Forum Topic

GOOD NEWS.

Although we are going through a worldwide crisis, possibly never known so bad in human history, things are going to get better. The Bible promises: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." ( Revelation 21 v 4.) At present the whole world is going through a period known as the "last days" of a system that is about to be put right.2 Timothy 3:1-5 New International Version (NIV) says:(1)"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. (2) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, (4) treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— (5) having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."Is that a huge coincindence or is that an apt description of how many people in the world are today?Luke 21:10-11 New International Version (NIV) states:10 Then he (Jesus) said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events........"What is happening worldwide surely qualifies as seeing fulfillment today.This is the storm before the calm.“ALL creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now.” So said the apostle Paul. (Romans 8:22) Despite advances in medical science, sickness and death continue to plague the human race. How wonderful, then, the promise that climaxes this part of Isaiah’s prophecy! Imagine the time when “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24)

Neil Milkins ● 2418d51 Comments

People are dying of this terrible virus. And you come out with this unhelpful stuff from your  special book. Believe what you want to believe but this is not the place to be preaching all this. Presumably your god could stop this if he wanted to.

Stewart Jones ● 2418d

But is it part of God's Great Plan, or God's Ineffable Plan? And what does it have to do with the Hammersmith Nudes Murders ?

Richard Greenhough ● 2418d

The mind boggleth.

Keith Iddon ● 2418d

Weirdo.

Carl Wynne ● 2418d

an effing prick !

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

Religious zealot obsessed by murdered women.

Claire Moran ● 2418d

Sorry if any of you is offended by my post. I shared my hope with believers. Sorry  I have touched a raw nerve.

Neil Milkins ● 2418d

Believers in what exactly? All you've done is posted a load of rubbish.

Brian Coyle ● 2418d

Raw nerve?You’ve got a nerve.

Gordon McDonald ● 2418d

How the hell the BBC gave this vainglorious,narcissistic  prick the day time of day is beyond me.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

Well, they do it with those in parliament many times a day.

Claire Moran ● 2418d

You knew when you wrote this post what sort of reaction you’d get. As someone said Believers in what? There are over a thousand different Christian sects. How presumptuous of your to think that yours is the correct one. And how insensitive to talk about good news when people are DYING. Shame on you.

Stewart Jones ● 2418d

Tut Stwart leave it.

Janice Evans ● 2418d

My sister is a type one diabetic whose husband is a CofE priest : after twenty five years of the two of them looking after their parishioners ,births,marriages and deaths,they got kicked out in the street because of a merger of parishes so now my sister ,in her late 50s, is sofa surfing around the country,is ill and highly vulnerable to the virus so fxxk them !'Christian charity',bullshit !

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

Sorry type error Stewart meant to put.

Janice Evans ● 2418d

Given that merging parishes is something that takes a least two years from inception to completion, although I am really sorry to hear of your sister's plight, this is not something that happens overnight. The house or accommodation goes with the job but I am not aware of a single member of the clergy made homeless by the revocation of the Security of Tenure changes which were first signalled giving five years notice of the changes.
There are also numerous charities which directly support clergy in financial difficulties including the provision of housing.

N V Brooks ● 2418d

It looks as though you were typing using your posh voice.Hair lair Stwart !michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 2418d

😉

Janice Evans ● 2418d

Message removed

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

Ben, sorry about your Sister and yes some of these Christian Groups can be quite callous and uncaring which I have experience first hand.  Cannot go into details as I had to sign a form never to discuss them if I left, I was working for them and they paid very well but if you were not interested in joining the religion they soon turn their back on you with no regard for the situation you are in, Christians they were NOT.  it never stop me believingIn prayer etc., but can quite understand if it does for others.

Janice Evans ● 2418d

Maybe you should talk about it Janice,call them out for what they are.My sister's husband is a CofE priest ,no different to what some people would call a cult ,which they all are..not in my humble opinion,they are,end of.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

Hi NeilI think you may be cherry-picking a bit when you put all those Scriptures together. One could argue that some of them are taken out of context. Christians have been predicting the world's end since the time of Christ, a violation of Christ's own command. I am not saying you are doing that, but it could come off that way. The Scriptures you chose...I am not sure what message you are trying to promote...we have been in the 'last days' since Christ's resurrection. While there have been advances, the world is no better or worse than it was a year ago, ten years ago, 100 years ago, 1000 years ago...it is just different. Same problems, different eras.

Phil Hopkins ● 2418d

Hi BenTo paraphrase Gandhi, if more Christians acted like Christians there would be more Christians. The story you tell unfortunately is not an uncommon one. Your sister and her husband are one of the many people this has happened to, and as you stated, it is not just the Church of England. Other Christian groups have done these types of things in the UK and elsewhere like the US, and that is not biblical. I understand your anger/frustration/jaded-spirit. To critique what was done to them is commendable, as long as you do not throw the 'baby out with the bathwater' so to speak, the baby being biblical Christianity, whether you ascribe to the faith or not.

Phil Hopkins ● 2418d

Oh dear Neil For some we never forgot your homophobic rants those years ago in the name of God. But the backlash should have been a hint to why so many people dont subscribe.

Julian Pavey ● 2418d

Hi Phil. Owing to the downright rude and obscene remarks put on this site I won't respond to any more comments made on here. I have C.O.P.D/Emphysema and diabetes and am vunerable to the virus. I find the Scriptures that I quoted comforting and good news. If others cannot cope with it they could have scrolled past and ignored it. Final word. They put Jesus to death for telling the truth. I wish everyone the best despite the filth and insults aimed at me.

Neil Milkins ● 2418d

it was not C of E and would think not all of them are like it, depends on who is running the show.

Janice Evans ● 2418d

Laughable self-serving crap like you usually post.So you're like Jesus now are you ?You haven't wished anyone the best in the past,you've damned  people !Who the hell do you think you are ?

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

I'm not interested in nor looking to be commended : they're total hypocrites have and are putting my sister's life at risk.Not just because of the virus ; she had a home and is a very helpful and nice woman (nothing to do with her beliefs).She was a nurse at Charing Cross but had to give it up because of her diabetes.'what was done to them is commendable, as long as you do not throw the 'baby out with the bathwater' so to speak, the baby being biblical Christianity, whether you ascribe to the faith or not.'And why shouldn't I?I detect a threat : are you threatening me with hellfire and damnation ?I don't see any difference from this or a fundamentalist Muslim issuing a fatwa apart from it being served with cucumber sandwiches.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

Hi BenIt is not my place to threaten anyone. I can tell you what the Scriptures state, and they provide hope in Christ. If that is not something that interests you, that is very much your right, and a right that should be protected. I appreciate your honesty.

Phil Hopkins ● 2418d

If you believe in those scriptures which are threatening to non-believers then you are colluding with it.Most religions seem to be about the preparation for death so I'm not buying what they're selling particularly as the reward (whatever that is)is when I'm dead.

Ben Gemmingen ● 2418d

No mention of the trumpets (Trump/Pence)? Revelations1:9 #Tinfoilhat

Andrew McClure ● 2418d

Tut Janice. I’ll post whatever I want. Thankyou.

Stewart Jones ● 2418d

You’ll take huge comfort in the fact that non-believers will burn in hell for eternity (according to your book)

Stewart Jones ● 2418d

You are not a prophet, you are a very naughty boy. Now, someone remove this thread please.

Keith Iddon ● 2418d

How do we go about it being taken down?

Stewart Jones ● 2418d

"How do we go about it being taken down?.."Basically "we" don't...  It's not an option.Read the Code of Conduct carefully...and instead of thinking/misconceiving "we", perhaps consider your own position when engaging in threads like this..That btw applies to anyone and everyone..just sayin'

Stuart Kerr ● 2418d

Well seriously why would you want this thread taken down?  It’s not doing any harm, apart, it seems, to some people’s blood pressure.  Cut the guy some slack.  We are all going through extremely difficult times and we need to show some patience and tolerance towards each other’s ways of coping.

Alastair Banton ● 2418d

Very well said Alastair. It is slightly worrying how crisis encourages so many people to leap towards authoritarianism.

Francis Rowe ● 2418d

Yes, top words there from Alastair, a highly-regarded seasoned forummer ..any hint of control freakery has traditionally been mocked on CW4.com...  and rightly so..

Stuart Kerr ● 2418d

Of course I am not calling you a liar.
Two years is more than adequate notice and it is an absolute MINIMUM of two years.  I can't think of any other job where you get such a period of notice.

I am pleased that you understand how Dioceses work and you will therefore know that there has been a FIVE YEAR discussion of changes to clergy terms and conditions of employment.
CofE churches (of which there were far too many at over 16,000) were closing, at their peak, at the rate of eight per week. That has been reversed over the past five years and new groups are opening, often not in expensive to maintain Victorian (or earlier) buildings.
By all means, feel free to denigrate the belief and faith of others but I am sorry, the provisions for church closures and mergers are abundantly clear and, as I said, there are countless charities dedicated to assisting clergy in straitend circumstances.

N V Brooks ● 2418d

I find it ironic that religious people pray for the virus to go away and for people suffering from CV19 to get better when surely it must have been their god that created the problem in the first place.

Chris Blackwell ● 2418d

Stuart J. Try thinking first. 😏

Janice Evans ● 2418d

Richard Greenhough ● 2418d

Neil, I think you should stick this up your arse!

Basil Finnis ● 2418d

Fair do's chaps. You were correct about the blood pressure.

Keith Iddon ● 2418d

Only if he runs out of loo paper, Basil.

Richard Greenhough ● 2418d

Chris, you don't have to be religious to pray,

Janice Evans ● 2418d

Suppose what I do is good thoughts at times like this, in the hope it helps resolve our current situation.

Janice Evans ● 2418d

You don't have to be religious or in a place of worship to pray either.I bet there's been many of service men and women who prayed on the field of combat.

Bernard Allen ● 2418d

'The mind boggleth.'That really did make me laugh out loud - that good old British sense of humour will see us through.

Vanessa Smith ● 2418d

Neil comes out with a corker:'Despite advances in medical science, sickness and death continue to plague the human race.'When Jesus died average life expectancy was about 30 and infant mortality was probably close to 50%. That was a consequence of moving from a hunter-gatherer society to an agricultural society . Living close to domestic animals allowed viruses and bacteria to both mutate and jump the species barrier.  After some advances in the time of Hippocrates and Galen, nothing really improved for nearly two millenia. Late in C18 inoculation was invented by Jenner.  Anaesthesis and antisepsis revolutionised surgery in the middle of the C19.  Therapeutics took longer to take off aspirin, digitalis, ether and morphine being the four useful drugs available at the beginning of the C20.  The first sulphonamide drugs started to appear with Salvarsan about 1910 and Prontosil in the 1930's, curing sysphilis and puerpal fever.  Since then literally hundreds of thousands of drugs have been produced including many types of antibiotics.  Infectious diseases such as cholera were eliminated by water engineering projects, that started in the mid C19. Combined with vaccination the toll taken by infectious diseases has plummeted. Insulin was first administered in 1922. Without it many diabetics would die an early death.There has been enormous progress, it is no longer unusual to live much longer than three score years and ten. I think the contribution made by Biblical fundamentalists to this advance has been negligible. The real good news is that we no longer accept that sickness is a consequence of original sin. Those of us who are scientific rationalists believe that this almost exponential improvement in the ability to cure is likely to continue.  We  know that death is inevitable but we're generally happy to do what we can to postpone the event. Covid-19 will be contained by sanitary measures and , hopefully, repurposed existing therapeutics before being eliminated by a vaccine. It will take some time but we are not in 'End-times', the standby of religious hucksters for most of the current era.

David McLoughlin ● 2417d