A wise man once wrote, “When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice, but when the wicked dominate, the people moan.”[1] How we moan and weep for the nation of Afghanistan this week as the Taliban swept into the capital city Kabul. Bent only on violence against the innocent, the Taliban certainly qualify as wicked. … Continue reading Weeping for women in Afghanistan
It’s the Olympics and in a year of confinement, millions of us are finding special enjoyment in watching the grace, strength and endurance of competitors. Clothing should help sportspeople perform to their best. There are rules that cover things like high tech running shoes so that the playing field is fairly level. But some sports … Continue reading Sport’s double standards
There are two key ideas here. Division and argument weakens our good news – we set off landmines in the fields rather than growing crops of goodness.
I have been struck by a quietly remarkable story of dignified strength this month. A story that shows how ordinary women are capable of extraordinary resilience. Communities in Mexico suffer from terrible gang fighting and killing. The drug cartels control vast areas of the country and are responsible for political corruption, assassinations and kidnappings. Full … Continue reading Dignity + Truth = Hope
A church called Jesus House was in the news in the UK this week. Two high profile politicians – the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition visited the church which belongs to the Redeemed Christian Church of God denomination. Both leaders were there to encourage the church’s work in hosting a COVID vaccine … Continue reading Good neighbours
Today is International Women’s Day – a day to celebrate the amazing (often unsung) women of the world. But in a pretty German town, the local Christian bookshop was vandalised last night – windows were broken and “Down with the Patriarchy” was daubed on the door, in the name of feminism. It is the sixth … Continue reading Some days I feel like knitting
I was just about to log on for an early morning conference when into the What’s App chat of the organising team came an odd message from one of the team. There was a picture of Kamala Harris swearing her oath as the next vice president of the United States. She had her right hand … Continue reading Foolishness and Falsehood
We all yearn to live in unity and lots of us seem to think that disputes won’t happen because we are trying to be ‘nice Christians’ or ‘tolerant’ or ‘woke’. But we do disagree on lots of things from personal taste to political attitudes to ethical issues. It is inevitable that my cultural upbringing in … Continue reading Disagreeing well
“He does not talk simply to hear his own voice, or pick arguments just to win them. He understands honour but does not boast of his own…he has studied the world without despising it. He understands the world without rejecting it. He has no illusions but he has hopes. He does not sleepwalk through his … Continue reading She does not sleepwalk through life
freedom to express ideas that others may not agree with, is being eroded more and more by populist politicians on the right – Putin, Bolsanaro or Trump. But also by commentators and opinion setters on the left who want us to tolerate difference as long as that difference aligns with their agenda.
