares

Children and Armed Conflict 2003
 
Almost three-quarters of the states at war in 2003 had populations with a high proportion of children (children under 15 made up more than one third of the population).

The vast majority of armed conflicts involve the use of child combatants under 18 years of age. In over half of the states at war in 2003 there were reports of combatants under 15.

 
Project Ploughshares logo
http://www.ploughshares.ca/libraries/ACRText/ACR-TitlePageRev.htm
 
  Armed Conflicts Report 2005

Project Ploughshares has reported annually on armed conflicts since 1987. Project Ploughshares' Armed Conflicts Report thoroughly details the state of war around the world. Going beyond the wars on the evening news, the report describes lesser-known conflicts, as well as the issues that surround conflict.

The Armed Conflicts Report consists of two components. The first component is available only on this website and includes:
  • detailed descriptions of all current armed conflicts, updated annually;
  • descriptions of recently ended armed conflicts; and
  • maps depicting causes and consequences of armed conflict.

The second component is a 22" by 34" colour poster which is printed annually. Information about ordering the 2005 poster is provided in the poster section below.

Ploughshares

I don't know if everyone is familiar with Ploughshares or not. It really believes in peace on earth through breaking the war cycle.

Project Ploughshares is an ecumenical agency of the Canadian Council of Churches established in 1976 to implement the churches' call to be peacemakers and to work for a world in which justice will flourish and peace abound. The mandate given to Project Ploughshares is to work with churches and related organizations, as well as governments and non-governmental organizations, in Canada and abroad, to identify, develop, and advance approaches that build peace and prevent war, and promote the peaceful resolution of political conflict.

"and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:4)

http://www.ploughshares.ca/

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Unforgivable sin?

I think this is what the Roman Catholics refer to as blaspheme against the
Holy Spirit:

2 Peter 2:17-22: These men are springs without water and mists driven by a
storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty,
boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human
nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in
error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of
depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. If they have
escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the
end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not
to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to
turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them
the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is
washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

I have some questions...

1) Can one really know God and turn one's back on Him? How can one know him
without loving Him?
2) Does anyone know anyone personally whose testimony is that they actually
renounced God (not just the church and not just disobeying Him) and then
returned to serving Him and being used voluntarily to build the Kingdom?
3) As man is a slave to whatever masters him, who is your master? On what
basis do you make your decisions? Money? Time? Preference? Self?
Prayer?....God?

(The opinions expressed in this e-mail are at most - but not always
necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

A new 12 step.

There is a new 12 Step programme out, sponsored by Amnesty International.

Amnesty International's 12-Step Programme
for the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by Agents of the State
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGACT400012005


1. Condemn torture and other ill-treatment
2. Ensure access to prisoners
3. No secret detention
4. Provide safeguards during detention and interrogation 

5. Prohibit torture and other ill-treatment in law
6. Investigate
7. Prosecute
8. No use of statements extracted under torture or other ill-treatment
9. Provide effective training
10. Provide reparation
11. Ratify international treaties
12. Exercise international responsibility

"Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (other ill-treatment) are violations of human rights, condemned by the international community as an offence to human dignity and prohibited in all circumstances under international law. Yet they happen daily and across the globe. Immediate steps are needed to confront these abuses wherever they occur and to eradicate them. Amnesty International calls on all governments to implement [this] 12-point programme and invites concerned individuals and organizations to ensure that they do so. Amnesty International believes that the implementation of these measures is a positive indication of a government's commitment to end torture and other ill-treatment and to work for their eradication worldwide." - Amnesty International
 
It is a shame that there is still one first world country that uses torture routinely and refuses to ratify any international treaties banning torture. Please pray that the USA and others will stop torturing people - now.
 
Take action!

"Write to President Bush urging him to support the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the detention and interrogation policies and practices in the "war on terror" and the appointment of a special counsel to prosecute any officials involved in torture and ill-treatment." - Amnesty International

http://web.amnesty.org/pages/usa-260605-action-eng


(The opinions expressed here are at most - but not always necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Monday, December 19, 2005

Be a Hero Stuff

The number of people in the world who suffer from malnutrition as a result
of hunger: > 1.2 billion

The number of people in the world who suffer from malnutrition as a result
of over consumption: > 1.2 billion

---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

The Traditional Family - Disney style


101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan (Wendy) are the only two Disney cartoon
features with both parents that are present and don't die throughout the
movie.

(The opinions expressed here are at most - but not always necessarily - the
opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Blessed are the Peacemakers

"Blessed are the peacemakers [Matthew 5:9]. Ask Canadians what the proudest
moment of 2003 was, and the most frequent answer is that we refused to
participate in the invasion of Iraq" - Dr. Jack Layton

---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net/blog.htm
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Saturday, December 17, 2005

gay marriage and this election

I am not in favour of so called 'Gay Marriage'. My question is this: is it
an important issue for a secular government? There is much sexual sin
committed by people engaging in heterosexual sex and no non-RC Christian
Church that I know of, has had anything to say about most of it.

Shouldn't we Christians take the sexual sin plank (gay marriage in the
church, divorce and remarriage in the church, pornography, adultery, etc)
out of our own eye before we attempt to pluck it out of a secular-atheist's.

(The opinions expressed here are at most - but not always necessarily - the
opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Friday, December 16, 2005

Freedom

Please continue to pray for the people of Iraq. They need our support more than ever as the instability in their country continues to grow.

Michael

(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always
necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Governance Styles


It appears that I inadvertently offended some elder readers of my blog, who
remember all too well the propaganda of the cold war, when I blogged on
Community being the opposite of a market economy. It was assumed that I was
supporting the Soviet-style government of the cold war. This is not the case
for a number of reasons. The Soviet-style governance is quite similar in
origin and intent to rule by trade unions. One of the problems with
union-style governance is the same as a primary criticism of capitalism: you
cannot serve two masters, you will grow to love one and hate the other. You
can see this play out in almost any union meeting in this country (Canada).
Another problem that I have with the soviet-style governance is that it was
not a stellar example of good stewardship of resources: it cost the USSR a
fortune to support its dependencies and they never were able to develop the
internal resources to do that effectively.

I would like to point out though that there are a number of different styles
of governance in the world that are not western style capitalist
democracies. In fact neither the fastest growing economies nor the most
egalitarian models of governance are based on the western style capitalist
democracies. As many of the younger generation (from which some of the most
vocal advocates of the post-democratic, post-capitalist society are found)
will tell us there are a multitude of options.

The primary obligation for the Christian, in whichever system of governance
God has placed her, is to obey the authorities, contribute fully and lobby
for change along Biblical lines - in order to do this we need to read, pray,
and discuss to be able to fully understand what exactly are those Biblical
lines.

(The opinions expressed in this blog are at most - but not always
necessarily - the opinions of Michael Ramsay. Blame me alone. - MR)
---
Michael Ramsay
www.renewnetwork.net
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Jesus and Covenant

I find it interesting, that relating to the covenant that was imposed at
Sinai, the LORD states that He is “going to send an angel in front of you,
to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared
(Ex. 23:20).” Israel is not to rebel against him because “he will not pardon
your transgression; for my name is in him (Ex. 23:21).” P. Kaiser suggests
that “this must be the Angel of the Covenant (cf. Isa. 63:9; Mal. 3:1), the
Second Person of the Trinity” because “this Angel with the authority and
prestige of the name of God was evidence enough that God himself was present
in his Son.” I don’t necessarily ascribe to the idea of pre-incarnate
appearances of the Christ yet but it does add a new dimension, if indeed
Kaiser is correct, to have Jesus physically represented in both covenants.

---
Michael Ramsay
ramsay@havelock-viha.com

Community vs. Market Economy Pt. 2

Christians should all aim for authentic community. The opposite of community
is a market economy. This is one of the central themes of Amos and indeed
plays through the old as well as the new testament.

We are all well aware that a capitalist country cannot be a Christian
country because capitalism serves money, Christianity serves God, and, as
Christ taught us, it is not possible to serve money and God at the same
time. This, of course, would have been a contributing factor to why the
early Christians had everything in common.

The new part for me was the revelation that this was also an intentional
theme of much of the old testament. The question that then should be
emphasized more than ever, as Christians in a capitalist country, what
should we do? How can a Christian move away from a market economy and
towards authentic Christian Community OR, phrased another way, how can we be
in the world without being of the world.

Community

"The opposite of community is a market economy" - Dr. D. Burke.

more later...

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

We are a fully covenanted, fully sacramental people...

My two cents in the great debate:

An important idea for me around the "are we a non- or fully-sacramental
people?" debate is obedience to the Word. We are not opposed to the great
commission, in fact we embrace it. We are not non-sacramental; we are fully
sacramental. We enrol people under the Trinitarian flag (representing
enrolment in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost); this is not LIKE
baptism. This IS baptism. The essential elements are there - identification
with the body of Christ and in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

You understand my position - particularly relating to baptism - re:
fully-sacramental instead of non-sacramental. I am not suggesting any
changes at all regarding our practices around baptism. I just think that we
do it - and we do it better than anyone else! I think that we do it better
than anyone else because we accompany it with a covenant. Anything less is
like having a wedding without a marriage.

What good is a ceremony that isn't backed up by a covenant?

Would not there be a benefit (for us as well as the greater Christian body)
to celebrating us as possibly the only fully-covenanted, fully-sacramental
people?

Michael Ramsay
Herald of the Good News
ramsay@havelock-viha.com
www.renewnetwork.net

Monday, December 12, 2005

Covenant

Covenants can be made voluntarily or involuntarily, with or without
obligation, and between equals, or superiors and inferiors; berith's origin
is uncertain but it is probably derived from biritu, which means "to
fetter".

So, who cares? Well, the Salvationist, I suppose, or more importantly the
person contemplating a 'covenant' relationship with God. When you sign your
covenant, you are fettered, shackled, and bound. This chain cannot easily be
broken. If it is, there are repercussions. So for potential Salvationists,
they should ask, "Is this the star to which God has asked me to hitch my
wagon?" and for the Salvationist who tends to take the terms of the covenant
lightly, remember that it is difficult to move when the one you are yoked
together with one who is going in the other direction...BUT when you are
following in a proper covenant, His yoke is easy! And really what could you
accomplish on your own that wouldn't be accomplished much more easily and
effectively if you were shackled to the LORD!

-Michael

---
View the whole article in the Journal of Aggressive Christianity's December
2005 - January 2006 Issue (http://www.armybarmy.com/JAC/)