Without Christ

William Booth said the chief danger of the 21 century would be Christianity without Christ. Yesterday I stood next to a lady at the card stand in Tesco's annoyed because she couldn't find a card without Christmas written on it. A few days ago I noticed a large banner by a major roundabout advertising a Alpha course in that area with the slogan 'Life is worth exploring.' Every Saturday teams of Christians offer up 'Healing on the streets.' A friend of mine overheard an excited Salvation army member talk about the hundred and twenty one he got last week. The hearer was diasappointed when he realised he was talking about pounds. How is God glorified when Christians do not glorify the Son? Life is glorified, healing is glorifed, charity is glorified but the Christ who is Life, the Christ who brings healing, the Christ who cares about the needs of the world is not centre stage. Christians flock to buy a book which puts 'A purpose driven life' at the centre not a 'Christ driven life.' Scriptures declare that God will not share his glory with anyone or anything else. How should Christians respond? We would do well to follow the advice of Peter. "If any man speak, if any man serve do it so that IN ALL THINGS GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1Peter 4:11.

Jeremy Clarkson & Free Speech

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has apologised for making a remark which drew thousands of complaints. He voiced his opinion on live TV after a recent UK public workers strike and suggested they should all be shot. What's astonishing is that viewers actually thought he was being serious. Anyone who follows his motoring show will be familiar with his querky humour. I am also mindful of a friend of mine who is in court this Febuary after being arrested last July for preaching against the sin of homosexuality on the streets of Somerset. Two homosexuals took offence and made a complaint against him. In may well be the two homosexuals didn't like or agree with what he said but he should still be free to say it. I remember watching a video at 'Yad Vashem' (Holocaust Museum) in which followers of Hitler were shown burning the books of the 'Free thinkers' who didn't line up with 'Nazi theology.' A qoute from an unkown source read "When men burn books it isn't long before they start burning men." In the case of 'Redman versus Bate' a high court Judge ruled that free speech which doesn't offend isn't worth having. I agree. Those who excercise free speech usually understand that some may be offended, while others remain untouched. 'Offence truly is in the mind of the beholder.'