Monthly Archives: June 2011

Scottish secularists seek to ban the words ‘homosexual’ and ‘heterosexual’ from public discourse

Posted on 30/06/2011 by

Scots civil servants banned from saying ‘homosexual’ Civil servants in Scotland can no longer use the word “homosexual” because it is deemed offensive to gay men, according to new guidance from the Scottish Government. The guidance states: “It is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Politics, World Events, Secularism

Seen in a Presbyterian church Sunday bulletin

Posted on 29/06/2011 by

Seen in a church bulletin: “Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.  Please use large double door at the side entrance.”

Posted in Humour, Presbyterian, Reformed, Quote of the Day

Quote of the day: Dr. John Polkinghorne on the Christian doctrine of creation

Posted on 29/06/2011 by

‘The doctrine of creation isn’t about how things began, it’s about why things exist, what holds the world in being.  The Christian belief is that it is the will of God that holds the world in being.’ ~ Dr. John … Continue reading →

Posted in Quote of the Day, Sciences

Harold Camping claims another victim of his evil false prophecies

Posted on 29/06/2011 by

An Oregon woman says says her son was shot last Friday by a co-worker who had been teased because he believed in Harold Camping’s May 21 Rapture prediction. O’Callaghan “expected to be taken up in the Rapture, and it didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism

Militant European ‘humanists’ work to ban all public displays or expressions of religious believers’ faith

Posted on 28/06/2011 by

The European Humanist Federation [EHF] has submitted proposals to the EU RELIGARE project, a three-year study of religious freedom, that if accepted would strip religious believers of many of their freedoms. The EHF recommends that employers ban religious symbols and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Politics, World Events, Secularism

Photograph of the day: Kingfisher barely causes a ripple as it dives into the water, creating perfect mirror image

Posted on 28/06/2011 by

Mirror image: kingfisher barely causes a ripple as it dives into the water.

Posted in Visual Arts

Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo of Lisbon says there is no fundamental theological obstacle to women priests

Posted on 27/06/2011 by

The Patriarch of Lisbon, Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo, has said that there is no fundamental theological obstacle to women priests. — I think that women priests will come (back) in Catholicism eventually.  But there will probably have to be another pope … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches, Theology

The Martyrs of Lübeck: three Roman Catholic priests beatified and a Lutheran minister honoured

Posted on 27/06/2011 by

Three Roman Catholic martyrs executed under the Nazi regime – Fr. Hermann Lange, Fr. Eduard Müller and Fr. Johannes Prassek – were beatified in Germany on Saturday, and a Lutheran minister honoured.  These men were killed because of the hatred of Christian … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches, History

Quote of the day: Peter Hitchens compares David Cameron and Tony Blair

Posted on 26/06/2011 by

‘David Cameron may be ‘better’ than Anthony Blair.  I think it too early to tell.  But then so are most humans walking on the earth.’ ~ Peter Hitchens

Posted in Peter Hitchens, Politics, World Events, Quote of the Day

Secularist politician Rolf Schwanitz wants to deny Pope Benedict free speech in Germany

Posted on 26/06/2011 by

Bundestag representative Rolf Schwanitz sent a petition Saturday to 146 parliamentarians in a bid to block Pope Benedict XVI’s speech, set to be held in the lower house of German parliament, during his visit in September. He said the speech … Continue reading →

Posted in Secularism

European Union secularist Commissioner censures & threatens Hungary for not promoting abortion strongly enough

Posted on 25/06/2011 by

EU threatens Hungary for promoting adoption instead of abortion The Justice Commissioner of the European Union, Viviane Reding, has threatened Hungary with financial penalties for running an advertising campaign that promoted adoption instead of abortion. European Dignity Watch report: ‘During … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, World Events, Secularism

A nice summary of the droning prize-bores known as the New Atheists

Posted on 24/06/2011 by

‘Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist that there is no God.’ ~ Heywood Broun

Posted in Atheism, Quote of the Day

Writers’ quote of the day: Richard Bach on the importance of persistence

Posted on 24/06/2011 by

‘A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.’ ~ Richard Bach

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing

Pic of the day: St. Etheldreda at St. Peter and St. Paul Church, Ampton, Suffolk, England

Posted on 24/06/2011 by

St. Etheldreda (630-679), sometimes called Audrey, was a royal princess, daughter of a king, and twice married.  Her second marriage was to the King of Northumbria.  Nevertheless, it is said, she remained a virgin. She took religious vows, and founded the Abbey of Ely.  Viking … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Visual Arts

Mordechay Lewy, the Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, praises Pope Pius XII for saving Jews from the Nazis

Posted on 24/06/2011 by

Israeli envoy praises wartime Pope The comments by Mordechay Lewy, the Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, were some of the warmest ever made by a Jewish official about Pius. And rightly so. Lewy, speaking at a ceremony on Thursday night to … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches, History

Hitchens on atheist bores

Posted on 23/06/2011 by

‘The wearisome obtuseness of atheist bores would be funny if it didn’t take up so much space.  Why can’t these people just accept that belief or unbelief in God is a choice?  Why can’t they accept that they have chosen … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Peter Hitchens | Tagged , , , ,

Angry atheists complain about renaming a street “Seven in Heaven Way” to honour firefighters killed on 9-11

Posted on 22/06/2011 by

The usual angry atheist crowd are complaining about the renaming of a Brooklyn street to “Seven in Heaven Way” to honour seven firefighters killed on 9-11. The new street sign – which city officials hung last Saturday at Seabring Street – honors seven … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Popular Culture, Society

How long were biblical manuscripts in use? On average usually 200 to 300 years, says Craig Evans

Posted on 21/06/2011 by

How Long Were Biblical Manuscripts in Use? If the Gospel of Matthew was published and circulated in 75 CE and if it and some of the first copies of it were in use as long as the manuscripts in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Biblical Studies, History

20 Pagans arrested for drug and public disorder offenses at their most ‘holy’ celebration of the year

Posted on 21/06/2011 by

New Agers, neo-pagans gather at Stonehenge for summer solstice

Posted in Popular Culture, Society

The ecclesiology of John Calvin: his contribution to church government, by John Witte

Posted on 20/06/2011 by

‘One of Calvin’s most original and lasting contributions to the Western rights tradition lay in his restructuring of the liberty and order of the church.  Calvin combined ingeniously within his ecclesiology the principles of rule of law, democracy, and liberty. … Continue reading →

Posted in Presbyterian, Reformed, Theology

Tightwad Tony Blair charging parents for bus ride to son’s party at his own house!

Posted on 20/06/2011 by

Blairs charge children £10 to attend son’s end-of-term party at their £6million country mansion Kevin Norbury, a dustman whose children attended the school, said: ‘I think he’s tight charging these people, given the amount of money he’s got.  He has … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Culture, Society

Writers’ quote of the day: It’s essential to create interesting, compelling characters

Posted on 19/06/2011 by

‘Think of your main characters as dinner guests.  Would your friends want to spend ten hours with the characters you’ve created?  Your characters can be loveable, or they can be evil, but they’d better be compelling.’ ~ Po Bronson

Posted in Quote of the Day, Writing

C. S. Lewis on the reading of old books

Posted on 19/06/2011 by

On The Reading of Old Books by C. S. Lewis

Posted in Authors, C. S. Lewis, Inklings

The poignant true story of a Catholic priest, twice falsely accused of sexual abuse, who died a broken man

Posted on 18/06/2011 by

The poignant story of a falsely accused priest who “died of a broken heart”: It would have been impossible to imagine the turn that Murphy’s life would eventually take. That turn came in April 2010, when lawyer Mitchell Garabedian, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches, Politics, World Events

How to find out if your website or blog is censored in China

Posted on 17/06/2011 by

Click here: Great Firewall of China and insert your url. So far, Curious Presbyterian has not been banned in China.  I must get working on that!

Posted in Politics, World Events