The Maltese want divorce just like the rest of us

A TINY, staunchly Catholic country – has voted in favour of legalising divorce in a national referendum.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who campaigned against the introduction of divorce ahead of Saturday’s non-binding referendum, said it was now up the Mediterranean archipelago’s parliament to legalise the dissolution of marriage.

“This is not the result that I wished for, but the will of the people has to be respected and parliament should enact a law for the introduction of divorce,” the conservative prime minister said today.

The divorce measure was passed by more than 50 per cent of voters, with Agence France-Presse reporting that election officials put the number at 53.2 per cent, while the Times of Malta said the Election Commission put it at 52.67.

Voter turnout stood at about 72 per cent – a high figure by Western standards but among the lowest in Maltese voting.

By contrast, turnout in the 2003 referendum on whether to join the EU stood at almost 91 per cent and at the last general election at over 93 per cent.

Apart from the Vatican city-state, Malta is one of only two countries in the world – the Philippines is the other – that bans divorce.

Chile was the last country to legalise divorce in 2004 after overwhelming public pressure.

Saturday’s non-binding referendum asked the island’s 306,000 mainly Catholic voters whether parliament should introduce a new law that would allow couples to obtain a divorce after four years of separation.

Legal separation is widespread in the European Union’s smallest member state, but there are many legal obstacles to re-marrying.

Joseph Muscat, the pro-divorce leader of the opposition Labor Party, said that a new Malta had been born, the Times of Malta reported today.

The head of the Divorce Movement, lawyer Deborah Schembri, said the committee would remain active until divorce legislation was enacted.

“The yes vote has won and we urge parliamentarians to vote a bill for the introduction of divorce,” Ms Schembri said.

Arthur Galea Salomone, spokesman for the anti-divorce campaign, admitted “the people’s choice was clear, they opted for the introduction of divorce”.

Divorce legislation is likely to squeeze through parliament as Gonzi’s ruling Nationalist Party has the slimmest of majorities – one seat – and analysts have said at least one of his MPs had backed the yes campaign.

Malta, which also bans abortion, has long Catholic traditions and the church’s influence on the nation’s 400,000 citizens is still significant.

Some 95 per cent of the population calls itself Roman Catholic. Pope Benedict XVI visited the island last year.

The Roman Catholic Church did not campaign officially in the referendum.

However, Valletta’s Archbishop Paul Cremona had warned churchgoers in a letter they faces a choice between building and destroying family values.

“By this vote, the citizen will either build or destroy. A choice in favour of permanent marriage is an act of faith in the family, built upon a bond of love which cannot be severed,” said the letter, read out at masses.

In addition, priests have reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who vote “yes” in the referendum.

The Catholic Church does not permit divorce but does allow annulments, which can only be granted by the church’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal in a complex and rare procedure that takes about eight years.

The only exception to the divorce ban is for Maltese married to foreign nationals or Maltese who are permanent residents abroad.

- with The Associated Press

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/maltese-say-yes-to-divorce-in-referendum/story-e6frfku0-1226065660024#ixzz1NnwOKz8D

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission investigating misleading claims

MAN OF VISION: US evangelist Bill Johnson says he has seen angel feathers and gold dust fall from a church ceiling. Picture: The Courier-Mail

• Schools claim to teach how to heal the sick
• Even make claims about raising the dead
• Encourages kids to practice on strangers

A WAVE of “supernatural” schools that claim to teach people how to heal the sick and even raise the dead are netting tens of thousands of dollars for fundamentalist Christian church coffers.

Hundreds of people across southeast Queensland flock to the courses every week, paying up to $720 to learn “faith healing” practices that allegedly trigger miraculous recoveries from broken bones, infertility and even cancer.

The Holyfire Ministry Training School at Park Ridge, which offers a subject called Healing the Sick & Raising the Dead, recommends taking children on “treasure hunts” public outings to practise healing on strangers. “Children are great to have on Treasure Hunts. They are less threatening,” its material states.

Click here to see the ‘faith healing treasure map’

And one of Australia’s largest churches, the Nexus Church on Brisbane’s northside, offers “training in the Supernatural for kids aged 9-12 years”.

 The courses are linked to Bethel Church, a Californian evangelical group that is targeting Australia with its “School of Supernatural Ministry” brand.

Queensland is proving fertile ground for Bethel, with flood-ravaged communities in the Brisbane Valley among those embracing its teachings.

Healing the sick class

Fernvale Community Church pastor Greg Muller said: “We have people from not only our own area but people travelling from Ipswich and as far as Toowoomba to come to it.”

The Courier-Mail understands that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is examining whether the Bethel-based courses breach consumer laws with misleading claims about their uses and benefits.

An ACCC spokesman said he could not comment on specific cases but said they treat health cases seriously because sick, vulnerable consumers looking for answers to their health problems are “more exposed to being exploited”.

Bethel Church, which has been criticised by US scholars for touting “miracles” that can’t be verified, sells its DVD curricula to client churches for about $US7000.

Its controversial head preacher Bill Johnson whose August visit to Australia follows last month’s sold-out appearance at Nexus Church has claimed to see “angel feathers, gold dust and diamonds” fall from Bethel’s ceiling.

Material from Holyfire Ministry Training School, obtained by The Courier-Mail, gives explicit instructions on how to approach and heal sick strangers on the street.

“Command the pain to leave, bones to be set, back to be realigned, tumor (sic) to shrink, etc,” it states.

A spokesman for Westlife Church at Springfield, which also offers the course, said: “The church has never taught that people can perform miracles, only that we can ask God for His intervention.”

But course operator Destiny4Life International Ministries states in its online flyer that students “will learn to . . . heal the sick”.

Nexus Church at Everton Park, which draws 1800 people a week, charges up to $360 for its Brisbane School of Supernatural Ministry courses. The church declined to comment.

Almost 50 people are paying up to $300 each for a course run by Mr Muller.

He said they did not “give guarantees” that people would learn to perform miracle healings because “everybody’s walk with God is different”.

“(But) certainly, we’ve seen miracles take place,” he said.

Mr Muller said he had seen a young boy born without nasal passages suddenly have them appear. “It’s just a miracle. There’s no medical explanation . . . it’s just a short prayer and God does it,” he said.

The Bethel Church in California did not respond to a request for comment.

 True believers, but no miracles for sore knee

THURSDAY night class at the Park Ridge Baptist Church, titled “Healing the Sick and Raising the Dead”, begins with good news.

Dean, a church member out on a “treasure hunt”, has texted pastor Marty Mitchell to say a young woman has just “given testimony” to a miraculous healing of her injured knee.

A prayer is offered for one of the students who suffers from an identical affliction.

Laura, a sweet-natured woman in her 40s who needs crutches to walk, has studied at the Holy Fire Ministry Training School for two years.

Mr Mitchell, with laptop at the pulpit, has his voice amplified with a wireless microphone despite addressing a group of only six (including me).

“Do you feel anything happening in your body, Laura, any change?” he says.

“No,” she says.

“There’s no pain. I’ve had a lot of clicking in my right knee.”

The pastor commands a “recreative miracle” in Laura’s right knee cartilage.

“We’re gonna do a miracle in her knee,” he says.

“No more clicking, in Jesus’s name. Let the all in presence go through that, bringing lubrication and freedom of movement, Lord.”

Laura chimes in: “If she can do it for her, she can do it for me and anyone else who needs it.”

Class continues. The pastor leads the group through John’s epistles with a fine-toothed comb.

Later, Dean returns with tales of how often “treasure hunts” trigger miraculous healings. A visiting Bethel Church minister performed them with surprising speed and nonchalance, he says.

Class ends. “Can you hand me my crutches?” Laura says.

The miracles flow freely at Park Ridge, it seems. But sadly, not for Laura tonight.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/hundreds-attend-faith-healing-schools-linked-to-fundamentalist-bethal-church/story-e6frfkvr-1226064453167#ixzz1NnEahnAg

Andrew Steele-Smith: A wolf in Sheeps Clothing ALLEGEDLY!!!

Andrew Steele-Smith … a man with a mission to make a ton of cash. (ALLEGEDLY)

Ok, I got an email from the blog admin for http://andrewsteelesmith.blogspot.com/ (ADMIN: now unavailable due to a legal agreement)

It all started in 1994 when he was given a permanent banning by ASIC for theft and deception of A$5000 from a parishioner in his church, by offering her financial advise without a license from ASIC and pocketing the A$5000 for his own personal gain. (ADMIN: edited)

(ADMIN Edited … unconfirmed allegation removed. )

He was involved with H$ in OZ, attends their conferences and when he moved to London joined H$ UK, he was treated as VIP, and would always get the VIP seats on Sundays, until I started the blog http://andrewsteelesmith.blogspot.com/

now when he goes to H$, very rarely mind you, he seats with the rest of the great unwashed.

He moved to Bath in 2006 and joined Freedom Church in Bath (FBB) which was at that time part of the Pringle Empire until they split away, It gave him an opportunity to get into the leadership of FBB and offer his services to the church, as he was known within FBB as a successful, wealthy and a man of God.

As to what happened at FBB, I’ve heard 2 stories that seem to fit, Betsy de Thierry … up until ASS’s ex-communication was joined at the hip to ASS. FBB according to the accounts filed at Companies House has circa 2 million quid in assets (ADMIN: I haven’t verified that … but Bath is one of the most expensive places in the UK for property prices and 2 million in property assets is not unreasonable, considering a offices and a new venue for worship services.) and ASS was offering his services as financial adviser.

Because of his connection to the de Thierry’s and his connection to the leadership he became more assertive in the church to the point whereby he started to impose his religious interpretation of the gospels upon the membership and believed that he was given the gift from God to preach. As long as ASS kept pumping in thousands of pounds into FBB as a tithe they put up with it, but once he started getting grandiose ideas of leadership, the got rid of him. (ADMIN: That is one point of view … the facts are of course that ASS was involved with leadership in some way in FBB, was responsible for some kind of disruption amongst the church fellowship and was asked to leave. He did leave but caused even more problems doing so, and many folks left.)

I should point out that in 2009 FBB was informed by one of the members of the church about ASS’s nefarious and duplicitous past, but chose to ignore it. At the time of the split from C3, 40% of the membership voted with their feet and left FBB, during ASS’s tenure more followed.

(ADMIN: I will try and verify the drop in numbers … sounds like the vision I had when we attended FBB and related here on this blog. About half the congregation faded in and out of existence. How bizarre is that? I can’t remember the thread it was on now though … )

(ADMIN UPDATE: church attendance declined sharply … confirmed)

Right then folks … someone out there must know him or at least know of him. Any takers? Anyone want to defend him against these charges?

There will be an update later …

UPDATE: As of January 6th 2012, the above linked blog was taken down as a result of an out of court settlement. Both parties agreed to not defame either party from that date and the legal costs were paid by the party that wanted the blog taken down.

As such, this post has now been updated and edited. (31/01/2012)

UPDATE: Unconfirmed allegations removed. (02/02/2012)

Blow The Trumpet, Warn the People, Laugh Your Heads Off

From: http://www.familyradio.com/index2.html

Days left: 00

Family Radio says:

What will take place on May 21?

On May 21, 2011 two events will occur. These events could not be more opposite in nature, the one more wonderful than can be imagined; the other more horrific than can be imagined.

A great earthquake will occur the Bible describes it as “such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.” This earthquake will be so powerful it will throw open all graves. The remains of the all the believers who have ever lived will be instantly transformed into glorified spiritual bodies to be forever with God.

On the other hand the bodies of all unsaved people will be thrown out upon the ground to be shamed.

The inhabitants who survive this terrible earthquake will exist in a world of horror and chaos beyond description. Each day people will die until October 21, 2011 when God will completely destroy this earth and its surviving inhabitants.

From: http://www.familyradio.com/facts/

The Kings Land in Queensland

From: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/couple-who-claim-to-be-jesus-christ-and-mary-magdalene-set-up-base-in-queensland/story-e6frfku0-1226056167906

Couple who claim to be Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene set up base in Queensland

A COUPLE who claim they are Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene have set up base in Queensland and are drawing in disciples from across the country.

The pair, whose real names are Alan John Miller and Mary Suzanne Luck, operate from a rural property near the little town of Kingaroy – about 220kms northwest of Brisbane – where they claim to have been joined by 30 to 40 followers,  The Sunday Mail reported.

“My name is Jesus and I’m serious,” Miller says in a video recording from a workshop.

Cult watchers and the Anglican and Catholic churches are concerned the pair, who ask followers to donate to sustain them, could draw in the vulnerable.

Miller bought a 40-acre (16ha) property in 2007 and his Divine Truth followers have since been buying nearby blocks to be close to the charismatic leader, 47, and Luck, 32.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall and the Catholic church urged people to be cautious when exploring new movements.

“This is especially true for people who are seeking meaning in their lives and as a result may be vulnerable,” Aspinall said…

More news here: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/jesus-and-mary-cult-followers-buy-up-land-around-kingaroy/story-e6freoof-1226055912664

Jesus and Mary cult followers buy up land around Kingaroy

Second coming: Alan John Miller and Mary Suzanne Luck, aka Jesus and Mary, at home in Wilkesdale, where land around their property has been cleared to create a giant cross. Picture: Dallinger Simon Source: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

A COUPLE who claim they are Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene have set up base in Queensland’s Bible Belt and are drawing in disciples from across the country.

The pair, real names Alan John Miller and Mary Suzanne Luck, operate from rural Wilkesdale, near Kingaroy, where they claim to have been joined by 30-40 followers.

“My name is Jesus and I’m serious,” Mr Miller says in a video recording from a workshop. Cult watchers and the Anglican and Catholic churches are concerned the pair, who ask followers to donate to sustain them, could draw in the vulnerable.

Mr Miller bought a 16ha property at Wilkesdale in 2007 and his Divine Truth followers have since been buying nearby blocks to be close to the charismatic leader, 47, and Ms Luck, 32.

Locals and real estate agents confirmed the group had sparked an unlikely property boom, with estimates they have bought up to 30 blocks and with new properties in high demand.

Followers joined forces in 2009 to buy a $400,000, 240ha property where they hold weekly meetings and plan to build a centre for international visitors.

In an apparent coincidence, land clearing has created a giant cross on neighbouring properties. Locals insisted it was not carved deliberately.

FROM ABOVE: A cross shape, seen from Google Earth, cleared in the bush on land neighbouring the Divine Love of Jesus headquarters outside Kingaroy.

Source: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

Police are said to have been called to investigate screams, only to discover members taking part in a healing exercise where they shout to help process “past soul damage”.

Concerned relatives and friends have contacted the Cult Awareness and Information Centre to warn of Divine Truth followers selling homes to move to Wilkesdale.

The centre’s spokeswoman, Helen Pomery, said: “The moment someone becomes God or God’s voice on Earth it gives them another level of authority to enforce submission to them.”

Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall and the Catholic church urged people to be cautious when exploring new movements.

“This is especially true for people who are seeking meaning in their lives and as a result may be vulnerable,” Dr Aspinall said.

Mr Miller was born in Loxton, South Australia, and has two children from a previous marriage, which he says ended after he “began to remember details” of his past life.

Tailoring his appearance to look like Jesus, he yesterday held a workshop in Albury, NSW, where he stood by his claims.

In one recording he says: “There’s probably a million people who say they’re Jesus and most of them are in asylums. But one of us has to be.

“How do I know I am? Because I remember everything about my life.”

Brian Houston looking for protection from journalists

An interesting series of tweets from Brian Houston refers to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald about “THE federal budget [putting] a lid on the practice of so-called charities using their tax-free status to generate business income for no charitable purpose whatsoever.”

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/charities-face-profits-being-taxed-in-budget-20110506-1ec2u.html#ixzz1M7HShvTp

Brian Houston's Twitter feed

Houston, in one of his tweets claims that “Phillip Coorey & Peter Hartcher know or should know that the only link between Hillsong & Gloria Jeans, is the owners belong to the church!”  The tweet is in response to this line in the Sydney morning Herald article:

The Hillsong church has links with the Gloria Jean’s coffee shop franchise, while the cereal company Sanitarium is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

On the surface it may seem true that Coorey and Hartcher are stretching the truth – There article insinuates that, just as Sanitariumis owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, so too is Gloria Jeans owned by Hillsong; this is just not true in any way shape or form.  To the casual observer the only connection between GJ’s and H$ is that Nabi Saleh and Peter Irvine (co-founders of GJ’s) are both members of Hillsong, and that is where Houston, Saleh and Irvine would have us believe the connections end.  The truth, however, is not so clear cut as that.

Back in 2006 in an article entitled ‘God’s Business’ essentially about religious organisations taking advantage of lax taxation regulations, Business Review Weekly suggested the following things:

“Although there is no legal connection between Hillsong and Gloria Jean’s Coffees, there is certainly a strong commercial connection.”

“Some of the best Gloria Jean’s franchises are owned by Hillsong members, which helps Hillsong because they give 10% of their pre-tax dollars to the church.

“There are also Gloria Jean’s coffee stalls at the many Hillsong conferences held each year, along with Gloria Jean’s outlets at the Hillsong Church at Baulkham Hills.”

In any case, the real issue, and the fear for Hillsong should be, that the story points to the “federal budget  [putting] a lid on the practice of so-called charities using their tax-free status to generate business income for no charitable purpose whatsoever.”

The changes will only apply to new ventures started by charities, but the government is expected to make the changes to the laws retrospective – this could be quite damaging to Hillsong…and hence the claim from Houston that; “All activities of Hillsong Church contribute to our non profit objectives”.

Hmmm…I’m not so sure that claim is entirely accurate Brian

God’s Hands, daughters kisses – faceless – but never faithless!

From http://www.news.com.au

THE first man in the US to have a full face transplant says feeling his daughter’s kisses on his face was the real miracle.

Dallas Wiens, 26, from Fort Worth, Texas, was able to show his three-year-old girl, Scarlette, his new face last week. Today he showed his face to the rest of the world.

Mr Wiens was left horribly burned by a high-voltage electrical line more than two years ago. He lost all his facial features, except for a small portion of his chin, as well as his eyesight.

The difference in Mr Wiens’ “before” and “after” appearance was breathtaking.
The man who appeared at the press conference at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where the face transplant was performed, had a full set of features, along with hair, including a goatee and moustache. His mouth drooped slightly on one side, and he spoke with a slur, but he could be easily understood.

In an exchange with reporters, Mr Wiens, who underwent the 15-hour face transplant in March, described his amazement at being able to reclaim his facial functions.

The first thing he was able to smell, he said, was hospital lasagna “and you wouldn’t imagine it would’ve smelled so delicious.” His favorite smell was “biscuits one of my nurses brought in.”

But the single best moment of his recovery was meeting his daughter again – this time with a face. “She actually said, ‘Daddy, you’re so handsome. To her I was still Daddy – that in itself was amazing.”

He said there were “no words to truly describe the depth of gratitude and love” he had for the family of the anonymous facial donor. He also thanked his team of surgeons and said when he first woke up and could feel he had features again, “I said this is not medically possible”.

Mr Wiens remains blind and was wearing dark glasses at the press conference. However, Dr Bohdan Pomahac, the plastic surgeon who led the transplant team, was hopeful future medical advances could change that.

Dr Pomahac described his patient as “quite literally a man without a face” before the transplant. Previously he had undergone 22 operations at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, where he also spent 90 days in a medically induced coma following his accident.

Asked about the importance of faith in his recovery, Mr Wiens said: “My faith has been a great help to me. That in itself has gotten me through so many things, to lean on a strength that’s not my own.

“I just know that even though I’m in amazing hands here (at the hospital), I’m also in God’s hands.”

As for the future, he said, he would return to Texas and his family.
“I’m only 26. I have a lot of life left to live.”

Before and after: Dallas Wiens with his daughter, left, and after face was seared off in electrical accident. Picture: AP

Muslim Conquest of Britain Nears Completion … ???

Image via Wikipedia

http://moriel.org/MorielArchive/index.php/news/uk/muslim-conquest-of-britain-nears-completion

From Moriel USA … a good site. (usually!)

January 10, 2011
Paul L. Williams, Ph.D.

A study by of the Centre for Migration Policy Research at Swansea University shows that thousands of Britons are converting to Islam every year – with more women becoming Muslims than men.

The research suggests that the numbers converting to the religion has doubled by 2010 from the 60,669 converts in 2001.

The average age of the Muslim converts is 27.5, with 520,0o0* Brits becoming Muslims in the past 12 months.

…

* this figure has been disputed by Wazza and he’s right. The correct figure is 5,200.  … oh dear! If the church isn’t making converts on that scale in the UK there really is no hope! But we believe in a God who is mighty to save! … Don’t we?

from the actual report from here

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

• Using data on conversion from the Scottish Census of 2001, it was calculated that there were 60,669 converts to Islam in the United Kingdom in 2001;
• 55% of converts in 2001 were from the White British ethnic group;
• It is estimated that in 2010 approximately 5,200 people converted to Islam in the UK;
• The total number of converts in the United Kingdom may have risen to as high as 100,000 in 2010; 
• British national newspapers regularly present converts in terms of a greater threat to security than other British Muslims;
• The survey of converts to Islam in the United Kingdom carried out during August and September 2010 is the largest survey of its kind to date;

• Profile of respondents:
  o 56% White British, 16% Other White, 29% non-White;
  o 62% female, 38% male;
  o Average age at conversion was 27.5.

• The survey provides no evidence to support the claim that most conversion is driven by the desire to marry a Muslim;
• When thinking about converting, converts got most help and assistance from books, Muslim acquaintances and the Internet;
• The majority received no help from a mosque – mosques are generally thought to not have sufficient provision for converts and less than half of converts felt that mosques had appropriate provision for people interested in Islam;
• The majority experience difficulties after converting due to the negative attitude of their family, but over time this attitude becomes more positive;
• The majority of converts see themselves as both British and Muslim;
• The majority feel that there is more good than bad about British culture and do not feel that most British people are hostile to Islam;
• The majority of converts feel that there is no natural conflict between being a devout Muslim and living in the United Kingdom;
• A significant majority feel that it is important for others to be aware that they are Muslims and feel that religion is important in the upbringing of their children;
• The vast majority of women changed their appearance after conversion, with a significant majority adopting the hijab (either straight away or after some time);
• The majority of converts personally disagree with the niqab, although they feel that ultimately it is a matter of personal choice and support the right of women to wear it;
• The majority do not support strict segregation of the sexes – but do not support “free mixing” of the sexes either;
• The majority stated that most or all of their close friends were Muslims, however, almost all felt that Muslims should not keep themselves separate from non-Muslims;

• The most important problems facing converts to Islam include:
  o Lack of support networks for converts;
  o Feeling of isolation and rejection by born Muslims;
  o The way that converts are portrayed in the media;
  o The pressure put on them to comply with the cultural norms of born Muslims.

• Almost all feel that some practices of born Muslims are more to do with culture than with Islam;
• The majority of converts feel that converts can (and should) act as a “bridge” between Muslims and non-Muslims.

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Fred Nile rejoices at the death of an unarmed man

All The Rivers Run Pt 3: 5 Streams of the Emerging Church

Postmodern

Mark Twain said the mistake God made was in not forbidding Adam to eat the serpent. Had God forbidden the serpent, Adam would certainly have eaten him. When the evangelical world prohibited postmodernity, as if it were fruit from the forbidden tree, the postmodern “fallen” among us—like F. LeRon Shults, Jamie Smith, Kevin Vanhoozer, John Franke, and Peter Rollins—chose to eat it to see what it might taste like. We found that it tasted good, even if at times we found ourselves spitting out hard chunks of nonsense. A second stream of emerging water is postmodernism.