Blog and photo journal
Earlier in the week, Helen and I had the opportunity to speak with Professor Norman Fenton, Emeritus Professor of Risk at Queen Mary University of London. We discussed his work highlighting issues around COVID testing, vaccination and excess deaths. We also talked with him about recent concerns on anti-semitism in the ‘Freedom Movement’…
It was great to speak with someone who stands for truth, despite the personal cost.
Please listen here – an hour well spent!
In this special episode we are joined by Luke Avery. Luke describes the unique nature and perspective of the channel and the listeners it attracts. We discuss the challenges of church life within the reality of a hostile culture, woke and progressive influences, and how we can navigate these. We hope that you will be informed, challenged and encouraged by this interview.
You can listen here.
In this episode we take a little break from considering issues going on in the world, to discuss our Christian stories and experiences and how these have shaped our critical thinking.
These days, when something is presented as being ‘unacceptable’, a pile-on quickly ensues. A recent example is the kissing of Jenni Hermoso by Luis Rubiales whilst Spain was celebrating at the Women’s World Cup final. It was a fleeting moment; he was giving her a hug then a kiss on the lips and that was it. Although it wasn’t. Amidst calls to resign, it was reported that even Rubiales’ mother went on a hunger strike to protest the “witch hunt” against her son. Certainly, there is lots wrong with football and much wrong with women’s football but by any objective measure, this has been blown out of proportion.
However, this is not about football, but about a troubling trend that we see in the wider church that concerns truth and faithfulness. There is a well known media organisation based in the UK called Premier that has a wide reach and influence with many Christians and Christian organisations. Premier describe themselves as “Europe’s largest Christian media organisation” and cover a wide range of content through their magazine, website, podcast and radio stations. They have established what could be described as a ‘BBC-esque’ position in the Christian media world, giving the appearance of balance whilst holding to a subtle bias that too often aligns with the mainstream. In essence, neither hot nor cold.
“God’s Word is not there to prop up a mainstream media narrative”
With the Rubiales furore, an article appeared on the Premier Christianity website by Jane Chevous that serves as a good example of Premier’s editorial approach. The piece takes the reader swiftly from a kiss at a football match to talk of church abuse survivors in a matter of paragraphs, the intention being to conflate the behaviour of Rubailes with serious sexual abuse. The danger with this approach is that it runs the risk of minimising genuine abuse along with the associated hurt and confusion that comes with that. The BBC did a (predictably) similar thing and Rob Slane (The Blog Mire) puts it very well when he said “By describing a 1-second kiss during celebrations as a “sexual assault”, the term “sexual assault” is flattened to make it meaningless. This could have been dealt with by the man apologising & the woman saying “forgiven”. But we must have our witch hunts.”
In her article, Chevous makes the outlandish (and revealingly mainstream) claim that the “Church is another chauvinistic and patriarchal institution…”. On its own, that’s a weighty statement about the Body of Christ, yet Premier would appear to stand by it through their active promotion of her piece. Chevous goes on to mention Jesus’ words on justice and how God is for truth and judges with equity. She then quotes Psalm 72 out of context, like a kind of Biblical flag wave for Jenni Hermoso. But God’s Word is not there to prop up a mainstream media narrative as Chevous implies and Premier facilitates. It’s almost as if Premier is wanting to be a broad road for Christians to travel down comfortably, without any real consideration as to the destination.
Near the end, Chevous writes, “Hermoso’s experience symbolises the oppression of women in a misogynistic culture; she has come to represent every woman who has been ignored or threatened when they have stood up to injustice.” This dramatic overstating, complete with a reminder that we live in a ‘misogynistic culture’ (yes, here in the west) would be bad enough, but the author goes on to suggest that God is there in solidarity with Hermoso as if the ‘#metoo’ movement is high on God’s agenda.
It’s clear that Premier Christianity tries to be all things to all people. Their website is weighed down with content that all too often adheres to the mainstream narrative whilst wrapped in ‘Christianese’, although occasionally there will be something good. With articles like “AI can write a great sermon. But should you use it?”, “Christian leaders’ silence on animal welfare is scandalous”, “Why it’s time to build a truly diverse Church”, “What Christians can learn from Just Stop Oil” and “Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech is often misunderstood. He wanted reparations”, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled onto the faith section of The Guardian. The problem runs deeper however, as author and podcaster, Nick Franks highlights so well in this video.
Premier Christianity claims the following “Our editorial approach emphasises the beliefs and values that Christians generally hold in common. We believe that throughout the years that God has blessed Premier with resources and media platforms to communicate through, that our mandate is to be there and report on all those who would say ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’.”
So, if I say “Jesus Christ is Lord” and then state (for example) “that the practice of homosexuality is not a sin” then is that ‘ok’ by Premier? I suspect they gloss over their theological shortcomings in order to try and hold a perceived middle ground and that, perhaps, is the issue. As a Christian media organisation, surely Premier should stand for and seek the truth whilst faithfully holding to what the Bible teaches?
If they did, they would not be as popular, but those that follow hard after Christ never are.
In the latest episode of the Owl & Badger podcast we discuss a number of topics that have been in the news recently. The net is slowly tightening and we need to be paying closer attention to what is happening.
You can listen here.
We have reached the point where a pupil ‘identifying’ as something other than the biological truth that they are born either a boy or a girl is becoming normal in school. From my own experience as a father of teenage boys, who relay the outrageous things that are said in the classroom, this sadly comes as no surprise. An example of this madness has come to light over the last few days as a teacher at Rye College, a state secondary in East Sussex, was recorded telling a 13-year-old pupil who refused to accept her classmate could identify as a cat that she was “despicable.” During the recorded conversation (secretly done by a pupil) at the end of a class on “life education,” this same teacher asked the pupils “where did you get this idea from that there are only two genders?” adding: “It is not an opinion.” This teacher then told the Year 8 pupils (13-year-olds) they were being reported to a senior leader and were no longer welcome at the school if they continued to express the view that only boys and girls exist. After this incident the school has stated that no children at Rye College identify as a cat or any other animal. However, the girls and their parents claimed it was their understanding that one did and a teacher at the school clearly facilitated this notion.
This prompts a key question that few seem to be asking. If pupils thought it was ok to do something as ludicrous as ‘identify’ as a cat in school, then where did they get that idea from? A key part of the answer is, their teacher.
Through the insidious indoctrination via PSHE (and other subjects), schools have become a breeding ground for harmful ideologies. In some cases this is tantamount to grooming and child abuse. This begs further questions as to why some teachers are so complicit in promoting these dangerous ideologies that lead to these crazy outcomes and why there aren’t more teachers (like this brave lady) speaking up about the lies they are being asked to propagate?
Teachers have a difficult job, we want to support them in doing a good job, but peddling lies will not result in good outcomes, let alone bring job satisfaction. They need to find the courage both individually and collectively to speak up against this evil.
If teachers want to strike about something, strike about this. They will have overwhelming support.