Gathering the day’s prayers together;
the Collect Prayer for Sunday 27th May 2012.
….. there is a little dialogue of ‘life in the bar’. A customer (the guy in the cloak) is settling his bill. It goes like this … Customer: “Innkeeper. Let’s work out the bill” Innkeeper: “You’ve got a sextarius of wine there, that’s one as . Bread, one as. And the dips, two asses.” Customer: “That’s right” Innkeeper: “You had a girl. That’s eight asses” Customer: “That’s right too.” Innkeeper: “And hay for the mule…..
Follow the link for the full text and punch line, you’ll love it.
I have previously expressed my opposition to same-sex-marriage (in posts here and here) and, whilst I have still not entirely changed my mind, a post on Mary Beard’s blog A Don’s Life has shown me another idea that might have merit.
Mary suggests in her post Question Time, Oldham and (not) gay marriage, that we as a society could cease to use the term “Marriage” for all partnerships, except those recognised and performed by the Church (of whatever religion or denomination is appropriate to the participants) and that it should be up to the churches to determine on religious grounds who they should or should not agree to marry.
Essentially, all partnerships, whether of heterosexual or homosexual nature, would be civil partnerships (maybe someone could invent a better name). The term “Marriage” would be reserved for those married before their god, under whatever terms the churches are able to decide for themselves.
This approach would keep the politics out of the religious aspect of marriage, and anything we can keep politicians away from is probably better for us all. It might also reduce the number of marriages in church held there just because the ceremony is more ‘colourful’ and there is a better backdrop for the wedding photographs (of course the drawback is that some churches will lose income).
“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” – Voltair.
Maybe a law professional has used the Voltair quote, maybe not. I only remember Horace Rumpole (John Mortimer’s fictional Old Bailey [hack] barrister) quoting it, but it did seem to be quite appropriate to the law profession…………….until now.
The Law Society has reversed a decision to allow Christian Concern to rent their premises, because it fears that a debate about government proposals on gay marriage, that was going to be held in their premises, might breach their policy on Diversity; so they don’t then, it would seem, have a policy on free speech.
I fail to see how curtailing debate of any issue is in anyone’s interest, except for those wanting to curtail free speech. Suppose you said something that might get you into trouble, accidentally or otherwise; would you trust a member of The Law Society to defend you, when they appear not to permit free speech on their own premises.
See the original article here on Christian Today.
It’s not of course actually possible to move any anniversary day, in this case Ascension Day (which is 40 days after Christ’s crucifixion), although moving the celebration of an anniversary, is nowadays quite common. For those of us in regular employment, it is considerably more practical to celebrate Ascension on the nearest Sunday.
I would be glad to celebrate the Ascension today; the church I worship at has an Ascension Communion Service this morning and they will celebrate it on Sunday too, for the majority of the congregation who can’t get there on a work day.
As for myself; I will remember Ascension today and offer a prayer but will celebrate it with my church on Sunday.
When will you celebrate it?
I have finally managed to get an understanding of what makes an apostle, and what makes a disciple.
Disciples are followers.
Apostles are followers too but; they have been sent out/away to carry out a mission or task.
Are you a disciple or an apostle?
Gathering the day’s prayers into one,
The Collect Prayer for Sunday 13th May 2012.
Under section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872, it is still illegal to be drunk in charge of a cow on a highway.
Gathering the day’s prayers into one,
the Collect Prayer for Sunday 6th May 2010
Prominent atheist Richard Dawkins, during a debate with Rowan Williams at Oxford University on 23rd February 2012, has admitted the possibility that God exists.
The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have, in their wisdom, transferred (?) Ascension Day to Sunday 20th May; 43 days after Christ was crucified.
