Food for prayer: conditions in Palestine

Canada adding to 'tragic' conditions of Palestinians: UN official
Last Updated Tue, 26 Sep 2006 15:10:06 EDT
CBC News

Canada is partly to blame for allowing human rights for Palestinians to deteriorate to a new low, a UN rights expert says.

John Dugard said Palestinians are subjected to "tragic" conditions in Gaza and the West Bank.

read more:
href="http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/09/26/canada-palestinians.html" target=_blank>http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/09/26/canada-palestinians.html

The Roman Catholic Limbo

Pope prolongs suspense about limbo
Last Updated: Friday, October 6, 2006 | 1:04 PM ET
CBC News

Contrary to expectations, the Roman Catholic leader had failed to say anything about abolishing the idea of a not-heaven, not-hell where babies who die unbaptized, among others, spend eternity.

The Vatican's International Theological Commission, which has been studying the matter, is widely expected to come down against limbo, which came into Catholic thinking in the 13th century.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/10/06/pope-limbo.html
Vatican: http://www.vatican.va/

See also How can limbo just be abolished?, from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/5406552.stm

Don't forget to check out Dr Was...

http://www.drwas.blogspot.com/

Ezra 7-8 and Luke 20



"Plays and War Ship"

Think about it in our context...

"I think the difference between [President]Chavez and most others ...is that Chavez is seeking to win, and we are instead seeking, as often as not, to avoid alienating pundits or to even appeal to them. We are seeking to avoid annoying anyone we like, or anyone we might like, or who might like us. We are seeking to avoid looking odd to anyone, or to avoid making a mistake, or to avoid seeming shrill and angry, or self serving, or passionate. And we need to transcend all that." - Michael Albert

Think about this quote from and evangelistic Christian perspective: any thoughts? ramsay@havelock-viha.com  

Sheep and goats, sheep and goats...

Conservatives Put Canada's Most Vulnerable on Chopping Block
September 26, 2006

The Liberal Opposition today blasted the Conservative government for cutting $1 billion in funding that targets the most vulnerable Canadians, despite reporting a near-record surplus of $13.2 billion for 2005-06.

"The vindictive, mean-spirited cuts targeted at the weak, the needy, the vulnerable and the marginalized in Canada ..." said Liberal Leader Bill Graham.

read more: http://www.liberal.ca/news_e.aspx?id=11928

Not wishing to prejudice our readers for or against any Canadian political party in this space at this point in time, I invite you to see what any of the political parties have to say about this or other issues: http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=pol&document=index&dir=par&lang=e&textonly=false

The religious war on bottled water

MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT

From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Print Edition 23/09/06 Page A1

Bottled water has never gone down smoothly with many environmentalists, who view it as an extravagantly wasteful way of quenching a thirst, but the product is facing criticism from an unexpected source - religious groups.

Some churches in Canada have started to urge congregants to boycott bottled water, citing ethical, theological and social justice reasons. Bottled water, they argue, is morally tainted and should be avoided.

Read More...

Any thoughts? ramsay@havelock-viha.com

 

Sex Trafficking, Communion, and Howard - Part 3

Part 3 - Howard

A number of us are committing to send money regularly to support our fellow 'Heralds', the Thistles, working at The Salvation Army's Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe. Feel free to contact me ( ramsay@havelock-viha.com ) or Jimmy if you would like to join us in this endeavour.

Michael

Sex Trafficking, Communion, and Howard - Part 2

Part 2 - Communion

I don't think that I will take part in a 'love feast' anymore - at least not
one that doesn't actually have a feast (and unless of course protocol or
authority mandates that I must). It is too confusing for simple people like
me who have had some very meaningful experiences around 'communion' growing
up.

Not that there is anything wrong with a 'love feast' but I think I'll save
myself for communion - should the day ever come when I can have it openly in
the Army.

Warning: No offence to anyone. If the Lord speaks to one through 'love
feasts' of what ever form, shape, or size, go for it. If you want to take
communion outside the corps, go for it (provided that that is okay under O&R
and everyone else involved).

Caveat: this entry should not reflect on anyone. My fasting of this
expression (and this comment) is purely a personal decision - and I reserve
the right to change my mind about all of this on command, request or
reconsideration.... (-:

Sex Trafficking, Communion, and Howard - Part 1

Sex trafficking.

We have just seen all kinds of stats about the number of people who are
trafficked every year for the sex trade. I was doing some mental number
crunching re: supply and demand - the number of consumers must number more
than 1 billion. That is scary. Maybe that is where we should spend a lot of
prayer and effort. Praying for the consumers (as well as the traffickers and
the trafficked victims) who are enslaved by their sin.

Maybe we should also be proactive in demanding that our governments do
something about it: we can control people's access to it on the internet -
China does. The US recently (last year) demanded that we expand our
pornography market under the Free Trade agreement - neither the government
of the day (Liberal) or Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition (Conservative) voted
in favour of challenging them on it....more and more sexually explicit acts
and ideas are becoming more and more commonplace on TV and movies - how many
of us are encouraging this through our viewing and purchasing habits?

Just some thoughts that I had sitting in chapel today...