Two High Court judges have ruled that Stephen Green of the Christian Voice organization may not prosecute BBC Director Mark Thompson over the broadcasting of Jerry Springer: the Opera. The show was aired by the BBC several years ago and generated around 60,000 complaints from the public. It parodied US talk-show host Jerry Springer, interviewing Jesus Christ and Satan. It contained hundreds of swear words, featured Jesus Christ wearing a nappy and expressing homosexual tendencies. At the end of the show, Jerry Springer tells Jesus Christ to "go to hell". We prayed, sang and several men preached the gospel at the steps of the building. I was one of those who protested outside Broadcasting House in Belfast. I was interviewed by a reporter as to why I was protesting about this programme. I just said that Jesus Christ was put to shame for me, and I was standing up for Him. Despite the record number of complaints, the show went ahead. Programmes considered offensive to Catholicism were cancelled after the BBC received far fewer complaints. The judges have ruled that the BBC was not in breach of blasphemy laws.

Quote: ""The play had been performed regularly in major theatres in London for a period of nearly two years without any sign of it undermining society or occasioning civil strife or unrest," the ruling said. The BBC welcomed the decision, saying it went ahead with the broadcast only after careful consideration. "We believe the work, taken in its proper context, satirises and attacks exploitative chat shows and not the Christian religion," the BBC said in a statement. "The Court's judgement today vindicates that decision in full." Civil liberties group Liberty, which made a written submission during the case, called Britain's blasphemy law outdated and "ripe for repeal". It argued that the offence of blasphemy violated the European Convention on Human Rights.

Had the BBC been a privately funded organization, things would be a little different. But the BBC is funded by public money through a compulsory licensing scheme, and this fact has irritated many Christians in this country. As was said at the protest in Belfast, only in Northern Ireland can you pay to be insulted. The BBC's broadcasting of the Jerry Springer show prompted many Christians to burn their television licences on the streets in protest. Moreover the BBC's Royal Charter is approved by the British government, and part of this charter states that the corporation shall not air anything which may be deemed offensive to the religious views held by its viewers. 

Quote: "5.1 The Corporation shall do all it can to secure that all programmes broadcast or transmitted by or on behalf of or under licence from the Corporation as part of the Home Services:- do not involve improper exploitation of any susceptibilities of those watching or listening to its religious programmes or any abusive treatment of the religious views and beliefs of those belonging to a particular religion or religious denomination; 

According OfCom and the BBC, the Jerry Springer show was broadcast in the name of art. And as was said at the protest, Christianity it seems is a soft touch. Had the subject of the show been Allah and Mohammed, Buddha or any other religion, there would have been a national outcry. But as the Scriptures state, the world loves its own (John 15:19). You can only rebel against the truth, you cannot rebel against falsehoods. It is the name of Jesus Christ they use as a curse word, it is not the name of Mohammed, or Ghandi or any other religious leader. Praise God that this is our God. This name, which is used so deridingly by men, will be one day be exalted by God. For at this name, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10). Do you know this Man? Trust in Him for salvation today. "Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him", Psalm 2:12.

Isaiah 49:7
Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

Source Reuters, BBC

Tony Vernelli, a 35 year old environmentalist from the United Kingdom, has sterilized herself in the belief that by doing so, she is helping to "save the planet". She made the decision after "accidentally" falling pregnant to her boyfriend at the age of 25. Vernelli was horrified when she discovered she was with child, but not because she was unmarried and not even because the child had been diagnosed with some abnormality. She demanded he doctor abort her baby because as an environmentalist, she believes the world is overpopulated and another life would put an unnecessary strain on planetary resources. "Having children is selfish. It's all about maintaining your genetic line at the expense of the planet", Vernelli states. She begged her doctor to sterilize her following the abortion of the child. The doctor agreed to perform the abortion but refused to sterilize Vernelli. Eventually she found a doctor that was willing to perform the operation.  

Quote: ""I discovered that despite taking the Pill, I'd accidentally fallen pregnant by my boyfriend. "I was horrified. I knew straight away there was no option of having the baby. "I went to my doctor about having a termination, and asked if I could be sterilised at the same time. "This time it was a male doctor. I remember saying to him: 'I want to make sure this never happens again.' "He said: 'You may not want a child, but one day you may meet a man who does'. He refused to consider it. "I didn't like having a termination, but it would have been immoral to give birth to a child that I felt strongly would only be a burden to the world. "I've never felt a twinge of guilt about what I did, and have honestly never wondered what might have been. "After my abortion, I was more determined than ever to pursue sterilisation.

What a diabolical twist of logic. That it is considered immoral to "burden the earth" by giving birth to a child, while taking its life isn't even given a second thought! She never felt a "twinge of guilt" because she seems utterly incapable of thinking of anyone else except herself. She claims it is "selfish" to have children yet killing an unwanted child is the ultimate act of selfishness, for it devalues human life to where it becomes no more than a woman's commodity to be disposed of at will. If human life is such a burden to the planet, why doesn't she offer to "abort" herself? But then the Scriptures prophesied that this type of behaviour would be commonplace in the last days.

2nd Timothy 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

In reality, mankind is not a burden to this earth. In the beginning God commanded mankind to "fill the earth" and "subdue it", Genesis 1:28. But world governments have squandered its wealth and mismanaged its resources. Just this week it was reported that British fishermen are being forced to dump thousands of tonnes of dead fish at sea because the European Union forbids them to land more than their quota permits. The US government subsidizes its dairy farmers by buying up milk, which is later discarded. Europe pays its farmers to grow nothing, while parts of Africa starve to death. Zimbabwe drives the white farmers off their land, sending inflation sky-high. Basic commodities such as a loaf of bread now costs the equivalent of a day's wages. Palestinian terrorists dismantle the Gaza Strip greenhouses, which at one time was Israel's most productive agricultural area. Much of the world's population now lives in cities, while vast swaths of land in Canada and Australia remain virtually uninhabited.

We have disobeyed God's instructions to take dominion of this earth. Instead we are turning God's commandments on their head, aborting our children, permitting homosexual and lesbian "marriage", building mega-cities and re-wilding the countryside... No wonder the world is experiencing such problems today. Praise God that when Christ returns, He will put all things right. Even so, come Lord Jesus. 

Isaiah 65:17
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Romans 8:19
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected [the same] in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Source Daily Mail

A Christian couple living in the United Kingdom have had their foster child taken away after they refused to sign papers agreeing to abide by the new Sexual Orientation Regulations. The Equality Act 2006 was drafted by the Labour government, and makes it illegal for anyone providing goods, services, facilities, premises, education or public functions, to discriminate against a person on the grounds of "sexual orientation". The legislation came into effect throughout the British isles at the beginning of this year. The Sexual Orientation Regulations were intended to prevent genuine discrimination against homosexuals, but instead they are criminalizing law-abiding Christians who hold to a Biblical view of morality, which teaches that marriage should be between one man and one woman. In this latest case, a Christian couple that have fostered children for over 30 years and cared for some 28 children, have fallen foul of the new law. Vincent and Pauline Matherick feel they had no option other than to resign, rather than place their children in an environment in which they are exposed to such immoral teaching. 

Quote: "Earlier this year, Somerset County Council's social services department asked them to sign a contract to implement Labour's new Sexual Orientation Regulations, part of the Equality Act 2006, which make discrimination on the grounds of sexuality illegal. Officials told the couple that under the regulations they would be required to discuss same-sex relationships with children as young as 11 and tell them that gay partnerships were just as acceptable as heterosexual marriages. They could also be required to take teenagers to gay association meetings. When the Mathericks objected, they were told they would be taken off the register of foster parents. The Mathericks have decided to resign rather than face the humiliation of being expelled. Mr Matherick, a 65-year-old retired travel agent and a primary school governor, said: "I simply could not agree to do it because it is against my central beliefs. "We have never discriminated against anybody but I cannot preach the benefits of homosexuality when I believe it is against the word of God."

The Mathericks aren't the first Christians to fall foul of this new law. Earlier this year, Judge McClintock of Sheffield requested that he be removed from adoption cases involving homosexual or lesbian couples. He did not want to be involved in placing children with such couples, for he believed that placing a child in such a home was only removing them from "one kind of harm to face another hazard". Research has proven that children placed in such environments are more prone to "low self-esteem, stress, confusion regarding sexual identity, an increase in mental illness, drug use, promiscuity, STD’s, and homosexual behaviour, amongst others". And this opinion is based purely on scientific research on gay adoption, and does not even address the moral or religious aspects of homosexuality. Judge McClintock was told by his employees that he could not request to be excluded from certain cases, and was forced to resign his job after serving Sheffield county for 18 years. Part of the Sexual Orientation Regulations were thrown out by a Northern Ireland Judge earlier in the year, after a decision that they would unfairly discriminate against those who held a moral or religious conviction about homosexuality. In Northern Ireland you cannot be sued for saying that you believe homosexuality is sinful in God's eyes, and you can withhold some goods and services if providing them goes against your own conscience. But as we can see from today's news, Christians in the UK are still facing persecution through these laws.

Some of you have emailed me about the fires in California and the recent SB777 bill passed by Governor Arnold Swarzenegger. As the world continues to pass legislation which is contrary to God's law, there is no doubt we will witness more cataclysms like those of the past week. When thinking about how governments around the world are now passing laws legalizing homosexual marriage and criminalizing those who oppose them, it reminded me of the story of Daniel the prophet. The princes of Babylon were envious of how well the Jewish captive was being treated by King Nebuchadnezzar. The King was planning to make Daniel ruler over the whole province, and so the princes hatched a plot to have him quickly dispatched. But they could find no scandal against him, because Daniel was devoted to following the Lord...

Daniel 6:3-5
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [was] in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find [it] against him concerning the law of his God.

The same can be said of Christians today. Our adversary the devil has tried to cause our downfall on numerous occasions, through persecutions, temptations and such like, and he has been successful at times. But the testimony of God remains sure, and he is now seeking to find occasion against us concerning law of our God. What did Daniel do when he heard the King's decree had been issued, and that it was now illegal to petition any god except the King?

Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Daniel obeyed God. And so should we when it comes to the diabolical legislation now being passed in the name of "tolerance". During the tribulation period, the Antichrist is prophesied to change laws and customs (Daniel 7:25), and the Bible states they will be given into his hand for three and a half years. What we may be seeing now is the beginning of this persecution that will be unleashed against the tribulation saints in the not too distant future. As a result of Daniel's faithfulness, the Lord preserved him in the den of lions. May the Lord help us to be like Daniel, and to fear God more than men.

Source Daily Mail

This link from my friend Tony. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a controversial new bill which will prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in the classroom. SB777 will require language that discriminates against persons of a different sexual orientation be removed from schoolbooks. Phrases such as "mother" and "father", "husband" and "wife" and any other type of language that reinforces the belief that it is natural or normal for a man to have a relationship with a woman, are now against the law. As a result of the new legislation, many schoolbooks will have to be reprinted, and it is believed that the Californian law will have a knock-on effect in other states, who may not want to have to pay extra for a different set of school books.

Quote: ""SB 777 will result in reverse discrimination against students with religious and traditional family values," said Meredith Turney, legislative liaison for Capitol Resource Institute. "These students have lost their voice as the direct result of Gov. Schwarzenegger's unbelievable decision. The terms 'mom and dad' or 'husband and wife' could promote discrimination against homosexuals if a same-sex couple is not also featured. "Parents want the assurance that when their children go to school they will learn the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic – not social indoctrination regarding alternative sexual lifestyles. Now that SB777 is law, schools will in fact become indoctrination centers for sexual experimentation," she said.   

The law will also permit transgendered and transvestite children to use restrooms belonging to the opposite gender. Rather than encouraging tolerance, schools in California will be forcing children as young as five to be partakers of other men's sins. It's horrific to think what children have to put up with in today's schools.

The following news wasn't widely reported on the internet. In fact doing a Google search for it, I can't see any of the main UK news outlets covering this story (BBC, Reuters, etc). Perhaps it doesn't fit in with their political agenda. In January of this year the Labour government passed new laws in this country, prohibiting discrimination against a person on the grounds of sexuality. For example, a Christian bookshop could be sued for creating an environment intimidating to homosexuals, if they stocked a certain book condemning their lifestyle. A bed and breakfast could be sued for refusing board to homosexuals. And the following has already happened, a Christian-run printing business was sued for refusing to print material promoting homosexuality, even after recommending somewhere else that would. The laws were passed in Northern Ireland first, then Scotland, followed by England and Wales. Northern Ireland is the most conservative part of the UK, due to large communities of both Protestants and Catholics. There is no doubt a majority of the people would have opposed laws such as this, but the legislation was rammed through and the government only allowed a few weeks for public consultation. The Christian Institute launched a bid to have the legislation postponed until a proper debate could be held on the subject, and Christian lawyers petitioned the Queen over the new laws, which would discriminate unfairly against Christian-owned businesses. All these efforts came to nothing. But last month, the new laws were thrown out by a Belfast judge, who stated they would discriminate unfairly against those who held a moral or religious conviction about homosexuality.

Quote: "Mr Justice Weatherup struck down the 'harassment' provisions of the Northern Ireland sexual orientation regulations. This means Christians cannot be sued for expressing their opposition to homosexual practice. The judge also ruled that religious liberty may be significantly affected by the regulations in individual cases which may come before the courts. The judge added that in such cases County Courts in Northern Ireland should consider the principles of the Brockie case from Canada. In that case a court ruled that a Christian printer should not be forced to print material which goes against his core religious beliefs, but that a Christian printer must be willing to print other material, such as letterhead, for homosexual customers. Today's ruling also narrows the sexual orientation regulations in Northern Ireland so that they cannot apply to the school curriculum or affect every activity of a faith-based group which receives some public funding (only the specific activity for which a faith-based group receives public funding will be affected). 

Praise God there are some good judges left in this country. Shame about the government though, which is the most morally and spiritually bankrupt one we have ever had. The book of Daniel states that in the last days, the Antichrist will seek to change times and laws, and that these will be given into his hand for a 3.5 year period (Daniel 7:25). The law of God in the hearts of believers is holding back the tide of sin, but there will come a time when the Holy Spirit's influence through the Church will be taken out of the way (2nd Thessalonians 2:7), and then the wicked one will be revealed. Have your sins been washed away? Will you go to be with Christ when He comes for His Bride? Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Hebrews 11:14-16
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Source WorldNetDaily, Christian

Cohabiting couples are fastest growing family type
· Children thrive if parents are married, data suggests

Polly Curtis, education editor
Friday October 5, 2007
The Guardian

Children whose parents live together but are not married get worse results at school, leave education earlier and have a higher risk of developing a serious illness, according to an analysis of six years of government data on family life.

The figures show that a third of today's teenagers are destined to cohabit rather than marry, compared with one in 10 of their grandparents. The number of cohabiting couples has increased by 65% in a decade, with a more gradual rise in the number of single-parent families. By 2014, married couples could account for less than half of British families.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he WILL NOT depart from it

Genesis 2:24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.