Mugabe may be looking forward to a lonely Christmas.

Wretched does a good job, again

I don't agree 100% with his take on things, but sometimes, he is, in my view, 98% on the spot.

Take a look at this:


Well, the word is better translated "tabernacled" in the Greek if we want to translate "literally". This guy, better stick with his rock climbing and quit trying to impress his lack of Greek skills.

On Judas Maccabeus

Ever wanted to know more about this period in Jewish history? Here it's a chance for you to listen to a lecture on the subject.

Thanks to the friends at the BBC.

If you do this, you won't get any Christmas gifts

The Crystal Cathedral has finally become a cathedral, a Roman Catholic one..

The mis-management of a family, has caused a congregation to loose their own place of worship:


A federal judge on Thursday approved the sale of the glimmering Crystal Cathedral to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange to help the financially troubled megachurch emerge from bankruptcy. 


The decision by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert N. Kwan came after a bidding war between the diocese and Orange County's Chapman University for the sprawling 40-acre property - and was opposed by many Crystal Cathedral congregants who fear it will be the end of their church. 

The diocese will pay $57.5 million to use the iconic building in Garden Grove made of 10,000 panes of glass as a long-sought countywide cathedral.

I wonder why they rejected a good offer from a University and went along selling to the Catholics. Don't  get me wrong, a place of worship is a place for worship, but this church was built for Protestant worship, or what was considered Protestant worship:

Rather, churchgoers threw their support behind a proposal by Chapman University for the site to expand its health sciences offerings and possibly start a medical school - a plan that would have paid up to $59 million for the site allowed the church to continue to use the famous building designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson. 

For the last two weeks, the board of directors of Crystal Cathedral Ministries had supported Chapman as the preferred buyer. But the board did an about-face Wednesday and voted to back the diocese instead to preserve the church as a religious institution, citing church bylaws and a wish to respect the spirit of donors who footed the bill for the building.

 Maybe the Schullers want to get rid of the building that showed how rotten they are. There's still talks about the congregation moving somewhere else, but if experience counts something, they won't get far:

Some congregants at the Crystal Cathedral said losing their church would be a sign of failure of the ministry's leadership and they wouldn't follow its leaders to a new site.
Churchgoers also questioned whether the ministry that shares the name of the building it inhabits would be financially viable elsewhere, noting that viewers of the "Hour of Power" are equally attached to the glass-spired church and are the source of 70 percent of the church's revenue.
"This is more than a money issue. This is about the continuation of our church," said Michael Nason, a member of the church for 39 years and former producer of the Hour of Power.

The Church was built around the Crystal Cathedral structure, and if they want their congregation to keep on going, they will have to recreate their image.

But what they must do, is not to let any of the former leadership take over their new endeavour. And I think the members of the church are aware of that from what the news item has mentioned.

But apart from the corruption in the Crystal Cathedral, they were also victims of the times:

In 2008, the church's revenues plummeted amid a decline in donations and ticket sales for holiday pageants due to the recession, church officials said. But some experts say the church failed to attract younger members while alienating older churchgoers with an ill-fated attempt to turn the church over to Schuller's son, ending in a bitter and public family feud.

 I remember that many conservatives have criticised the Crystal Cathedral for being a "hipster" church. Well, if such a church does not bring new blood into their lines, it is doom to fall. Conservatives, although better than liberals in retaining their young, are due to fail as well if they don't change their ways, and start attracting new blood into their lines.

My mom loves the Crystal Cathedral. The only positive is that it will still dazzle the eyes for years, or decades to come. But this is a reminder that Ecclesia Semper Reformanda.

Location, Location, Location | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Location, Location, Location | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

This a a book that I would like to buy, more so in today's Middle East's situation, regarding land.  It is also a good antidote for those Christians who don't take into account that the word of God was given in a certain place, at a certain time.

Get it if you can. I know I will. And to top it all, he is using a N.T. Wright's paradigm in his take on the subject!!

Israel or the Church, does God have two peoples?

The issue if God still has any dealings with Israel, is a very touchy one. Some believers are willing to wage war and to reject others as brothers and sisters if they think or insinuate that God has only one people, and that the Israel of God is the Church.

I find Christian Zionism a bad doctrine, bordering heresy. It bothers me how many Gentiles want to be Jews. I, for once, don't understand them. I, with Jewish ancestry, have embraced Christ, and there's no need for me to even keep the festivals, or differentiate myself from others, so they can know I am Jewish, yet, a Messianic Jew, if they wish to call me that.

Many people just take a stand on this issue, and condem any other position. I think that this video serves as a good example for a civil discussion between believers that don't see this issue the same way.

I hope you watch it all, and at least be informed of the two sides of the debate.


Revelation TV Debate "Has the Church Replaced Israel?" from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

Bibledex explains more about the Jars in John

Willing to die so you don't hear a women sing? Israeli Rabbi just suggested such a thing

In Israel, the Ultra Orthodox Jews are flexing their religious muscles. Here it's the headline and the first lines of the news:

Top settler rabbi: Soldiers will sooner choose death than suffer women's singing
Rabbi Elyakim Levanon warns IDF of prohibiting soldiers from leaving events which include women's signings, says hopes there are 'wise' people who would prevent such an order.

For Orthodox Jews, women singing is as bad watching porn, since they believe that a woman's voice entices men to commit sexual acts, and think impure thoughts. I wonder how little does keeping the Law do to them. Apparently, if a voice of woman singing it's too much temptation for them, then they have a lust problem.

They don't want women to serve in the army. I don't disagree with that, but women singing?

The reserve officers indicated that their appeal comes in response to a series of recent events, including the boycotting of military ceremonies by religious cadets due to women singing.The petitioners warned in their letter about harm caused to the motivation of women to serve in the army, as well as to what they termed damage to "the fundamental values of Israeli society."

Well, I agree that allowing women in combat operations is bad for any society, but once they are in, and you object to their singing, it's nonsense!

But what I find unacceptable and totally out of line, is what this rabbi comments on what some rabbis may suggest to religious soldiers:

However, in a radio interview on Thursday, Rabbi Levanon criticized a possible ruling that would forbid religious soldiers from leaving events over women's singing, saying that IDF soldier should choose death before complying with such an order.

There you go, dying for listening to a woman singing. This reminds of the Greek myth of the Odyssey, where the sirens would sing, and turn the sailors mad, and they would wreck their ships against the rocks.

Well, if you think that the Taliban is bad, check out Israel's Orthodox Jews.

Music at Church, a never ending issue

Via Christian Urban News

Good News Baptist Church in Chesapeake, Va., made a theological choice to offer only traditional music that expresses Christian doctrine. (Jack Gruber, USA TODAY)

In many U.S. churches today, worship musicians bang the drums for God and singers croon as if Christ were their boyfriend.
Bye-bye to Be Thou My Vision, a sixth-century Irish hymn with century-old English lyrics. Godspeed, Amazing Grace.

Nearly 50% of Protestant churches now say they use electric guitars or drums in worship, up from nearly 35% in 2000, according to the recently released Faith Communities Today study of 14,000 congregations.

But just because you don't like the tune doesn't mean it's theologically incorrect, says Rick Muchow, music pastor for the Saddleback Church founded by evangelist Rick Warren. "The Bible does not have an official soundtrack."

The nation's fifth-largest Protestant church, with nine satellite locations, runs several concurrent worship services Sunday mornings at its main site in Lake Forest, Calif., each with a different genre of music.

Muchow lists: a Gospel praise service; a "straight-ahead rock" called Overdrive; one called Fuel that's "geared to 20-somethings with more alternative music"; and a Traditions service with piano and a singer. Traditions is the only service using hymnals.

In the vast main worship center, however, the sound is "radio-style contemporary Christian with a small rhythm section," maybe an orchestra or choir now and then, and big screens beaming down the words to be sung by praise choruses, Muchow says.

"There are all different kinds of churches for different kinds of people. We don't worship music, we worship God," Muchow says.

Still, an unbending conservative guard of churches carries a flag for songs and sounds of the past. Their pastors claim people of all ages are drawn by timeless truths in classic hymns.

The fight can get fierce.

"There is an intense war being waged today for the heart and soul of Bible-believing churches, and one of the Devil's most effective Trojan horses is music," warns pastor David Cloud.

Good people go to heaven?

A bit of visual aid for those who want to take the Bible literally at all ocassions

Via Timothy Michael Law

Luther on his drinking problem

“If our Lord God can pardon me for having crucified and martyred him for about twenty years [by saying mass], he can also approve of my occasionally taking a drink in his honor. God grant it, no matter how the world may wish to interpret it!” -- Martin Luther

If there's one thing that I admired Luther for, is his frankness. He liked to drink, some even say that he had a "sip" before he preached so he could give a stronger sermon!!! His late night drinking with his fellow students was legendary, since they were also talking theology. And hey, his wife run a brewery from their house, so they were used to the smell of beer.

So there you go, don't idolise the Reformers, not even Luther. But from my end, I admire him even more, since he didn't hide his weaknesses, not even when he knew that many would disapprove. He just proves that all of us are sinners, fighting against our fallen desires.

Luis Alberto Jovel

Remembering both those who fought for our lives here on earth, and those who fought so we could hear the message of eternal life

Did you notice that this year, Remembrance Day fell right on the 11 of the 11 of 2011? Much talk was made about it, since it is the first date that coincides with all the 11s. But regardless of that curious date, what’s most important is what we celebrate on Remembrance Day, which is that we remember the sacrifice done by others on our behalf. Men and women who went to fight or help in that fight in order for us to enjoy the free life that we have.

            Just in case you missed it, Martin Luther was borne on the 10^th of November. He was also one of those persons who were willing to put their lives on the line so other Christians would come to enjoy the fullness of life that is found in the grace of God. We cherished those who lost their lives fighting for our life here and now, but do we cherished similarly the lives of those who were willing to fight for our eternal lives?

            The only way we can fully honour those who gave their lives in wars is to continue to uphold the freedom their sacrifice gained for us. The only way we can honour those who endangered their lives so we could worship God freely, is to hang on the saviour they believed and served, Jesus.

Roger Olson takes on Neo-Reformed's view of predestination

In high Calvinism God predestines the elect to salvation and the non-elect to damnation. Some Calvinists do not believe in double predestination; instead they believe in “single” predestination. Roger Olson, however, argues (along with many Calvinists) that single predestination necessarily entails double predestination. Then Olson probes into the doctrine to say it makes a mockery of God’s love and goodness, and offers instead an Arminian approach to election. So, he argues “Yes to election; No to double predestination.”

Calvinism’s commitment to its form of election creates theological and logical problems for Calvinism. Do you think double predestination ultimately shakes confidence in God’s love and goodness?

As you may know, we are this series on Roger Olson’s Against Calvinism and Michael Horton’s For Calvinism. One of the most admirable characteristics of Roger Olson is his candor about what he thinks and what he thinks of others, seen for instance in his recent criticisms of JI Packer’s understanding of Arminianism. When Arminians criticize like this it is seen as arrogance or a lack of charity while when Calvinist theologians go after Arminians it is perceived as commitment to the truth and a willingness to defend the hard doctrines (of grace). Baloney on that one. Olson is simply being a good, sharp-minded theologian and is always open to discussion — and his recent public debates with Michael Horton, who like Olson is charitable and civil even when they disagree firmly and say strong things, are a good sign of this commitment to public civility. I digress.

Olson’s chp on election is admirably clear about what Calvinists believe and at the same time firm in disagreement. Olson is against double predestination for individuals; he is for “conditional election” for individuals. He is firmly against “unconditional individual election’s inevitable correlate — reprobation” (104), and he sees it contrary to God’s love.

Calvin believes in double predestination; so does Boettner, Edwin Palmer (“choosing implies leaving others unchosen”) and Palmer throws up his hands at times when it comes to the logicality of this viewpoint. Sproul believes in double predestination (though he sees one as positive, the other as negative; active vs. passive, etc.). And James Daane argued that it was double or nothing when it comes to predestination of individuals.

Olson: this makes God morally ambiguous or worse, even monstrous.

The standard Calvinist response to criticisms is now called divine command theory, or that whatever God does is good and it is not ours to question it. This was seen recently in both Francis Chan and Mark Galli’s response to those who want to probe into the theodicy question of the morality of eternal punishment. Calvinists have often pushed back this way, and Olson argues this shows they believe their view of God is God as God is, while he wants to argue that their view (not God) is wrong. Another point made is that Calvinists, like Boettner and Piper, often contend doctrines like these ultimately glorify God even if we cannot comprehend how or why. Olson contends such ideas often turn God into being arbitrary.

The issue here is how to square belief in God’s love and double predestination. Pushing back by saying we aren’t to question simply doesn’t do it. This is why some today see God’s love at several levels (Piper, Carson) or say God has two wills.

Olson argues there are strong Calvinists theologians who have completely contested double predestination, including G.C. Berkouwer and James Daane. Then he sketches the powerful responses of John Wesley to Calvinism, where you will hear ideas very similar to what we have heard from Olson in many contexts (mainly, this stuff cannot be squared with a God of love without diminishing God’s love, which is exactly what is often seen in some Calvinists).

The alternative? Election is corporate (those in Christ, who believe in Christ, are elect because Christ is the Elect One). Arminians, too, believe in the priority of grace in prevenient grace, in spite of what its critics often repeat. And with Jack Cottrell, Roger agrees God made a world in which God acts with self-limitation because God values the freedom of those whom God has created.

via Patheos.

Welcome to the Planet of the Dogs. Occupy Denver elects a new leader, a dog!!! Stupidity at its best

Once humans start electing are their representative officials a dog, that can't fully understand you, or you can't fully understand it, then you will not get far with your movement.

This occupy movement has shown itself not only destructive, but totally stupid as well.

If you vote for a dog as your leader, you are actually saying that that animal has more brains than you. They protest against politicians and corporate institutions, that have no wisdom or knowledge as to how to carry the economy. Will a dog do it better?

Here it's how TIME reports on it, but look at the short version of the video below as well:

It depends how much money you have or dont have that defines how you view God

 Christianity Today has published a very helpful graph that shows that it depends how much you earn, that you you believe if God does have a plan for your life.

The graph also shows that if you believed that the USA was a very religious country, you are wrong.  The USA is not as exceptional as some like to think.

It is interesting to think that those who have a belief that God has a plan for their lives, are more likely that those who work, will reach their dreams, and are opposed for any intervention by the government in culture and society, specially with the poor. Some believe that less government, means that the hand of God is more involved!!

Check the link, to see the complete graph.

Luis A. Jovel

The gay movement does it again. Now Penguins are gay!!

I've heard of many gay dolphins, gay giraffes, gay donkeys (and I've heard this one from my latin american friends), but now, we hear about gay penguins.... CNN reports on it:

Buddy and Pedro are two male African penguins at the Toronto Zoo who seem to have a connection — a very special, loving connection — that has zookeepers wondering if their relationship is more than just a bromance.
According to the Toronto Star, zookeepers have noticed that although Buddy, 20, and Pedro, 10, swim and play with the other penguins in their enclosure by day, they pair off and nest together at night as well as exhibit other telltale mating behaviours, such as touching, making braying sounds and defending their territory.Does this mean that Buddy and Pedro are gay? Not exactly, as the term doesn’t normally apply to animals. But according to research from the University of California, Berkeley, birds — and other animals, for that matter — are known to form same-sex relationships.

This reminds me of how Bert and Ernie, from Sesame Street, were also considered gay because they have been living together for more than 40 years, yet, sleep in different beds. You can see my entry on this here.

I talked to a family member who became gay after searing 3 kids, and he told me that the army was a gay institution, as well as the 12 apostles of Christ, and many other institutions.

This confirms to me, if you are gay, you see everything, but I mean, everything through that view. Sexuality, according to these people, is not a gift to enjoy, but a worldview to impose upon everyone, either by cultural domination (TV, radio, media, arts) or by lawful imposition (rejecting proposition 8 in the courts, although the people of California democratically voted for it, passing gay marriage through the courts, etc.). 

Many criticise me for bringing this issue time and time again, but if you have young kids, do you want them to hear that penguins are gay? From a kid's point of view, if it's ok for animals, why not for us? This type of news are trying to change people's mind, but kids don't have the maturity to stand up to this undercover brain washing. 

I give a plus to CNN, although they are liberal, that at the bottom of the page, gives an alternative story, that goes like this:

For a while, Roy and Silo, a pair of male Chinstrap penguins in New York Zoo, were the world’s most famous gay couple, building a nest together and even hatching and rearing abandoned chick Tango. However, this has been somewhat spoiled by a new study from the Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology in Montpellier, France which has suggested that penguins are only pairing up with other males because they are “lonely.” According to the paper, in the colony studied, where more than a quarter of the penguins were in (mostly male) same sex couples, a shortage of females was driving males with high levels of testosterone to engage in mating displays with other males. Professor F. Stephen Dobson, one of the authors of the study published in the journal Ethology, said that when he observed the colony over time he found that all the “gay” penguins chose a heterosexual partner eventually and that female pairs would also “split up” to raise an egg with a male partner. However, NewsFeed refuses to let this ruin the beauty of the romance between Roy and Silo

So, it's not that penguins are gay, but they are lonely.

In our sex driven culture, it would seem that all sorts of affections can be interpreted as a sex act. This news then, shows more what's in the mind of those who are praising these "gay" penguins, than what the penguins are doing themselves.

Luis A. Jovel

Finally, the president of France has said a great truth

I always knew it, the UN knows it, the Europeans know it, hey, the whole of Latin American, (except for some wanna be Zionist) know it, that Benjamin Netanyahu is a liar.

Reuters reports on this, revealing news:

French President Nicolas Sarkozy branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "a liar" in a private conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama that was accidentally broadcast to journalists during last week's G20 summit in Cannes.
"I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar," Sarkozy told Obama, unaware that the microphones in their meeting room had been switched on, enabling reporters in a separate location to listen in to a simultaneous translation.

What's more amazing, is that Obama seems to agree with him:

"You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you," Obama replied, according to the French interpreter.

Personally I don't like either president that much lately, but when they say a truth, we should pay attention.

But did these leaders have the guts to say such a thing in public? NO! As said above, they did say those things when they thought nobody was listening to them.

This is worrisome, since it seems that our leaders will not tell us the true openly, but only we will know the true from them, when they think nobody is listening, and then feel free to say what they think and know.

So, if Netanyahu bombs Iran in the coming weeks, whatever excuse he gives, we now know that he is lying.

Why the USA is broke

This is why.

Something to remember

A good way to teach about Martin Luther

This one is for you, my Lutheran friends, specially you, yes you Simon.

Almost eaten by a whale!

Gay Couples in Britain Can Marry in the Church

There's a push in my denomination that we should accept gay marriage. What happens in Britain, may happen in Australia.

So reports the Daily Telegraph-
Homosexual couples will be able to take part in civil partnerships in church and other places of worship from next month, it will be announced.
And
Lynne Featherstone, the equalities minister, will say that the ban on the ceremonies in religious surroundings will be lifted on Dec 5. The move has been championed by David Cameron but is likely to be opposed by some church groups.
Small wonder.
The scheme will be “voluntary” with no church compelled to offer same-sex services. However, it is likely that some campaigners will seek to push the matter further if churches refuse to open their doors to gay couples.
Exactly right. Once the ‘ceremony’ is legitimized, those in Britain who refuse will be demonized and forced to comply.
It is estimated that about 1,500 civil partnerships a year would take place in religious settings once the ban is lifted. There are currently about 5,500 civil partnerships taking place every year.
Personally I would prefer jail to compromise of theological principle.
UPDATE:  The Church of England won’t be allowing it.  It’s not often I can say this- but- good for them!
The Church of England has warned its clergy not to register same-sex relationships, following government confirmation that places of worship can host civil partnership ceremonies from next month. … But the Church of England has warned that its clergy should not provide services of blessing for same-sex couples. …”The House of Bishops’ statement of July 2005 made it clear that the Church of England should not provide services of blessing for those who register civil partnerships and that remains the position. The Church of England has no intention of allowing civil partnerships to be registered in its churches.”

I would like to see Australian churches take a biblical stand, and also warn the clergy to uphold biblical truth, and refrain from promoting or supporting gay marriage.

Via Zwinlius Redivivus.

Australia, once again number 2 in the list of best countries. Let's try harder and be number 1.

I remember some time ago, The Economist also had a ranking, in which Australia came second in their ranking. This time, as when The Economist published their ranking, the difference between Australia and Norway is minuscule, while with the US, is very wide.

Well, I offer you the link so you can read it for your self. My country of birth, El Salvador, is 105. So happy to be in number 2!

In Algeria, you can't worship as a Christian in your own home unless it is registered

As we can in the last two posts that I have made, the situation for Christians is very grim in the Middle East and North Africa. Algeria is a very hard place to practice your faith. Christians are place in jailed for not worshipping in "registered" places of worship.

ALGIERS, ALGERIA (BosNewsLife)-- Five Algerian Christians remained jailed in north-eastern Algeria Tuesday, November 1, after they were reportedly detained this weekend for "worshiping in an unregistered location."
Another Christian, a minor, was released and placed on probation following Saturday's raid in a village near the town of Bougous in north-eastern El Tarf province bordering Tunisia, news reports said.

Christians are not even allowed to worship in the privacy of their own homes:
The arrests were made under legislation introduced in 2006 to regulate the worship of non-Muslims by requiring churches to obtain government permission to hold services, Christians said.

It also states that Christians must worship in recognized buildings, not houses or apartments.

We are called to obey the law as Christians, but this law is just an intrusion of people's privacy.

Even though the government gives the "freedom" for Christians to register their buildings, this legal right is not taken seriously:

Aidan Clay, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, noted that “While progress was made earlier this year when the Algerian government permitted the EPA to apply for registration" provincial authorities "are undermining that decision by detaining Christians on baseless charges and denying congregations their...right to worship freely."

Just like in Egypt, Christians have nominal "freedom", but at the end of the day, those freedoms don't count when they want to practice their Christianity.

And we are talking about normal people, not Taliban or Al Qaeda radicals. This is what a normal, average, muslim citizen does.

We better take a second look at what's really happening in these, newly "liberated" countries.

Apparently, it's not only the MIddle East that Muslims want to bring their Spring to.

Time and time again, we see how Muslims want to bully us in the West to conform to their ideology. Given, I also acknowledge that the West for a long time, has been trying to impose democracy and capitalism in their lands by force or plain subversion, but these people don't seem to have a problem by being so confrontational against Westerners, and Christians.

If you don't believe me, Newt Gingrich has responded to the lawsuit brought against the Catholic University of America by some muslims studying there. And the reason for the lawsuit? Because they don't feel comfortable studying with so many crosses around.

This is what Gingrich said in a speech in South Carolina:

"We now have a lawsuit apparently by some Muslim students at Catholic University who are offended being at a Catholic university. Now my first answer to them is 'Fine, don't go to a Catholic university.'"
His comments drew applause. Gingrich was referring to allegations that Catholic University of America is illegally discriminating against Muslim students by "denying them access to benefits that other student groups enjoy," and, in particular, not providing space for daily prayers so that they have to pray in classrooms or campus chapels where they are surrounded by Catholic symbols. The charges are currently being reviewed by the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights.

Couldn't they get a grip? If they don't want to see crosses, well, they should not go to the Catholic University of America. It's like going to the USA, yet, being offended by seeing the American flag all over the place.

He continues:

Gingrich challenged the "people who filed the lawsuit," asking rhetorically, "Are you prepared to sponsor a Christian missionary in Mecca? Because if you're not prepared to sponsor religious liberty in Saudi Arabia, don't come and nag us with some hypocritical baloney. So I think we need to be prepared to stand firm for genuine religious liberty, not for something that's anti-Christian."

Yes, I never thought I would agree with Gingrich in one thing, but I do on this. While American, British and Australian lives are being lost in Afghanistan for their "freedom" to practice Islam not the Taliban 's way, they don't show us the same courtesy. If not, look at this past post of mine.

The news item finishes with Gingrich's words:

"People say, well isn't this great, we're having an Arab Spring. Well I don't know, I think we may in fact be having an anti-Christian spring. I think people should actually be taking this pretty soberly."

There's still more news of this nature, how the Muslims, in their new found freedom, have tried to abolish Christianity, and Christians from their lands.

Gingrich words are sober, and also refer to a previous entry I have made on this blog:

 "What I would do is I would actively try to defend religious liberty across the planet, including in Egypt, in Iraq. Look, the number of Christians left in Iraq dropped from a million 200 thousand to five hundred thousand after we liberated the country."

May the West open its eyes, and see that if they support other people's freedoms, it may end up costing our own, since those people don't share our sense of justice, or our sense of freedom for all, not just for muslims.

Luis Alberto Jovel

QANTAS not the safest airline anymore. If you are traveling, you better read this!!

Just in case if you are wondering what QANTAS stands for, well, it is for Queensland And Northern Territory Air Services, aka, QANTAS.

Having said that, I always thought that my national airline was the safest, but it appears that that illusion is no longer viable. According to Slate, it is number 13 (for those who believe in unlucky numbers, this worsens the whole issue, doesn't it?).

So was QANTAS ever the safest airline?

No, and it was never true. Qantas airplanes have crashed multiple times, with the most recent fatal accident occurring in 1951. Still, it's never had a crash since the commercial adoption of the jet engine, and a recent report by the Switzerland-based Air Transport Rating Agency named Qantas the 13^th safest airline. The 10 safest airlines in 2011 were Air France-KLM, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways. (The list is in alphabetical order, because the organization did not sort the top 10 by safety.) While several of those airlines have had fatal accidents more recently than Qantas, crashes were only one of 15 factors used in the rankings. The group also considered pilot-training facilities, maintenance capacity, age of fleet, number of employees, and financial health, among others. Nervous flyers have plenty of options today if they want to fly on an airline that has never crashed. Domestically, Jet Blue would be the best-known choice. (Southwest also qualifies, sort of. In a 2007 incident, one of their planes killed someone on the ground, though no passengers died. )

This shows that by trying to cost cost, QANTAS has also lost their safety standard, by shifting their airplane service over to Malaysia, and not keeping it here in Australia, where the safety standards are clearly higher.

Well, at least, we are still one of the most safest airlines in the world. If you are flying in third world country airlines, I really pray that you survive:

This isn’t to say that all airlines are equally safe. There are several airlines that the FAA has refused to certify, and the EU bans airlines (PDF) that don’t meet its safety standards from flying over Europe. All of the blacklisted carriers are from the developing world, and the EU has the stats to justify that decision. According to a 2010 study by Barnett, airlines in the developing world suffer fatalities at more than 17 times the rate of first-world carriers.

Hope you wil take the proper airline choices next time you travel.

Luis A. Jovel

Persecuted Christians fret as U.S. Iraq pullout nears

Killed by wearing a Cross in Egypt. Here in Australia is a fashion!

I would like to comment on some abuses done against christians around the world. In this post, I will be pointing out the killing of a Christian in Egypt. His crime, wearing a crucifix. This is the result of the "Arab Spring". There's a movement now in the Middle East that has been attacking Christians for their faith. Liberation from dictators turned out to be the worst thing that could ever happened to Christians in the Middle East.

This news item is very revealing as to what the West has been supporting:

In mid-October Egyptian media published news of an altercation between Muslim and Christian students over a classroom seat at a school in Mallawi, Minya province.
The altercation lead to the murder of a Christian student. The media portrayed the incident as non-sectarian. However, Copts Without Borders, a Coptic news website, refuted this version and was first to report that the Christian student was murdered because he was wearing a crucifix."We wanted to believe the official version," said activist Mark Ebeid, "because the Coptic version was a catastrophe, as it would take persecution of Christians also to schools." He blamed the church in Mallawi for keeping quiet about the incident.
Today the parents of the 17-year-old Christian student Ayman Nabil Labib, broke their silence, confirming that their son was murdered on October 16, in "cold blood because he refused to take off his crucifix as ordered by his Muslim teacher." Nabil Labib, the father, said in a taped video interview with Copts United NGO, that his son had a cross tattooed on his wrist as per Coptic tradition, as well as another cross which he wore under his clothes.The altercation lead to the murder of a Christian student. The media portrayed the incident as non-sectarian. However, Copts Without Borders, a Coptic news website, refuted this version and was first to report that the Christian student was murdered because he was wearing a crucifix."We wanted to believe the official version," said activist Mark Ebeid, "because the Coptic version was a catastrophe, as it would take persecution of Christians also to schools." He blamed the church in Mallawi for keeping quiet about the incident.Today the parents of the 17-year-old Christian student Ayman Nabil Labib, broke their silence, confirming that their son was murdered on October 16, in "cold blood because he refused to take off his crucifix as ordered by his Muslim teacher." Nabil Labib, the father, said in a taped video interview with Copts United NGO, that his son had a cross tattooed on his wrist as per Coptic tradition, as well as another cross which he wore under his clothes.According to Ayman's father, eyewitnesses told him that his son was not beaten up in the school yard as per the official story, but in the classroom. "They beat my son so much in the classroom that he fled to the lavatory on the ground floor, but they followed him and continued their assault. When one of the supervisors took him to his room, Ayman was still breathing. The ambulance transported him from there dead, one hour later."

A teacher supported attack? Aren't teachers supposed to teach students to live in harmony? They wanted to cover up this incident as just a violent incident, but now we know better.

In the West, we are always told that schools are places of safety. Apparently in Egypt, if you are a Christian, this is not true.

What sort of ideology or religion drives a teacher to force a student to take off a crucifix, because he or she finds it offensive? And to top it all, invites other students to beat up the student to death for not following his or her directions?

If something like this would take place in a Western countries, Muslims countries would be up in arms, killing other Christians in their countries, and burning churches. An independent commentator wrote in an independent:

Prominent columnist Farida El-Shobashy wrote in independent newspaper Masry Youm "I was shaken to the bones when I read the news that a teacher forced a student to take off the crucifix he wore, and when the Christian student stood firm for his rights, the teacher quarreled with him, joined by some of the students; he was beastly assaulted until his last breath left him." She wondered if the situation was reversed and a Muslim was killed for not removing the Koran he wore, what would have been the reaction.

The reaction would have been what I just mentioned.

In my next article, we will see how Muslims come to Western countries, and demand that their rights be respected, but don't extend that courtesy to Christian foreigners in their land, and to their shame, not even to the Christian citizens that live in their country.

So the "Arab Spring", is becoming an "Arab Hell" for Christians. In my next entry, I will see this issue, now from an American point of view.

Luis A. Jovel