CONVERSATION ABOUT MASKS IN STORNOWAY TESCO.

Yesterday at the checkout in Tesco I met someone I hadn't seen in some time. He was wearing a mask. He's a Christian minister. He told me that he wouldn't let me step foot in his church without a mask. I said, "I had no idea you were such an extremist."

He then responded with - "You're the extremist!"

I replied, "No, I'm the normal one - THIS is normal - no mask."

He then left but the checkout lady decided to chuck her pennyworth in. She said, "This is normal", indicating to her masked-up-face.

I said, "Oh, the NEW normal I suppose?"

She said, "Yes."

I replied, "Well, it depends on what you believe, and WHY you believe it eh?"

She didn't respond to that and I didn't see any point in saying any more. But ain't it amazing how easily the human mind brainwashes itself? You can be sure the same people probably thought the original Chinese mask-wearing and the rest of their carry-on was bonkers.

And rightly so.

Herd mentality - whatever the majority does - I will do.

Dangerous. Just look at history.

MORE AUTOPARTS DRAMA

In the past week I went to Autoparts in Stornoway again for a car part. Even though I'm barred from the shop I've still been going in for stuff - without a mask - and the staff have been serving me even though most of them witnessed the first drama. After picking up the part, I was driving out of the car park when the manager came out of the shop and asked: 'Are you Derick?' I said, 'yes.' He then told me I wasn't welcome, along with other rude commentary, which immediately built up to a mad crescendo of quite insane rage - all by himself. I told him he was crazy (words to that effect), in reply to which he yelled: 'why don't you go and write another script about me?' gesticulating wildly (ah, permission). He then stormed back into the shop with my laughter ringing in his ears (I couldn't help it - it was funny).

That's twice now that this angry, crazy man has accosted me for no reason. In the first place banning me from the shop just for telling him (very politely) that the subject I and another chap were disagreeing about wasn't his business after he demanded I tell him what we were talking about. 

Being all personal about his work - very un-professional. Surely a bad advert for the shop. Especially as I have every intention of buying an expensive item from the shop. And not for the first time. 

He needs to get a grip.

LOCKDOWN: AN OVERSTEPPING OF BOUNDS

 2 Timothy 3: 1-5.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Interesting that all this seems to be increasing proportionately with technology.

As technology develops and the modern world becomes more sophisticated, man moves further from God. And as he moves further from God it has this effect on him, as described.

So a direct consequence of increasing technological sophistication upon the human race generally is: increased hatred of God.

Why?

In a word, pride. Technology makes life easier and safer. As a rule, people today have a much easier, more comfortable and safer life than people in the past had.

What effect does this have on the human psyche?

It makes us proud in our own conceit - confident in ourselves and in our own abilities. 'Who is God over us?' 

You might presume that it would have a more 'civilising' effect. But what is 'civilised'? Certainly most people in the developed world today would baulk at having to kill, gut and skin an animal for a meal, but it was normal back in the day.

Does that mean people are more civilised, or are they just more prissy? Is that better?

Being civilised does not mean we live a higher quality life externally, as Christ pointed out to the Pharisees who were obsessed with the washing of hands before eating, and other banalities.

Being truly civilised is to treat one another in a civil manner. What does that mean?

It means this: '...all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.' (Matthew 7:12).

If this is described as 'the law and the prophets' it logically follows that it is the most important rule of conduct between men. This is our whole duty toward one another - this is true civility - this is being civilised.

But today men are not civilised. Is it civilised to force your fellow man to obey your rules just because you happen to think your opinion is right?

I am right - you are wrong - shut up. 

Is a government right to force its opinion on citizens?

This is not God's way. Christ always offered the gospel as a free choice. It hasn't changed.

The government though, assumes, Hitler-like, that its gospel must not be offered, but forced, on pain of prosecution.

Have they never heard of Magna Carta, or Oliver Cromwell? These and other names from our history serve as reminders of when goverment overstepped its bounds and had to be reined in. 

That is the trouble with ignoring history - you're doomed to repeat it. 

Certain things are self evident like theft and murder - these are to be enforced by the judiciary with external punishment. But in matters of opinion - no - absolutely not. No coercement. That is tyranny.

Today we have a divided opinion about a virus scare.

Because the government has chosen to come down on the scared side (as if they flipped a coin) therefore they believe they are justified in imposing a version of martial law - even to the point of ruining the economy - and consequently the lives and livelyhoods of many people.

This, they patently have no right to do. 

AUTOPARTS DRAMA

I had a weird experience in Autoparts in Stornoway yesterday. I was there for a window wiper. Whilst I was buying the wiper I saw a man I've known for many years, a keen mask-wearer. I acknowledged him, which turned out to be a mistake. He turned on me, angrily asking, 'where's your mask?' Saying things like, 'the whole world is doing it'; and, 'people with bigger brains than you have decided.' As if they were reasons. There was no need for this, as we had been over this very point before, quite recently, in Tesco - a shop where you can argue in peace.

We argued. Not a big deal. Then some bloke in a wild-west-bank-robber style face mask marched up to us. He demanded to know what we were talking about.

At this my original opponent slipped off to hide amongst the shelves.

I said to the guy, 'It's not your business, and who are you?'  He said he was the shop manager. He told me I was barred from the shop and to give him the wiper blade I was holding and leave. I told him I had just bought it. Again he told me I had to leave the shop and I was barred.

Talk about an over-reaction. Talk about power-crazy.

I felt rather annoyed by this irrational and disrespectful behaviour so I said to him, 'what'll you do if I don't?' He said he would call the police and motioned to the staff members who were standing behind the tills, staring, stony faced, indicating to them to call the cops. None of them moved. Interesting.

Now call me weird if you want, but I find it strangely troubling when someone in a mask gets in your face. These mad eyes. I asked him to show me his face. He didn't.

I felt it was only reasonable that if he was going to banish me and get the cops on me - for nothing - the least he could do was show me his face while he was abusing me.

Such was his behaviour I was compelled to inform him that he was 'a very unpleasant individual who needed to learn manners.'

I decided I'd spent long enough there and headed for the door. When I reached the door I noticed that Mr Crazy-Shop-Manager had followed me. I complained to him that I had no need of him escorting me out of the building. He told me that he was going to take his mask off, but outside.

Outside he stood about a metre and a half away from me and demanded that I move two metres from him before he would remove his mask. I was well and truly fed up of him by this time and so refused. He really seemed to lose it at that point and kept demanding I moved back, shaking with rage, which was quite funny really because he could have just taken a step back himself quite easily.

Anyway, that was more or less it.

Great customer relations Autoparts - very impressive.

John Macleod has blocked me on Facebook because I called him a liar. He doesn't like being called a liar. But hey, if the cap fits...

He claims he has no memory of an article I published about him 20 years ago. Here's why I say he's lying. 

A wee story.

Back in May of 2000 I and my brother Donald were at Stornoway's famous Cromwell Street railings (no longer there - removed by the stupid Western Isles Council - put them back I say). Donald spotted 'Johnny Foot' (as we called him) leaving the newsagent with a tightly-rolled copy of the Island Post in his hand. The Island Post was a small local paper I produced from '96 to '01. I had just published a story centred around allegations of sexual misconduct made against his father.

Donald being Donald and ever one to stir the pot called out to him: 'Hey Johnny, is that an Island Post I see in your hand?' 'Johnny' came straight over to where Donald was perched on the railing, which meant he was considerably higher than John who is quite short. Now Donald was fully six foot tall, well built, and could handle himself in a fight. My brother Donald went missing in Turkey in 2010: http://ararathunt.blogspot.com/.

Johnny pointed the rolled-up newspaper at him and said, 'Donald, I've never hit anyone in my life before, but there's always a first time.'

I could hardly believe my ears. Wee Johnny Foot squaring up to Donald. The Mini Metro challenges the Tiger Tank.
Donald immediately bristled and began to sit more upright, glaring at Johnny, he said, 'are you threatening me?'

Well, whatever Dutch courage Johnny had been relying on up to that point suddenly deserted him and he was off down that road like the proverbial rabbit.

The editor of the established local paper at the time, the Stornoway Gazette, was a fellow called Peter Urpeth. Someone who had no love for me as he had previously threatened to sue me in a rage over a humorous little piece I had published about him. He gave Johnny two full columns down the entire length of a page of the broadsheet. A tirade full of invective and bile aimed at me and the journalist who wrote the story (Iain X. Maciver).

Strange he forgot that.

Anyone interested in reading it could find it in Stornoway public library's Stornoway Gazette Archive. It was published shortly after I published the article, I reckon within the next week or two. The Professor Foot article being dated 5 May 2000.

Within the last year or so we argued on Facebook about the article which prompted me to post it on the same thread. This was plainly a surprise to him because he didn't expect me to have copies. His immediate response was to delete everything. Then he was gone.

Strange he forgot that too.

The Facebook spat:

The YouTube podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1nvQFTDqRA&t=12s

The lie:

The article:

 

THE HYPOCRISY OF VIRTUE SIGNALLING

He'd plainly taken the wrong drugs. Throwing off his clothing, he ran around in the nude. Shouting and jumping up and down on the roof of a car. The police appeared and had to restrain him, holding him down until assistance arrived.
Before police assistance arrived the owner of the aforementioned car thinking it was a lone policewoman and that she might be in some danger approached the commotion. When he saw that a male officer was also present and that things seemed to be under control he thought he might as well take a photo or two. While he took the photos seruptitiously over the hedge he was spotted by the eagle-eyed male constable who proceeded to roar: 'hoy, who's that taking photos?' The picture taker then peered over the hedge and replied: 'it's OK, it's perfectly legal.' The cop then said: 'have some respect.' As if the guy they were restraining was deserving of it. The policewoman said nothing.
The man was later removed in an ambulance. Yes, an ambulance.
The next evening the owner of the car was in the sports centre sauna and met a local dentist he knew. He told the dentist the story. The response from the dentist was 'poor guy, maybe he had mental problems.'
No mention at all about the car or the possibility that maybe the guy might have been just a wee bit out of order.
This happened in Stornoway over the last couple of days.
I think this situation is rather revealing when it comes to the present malaise which afflicts modern society.
Both the male police officer and the dentist instinctively adopted protection mode. That would be protection of the offender. He needs help. Who cares about the offended party when there's important virtue signalling to be done.
And virtue signalling trumps all.
In Scotland this politically correct approach comes from the very top: namely the SNP administration.
Concerning the dentist, I can't help wondering how he'd have felt had it been his car that had received the attention.
Talk is cheap, and it's very easy to be liberal when it involves other peoples' stuff or money. That's the nature of virtue signalling - it has to be cheap - dirt cheap. That's why I hate it so much. Under its wafer thin skin lies a thick layer of sheer hypocrisy.

SUPREME COURT WINS 11 NIL.

So there you are, Supreme court 11 (playing for remain) win 11 nil.
Brexit 11 (who weren't allowed to turn up) lose by a landslide.
Well, now we know.
It seems the higher you go up the greasy pole the greater the arrogance and therefore the greater the corruption.
Unlawful? That's a eufemism in this context isn't it? If Boris has broken the law, which law has he broken? And if he has broken the law, he therefore must be prosecuted. The law must be clear or it cannot be the law.
He's accused of 'lying to the Queen'. Well, knock me down with a feather - how shocking. I'm not condoning lying to anyone, but even if he did - since when is that illegal? And what exactly WAS the lie?
It reminds me of the start of Hot Fuzz when the Sergeant mutters under his breath, 'I'd like to move to the country sometime Jenine.'
Dishonesty. Smoke and mirrors. You know what I mean.
Do they really think people came down the Clyde in a banana boat?
It's as if these Supreme Court judges have spent so long in their insulated other world that they have completely forgotten what the real world is like. The family guy clip of the old guys reading the papers and clearing their throats comes to mind.
This is more thought policing. But this time it's aimed at the prime minister: 'what was his motive?', they ask. Completely ignoring the fact that simply having a dubious or even dishonest motive is not a crime. Bad thoughts or intentions have never been actionable crimes in a truly just society. The prosecutable part is ONLY the physical action, motive or intent may help to prove a crime has been committed, but they themselves are not crimes. And neither should they be. We move into a dark place when we start prosecuting for wrong think. Ask Orwell.
It's a depressing development, but a clarifying one. At least now we have a clearer picture of the enemy forces and who exactly they are.
In this case they are the 11 judges of the Supreme Court. Now, possibly for the first time in their experience, they will find themselves in the spotlight. This, I am confident, for them, will not be a pleasant one. The reason is because rightfully angry people will now question the right of 11 individuals to sit in final judgment on an ambiguous but important question of national sovereignty.
The last time an individual acted with such hubris - he lost his head - remember that?

REV. ANGUS SMITH

Most ministers today are downright boring, irritating, just plain wrong, or all three. Angus Smith who died this week aged 90 after battling cancer was one who stood out from the crowd. Probably what contributed most to this was his famed stand against Sabbath ferries in Kyleakin, Skye, in 1965 when he was physically carried off the slipway by police officers. Drama always sticks best in the memory.

Angus had the best style of preaching: measured, slow, deliberate, precise. With proper pauses. For me, the only two other ministers in our church that stand out for demonstrating this ability to the same exceptional degree are also deceased. They are the Revs. Donald Maclean (Glasgow) and Alec morrison (Uist). These men knew how to deliver a message. No snoring under them.

It was a rare sermon of Angus's where you learned nothing new. He was very sociable, good in company and would freely discuss matters with anyone regardless of their station. He would give you his opinion honestly. He wasn't held back by concerns about what anyone might think. I rare quality in ministers. On one occasion he advised a young FP minister that the way he carried himself seemed affected, not genuine, put on. Words to that effect.

I think he became a better preacher after he left the Free Church. The reason I say this is because I heard a recording of him preaching while he was still a Free Church minister. He was preaching on the doctrine of the Millennium and during the sermon he made it crystal clear that he was an A millennarian. He stated that he believed the Millennium began at the crucifixion and that the modern time in which we live is the little season when Satan is loosed. At many points during the sermon he became so angry and shouted so loudly that the microphone went dead due to the volume. I suppose that sermon may have been recorded during his more difficult period as minister in Ness, Lewis. Angus would have been the first to admit that he was far from perfect - as all men are. I never heard him preaching in that manner while I knew him - he was ever an example of calmness. Neither did I hear him mention the Millennium.

Certainly while I knew him he had very good insight. I remember on one occasion he told me: 'No denomination has survived.' Meaning that no matter how good any part of the Christian church was at its beginning, as time went on it was inevitably infiltrated by those whose labour is to destroy. An inevitability, as Satan always works hardest on the true Church: his number one target.

The following are some notes I jotted down from sermons I heard him preach in the Stornoway FP church.

Sabbath morning: 23/10/16.

'The most fearful warfare is the spiritual warfare.'

'They are terrified by the thought of the devil appearing physically, but at the same time he is their intimate companion.'

Sabbath evening 13/8/17.

Romans 8:34.

'Christ went into the grave, went into death, and defeated it.'

'The first day of the week has far more glory than the seventh, because the seventh represents creation, but the first represents salvation.'

'"I go to the Father." More wonderful than saying: "I go to heaven."'

Sabbath morning 29/10/17.

Isaiah 6:9-10.

'Sovereignty can only be complete.'

'This coal has touched your lips: this coal gives you the authority to preach the gospel.'

'Pharoah asked Moses to pray for him.'

'People are taught Christianity is being good to your fellow man. That is part of it, but it is not the heart of it. The heart of it is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.'

Sabbath morning 10/12/17.

Revelation 22:1.

'He fills all in all. No creature could behold the glory of God. You would have to be God himself to behold that.'

'The church is going down among ourselves but he will bring people alive in other parts of the world.'

Sabbath morning 17/3/19.

1 John 2:1-5.

'I will endeavour to say a word to the Lord's people, I will endeavour to say a word to those that are not God's people and I will also endeavour to say something to the hypocrites.'

'It's no use to say, "I was a Christian up to a certain point, but then I gave it up." That man was never a Christian, never, never, never.'

'No sinner can keep the word of God perfectly. When he can, he will no longer be in this world.'

Sabbath morning 12/5/19. His last sermon.

1 John 3:1-3.

'The world's view of hope is, "maybe", "perhaps". But the word of God never speaks in this way. Never.'

STOPPED BY MORMONS ON STREET.

Two young Mormon missionaries, girls, stopped me on the street in Stornoway yesterday and asked me a stupid question: 'What was the best thing you did today?' The taller of the two asked. Talk about scripted. I mean I've done sales jobs where I've had to ask prepared questions, but you've got to make them sound at least a wee bit convincing. Cringeable. I felt slightly embarrassed for her.
The same girl began to go on about their faith. Looking down, I noticed she was wearing brand new brown Doc Martins. Trendy.
After letting her waffle on for a wee bit I asked her why she believed what she believed. She said something about, 'just feeling that it was true.' I told her that she would need something a bit better than that if she was hoping to convince me. I went on to tell them that it must be very easy to do what they do because when you're born into a culture you obviously have every incentive to tow the party line especially when everything is laid on and paid for. Very cushy, very easy. I mean how hard would it be to be honest with yourself, stop, and actually think about what you are doing, be a bit independent and say, 'I'm tired of this nonsense, I'm getting out.' You'd be ostracized at best I'm sure. Life would go from being very easy to very difficult. Money, home, companions, all gone. Not easy. This is how they all work. One particularly famous false religion even stipulates that you must be killed if you attempt to leave. You know the one.
There are multitudes of religions of all shapes and sizes believing all manner of things - why should yours be the true one? Because you were born into it? An obviously easy reason to choose to believe something I grant you - but a good one? No.
I felt it was time to cut to the chase. I told them that Joseph Smith was a liar. That he joined the Free Masons for one day and used their secret ceremonies to start the Mormon church, that it was evil and a lie and that they needed to dump it fast and get out.
With that, I went on my way.
She called after me: 'can I say just one thing?'
'No', I said. Feeling the better for having given them short shrift.

Video link: 'In much wisdom is much grief': Ecclesiastes 1.

The Stornoway police have now started giving thought policing lectures in the Nicolson Institute, Stornoway's secondary school. One of the pupils present told me how last week a WPC in full battle dress had lectured them on 'hate crime'; gravely warning them of its deadly nature. She told them that they had nothing to worry about because they were in a 'safe space' - feel free to roll your eyes.
The UK police have been radically changed in recent years. Whereas before they were deliberately apolitical and neutral they have now been insidiously and cynically politicized. Traditional policing (like the armed forces) was genuinely and purposefully principled. Principled not to make the same kind of mistake as was made in places like Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany were they were deliberately turned into unthinking slaves of the state so they could be used as tools to promote a biased political agenda. We as a country have been motoring down this path for some years now. It horrifies me how unthinking and uncaring modern cops are. All they seem to care about is following the party line - doing what they are told - no matter what. The only thing that matters is the career. A rightly principled person could never join today's British police force.
The sad truth is that human nature being what it is people are prepared to convince themselves of anything as long as they themselves are OK. 'The heart is deceitful above all things...' Where do you think Hitler found his concentration camp guards? Why on every street corner of course.
Just take a look at the characters in this video clip. These cops did not move until they heard the word 'gay'. That was all they were waiting for. Time to make the arrest. The biased state using its automaton slaves to suppress dissent.
Video link: Street preacher arrested.

Oh boy, was my last post on this blog really 2013? Gee whizz, time flies.
Better start posting.

IS THIS MARINE A MURDERER?

I've just been reading about the Royal Marine charged with murdering a wounded Taliban fighter. I think the important word to remember here is 'mitigation', as in there were 'mitigating' circumstances. No one, I'm sure, is going to excuse this act. But before we don the black cap and pronounce sentence, we ought to ask ourselves: "do I understand what it was like? How would I have felt if I had been in his shoes?"

This brought me back to when I was serving in Northern Ireland during the troubles. In 1990 I was on foot patrol on the Falls Road when I was hit square in the chest with a large rock. It had been thrown with some force and really knocked the wind out of me. After I got my senses back I looked at it lying on the pavement at my feet, it was about the size of a rugby ball. It had struck the bullet-proof chest plate under my smock but still winded me and knocked me violently backwards. That experience coupled with months of frustration and the realization of the damage it would have done had it hit me in the face had the effect of enraging me. In a fury I looked behind a high wall and saw three men walking away drinking bottles of wine and laughing at me. My first and immediate impulse was to shoot all three of them dead. I was close to doing it. I had the means. They were the enemy. I hated them. At that moment of time there was nothing I wanted more. I fingered the trigger and began to raise my weapon. I then realised if I shot them that I would be jailed for murder. Common sense prevailed: I lowered my weapon and turned away. That realisation was the only thing which stopped me.

But boy, at that moment, I would have shot these guys with pleasure.

I can empathise with him. If I had seen bits of my friends hanging from trees I know how I would have felt. It's human nature.

At the end of the day, the truth is this: in ordinary civilian court mitigation is always taken into account, often to great effect. In this particular situation, knowing what we know about P.T.S.D, its effects and the nature of the job he was doing, we have a DUTY of leniency. Unless we have tasted something of what he experienced, we have no right to condemn - because we simply do not understand. If mitigation is accepted in ordinary criminal cases, then in this case it ought to be doubly so.

A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW

I went along to a sermon today preached at Trust Housing association flats on Lewis Street in Stornoway. The man preaching was Iver Martin. He happens to be the current minister of the huge Free Church here in Stornoway. During his prayer before sermon he said that God happily accepts our worship. He spoke for all present.
I must challenge that statement.
In psalm 19 we read: "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." The important word here is "presumptuous". My understanding of this text is that it is crucial in matters which pertain to God and our salvation that we don't make assumptions. For example, scripture also tells us: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3: 3). We know from this text that we are to "make our calling and election sure", (2 Peter 1: 10) and leave nothing to chance.
Nowhere in scripture are we told that God accepts worship from all and sundry. On the contrary, the Bible makes it very clear (text above) that unless we are born again we are hateful to him - he cannot even look upon us. "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity..." (Habakkuk 1: 13). It is vital we understand this. It is similar to the alcoholic who has to understand he has a problem before he can be cured. Our problem is that we are sinners before God's holiness. We also must know this fact before we can be delivered from our condemnation. Before we can be born again. God alone can do this. Without this miracle of grace we can only take his name in vain - and increase our condemnation.
This doctrine is not popular. Human nature rejects it. "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7).
There are two kinds of gospel preached: popular and unpopular. The popular tends to fill churches, the unpopular empties them: because the unpopular is the truth and the truth is a hard pill to swallow. "...Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits." (Isaiah 30: 10).
This is the big, big problem in the churches: lies preached as gospel.
In short, unless we are converted, God does not accept our worship at all.
We can spend our whole lives attending church and still end up in hell.
Many have done so.

BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT.

Problem neighbours. Ever had them? Pain in the neck. Don't get me wrong, this ain't the old 'noisy' or 'nuisance' thing. No, this is personal - it's me they've got it in for. I was wicked enough to tell them to their faces that I objected to drunken abuse and wilful damage to my property. Then Evil of evils - I told the police. That really escalated the hatred. The latest barrage of verbal abuse came after I asked the younger boy if he could stop kicking his football against the front of my house very close to windows. This was no harmless bouncing by the way, we are talking full force penalty kicks. He did this on two occasions. The first time he did it he could clearly see me looking out of the window at him while he did it, but this made no difference, he was even jumping over my wall into the garden to retrieve the ball. I was initially shocked by his behaviour. It looked to me as if he was deliberately trying to provoke me.
Now I'm sure most people would object to anyone doing this, but when it's a member of a family with a grudge, then it takes a whole different perspective. Anyway, I was looking out at him wondering what the best course of action would be, but as I considered my options he stopped and went into his house. So I was content enough to leave it there, but it did make me feel uneasy as I had already had major trouble with his older brother. Was this now the younger one deciding to join in? Sadly, it looks very much like it. My concern is what he might do if he takes after his brother whom alcohol turns into a raging moron.
The second time he did it, just a few days later - exactly the same rigmarole as before - it was enough to really annoy me and I went outside and challenged him. I asked him if he could stop kicking the ball at the front of my house as it was rather close to the windows. What I got in response could only be described as cheek. He stalked off muttering as he went. I walked after him saying "hey wait a minute I want to talk to you for a few seconds." He ignored me and carried on. Then his mother appeared and started to hurl accusations at me. Accusing me of causing her trouble and so on. Well I have to say that to me it sounded pretty rich, considering that I am convinced that her son slashed all four of my car tires just because I complained to him about the fact that he had deliberately broken the window of my van in a drunken rage. Something he has never denied and is currently paying me compensation for through the court in dribs and drabs.
It was difficult for me to keep a cool head while she spoke. Especially when I reminded her of her son having slashed my tyres. Her response was to tell me that it had been "proved" that he had not done it. As if the cops being unable to nail him is proof of innocence. That's when I lost my cool and raised my voice. I felt I had to go back over afterwards and apologize to her for that. But the latest one was one of her daughters shouting over at me earlier this evening words to the effect of: "Hey you, don't you have a go at my mother again..."
Again, it was hard to keep a cool head. I didn't. These days perhaps it's less easy with one thing and another. I had to endure her verbal abuse and lies flung in my face.
God's word tells us: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." (Ephesians 4: 26).
Yep, I get angry all right. I have to admit, stupid people do sometimes make me angry. But if the Lord is with me I can get angry (the Lord knows I don't want to) and still be his.
God's word also tells us: "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." (Hebrews 12: 6). So if we belong to God he will send us trouble. He does this in love - it is good for us and necessary. We must rejoice in it and be thankful.
"...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5: 3-5).

LIAM AITCHISON MURDER TRIAL PROCESS QUESTIONED.

The very sad case of the murder of teenager Liam Aitchison has been brought before us again by the sentencing today of the pair convicted of his killing.
But a question mark has been placed above the process which led to the conviction.
Local journalist Iain X. Maciver points out in the article below some areas which concern him.
Now don't get me wrong, all things considered I have to say that it really does look like the convicted pair are indeed guilty. But is that enough to convict? That is the question.
Iain makes a valid point.
Now in my view (this view is based on my reading of the Bible. In days gone by, all UK laws were fundamentally based on the Bible - what else would you base it on?) all justice must be seen to be done before it can possibly be called justice. The only way we can do this is to make it completely public. In the olden days before modern technology existed, we had the area in courtrooms reserved for the general public so that we could say that justice had been witnessed by the people and therefore had been 'seen to be done'. A crucial point. As soon as something is done in so-called 'private' we have crossed the line. When used in this context the word 'private' is just a euphemism for 'secret'. We have the same problem in churches. Self-important and self-righteous people assuming they know best and imposing their will.
So what's my point?
Well it's this. That all courtroom proceedings should be open to every means of facilitating public scrutiny. We still have the public gallery of course, but nowadays we have something more. We have the god of the age - Television. We have the technology - let's use it. They've been televising court cases in America for years. Remember O.J. Simpson? This is not for entertainment. Just because some people get a thrill out of the wrong things doesn't alter what's right.
Public scrutiny - the only process which can protect us from the abuse or misuse of power.
Link to Iain X. Maciver's article.

DAFT BUREAUCRACY

I have misplaced my car registration document so I've had to fill out a form for a replacement and send it to DVLA Inverness. In the same envelope I sent them an application for a new tax disc. Today, I received the whole lot back in the post with an accompanying letter regretting to inform me that I had failed to write my vehicle chassis number on the log book application form. That sounds reasonable enough, until you realize that along with my application for the replacement log book I was also required to include my MOT and insurance certificates because I was applying for road tax. Recorded very clearly on the MOT certificate is my vehicle chassis number. Were they unaware that my MOT certificate includes my chassis number? Could they not have done it the easy way and just copied the number from the MOT form? Perhaps they have rules which say I have to write it myself.
I wouldn't be surprised.

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE AT ALL FOR YOUR FAITH!"

With our politicians guilty of this kind of blindness they are certainly the problem rather than the cure. How do they expect to be able to tackle Islam-inspired murder and mayhem when they wilfully reject the truth. And the truth is that every bit of this problem has been caused by what is written in the Koran. I repeat:

STOP TALKING ABOUT MUSLIMS, PEOPLE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM - THE KORAN IS THE PROBLEM - THE KORAN COMMANDS THEM TO KILL UNBELIEVERS - THAT'S YOU, ME AND THIS SILLY WOMAN.

Question: Which would win a drag race, Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade or home made Harley chopper?

Thanks to Colin Macalpine for link.

THIS VIDEO IS REQUIRED VIEWING FOR ALL WHO CARE ABOUT GOD'S TRUTH.