"Turkey-Israel dialogue works a 'miracle' for Istanbul Jews" - Al Monitor

"Turkey's Jews marked a milestone Dec. 13 with a public celebration of the Hanukkah Holiday,  said to be the first in the republic's history after decades ( 90+ years) of Hanukkahs marked behind closed doors in synagogues or homes. Members of the tiny community took to the streets for the ceremony, as the tradition requires, lighting thousands of candles at Istanbul’s Ortakoy Square."

Read more.

"Canadian Liberalism" welcomes refugess. Why doesn't "Middle Eastern hospitality" welcome them?

Burak Bekdil addresses a key question millions are asking. Refugees are welcomed with open arms in the West, for example most recently in

Muslims pray in New York City. Can Christians do that in the ME?

Canada. Why don't they find the same reception in the Middle East? He writes:

"My column neighbor (and ex-sparring partner) Mustafa Akyol was perfectly right when he praised “Canadian liberalism” after a cute children’s choir in Canada welcomed Syrian refugees by singing “Tala al-Badru Alayna” (The Full Moon Rose Over Us), the tune that was sung to welcome the Prophet Muhammad upon his arrival in Medina from Mecca in 620 (“Canada: A bright hope for liberalism,” Hürriyet Daily News, Dec. 16).

"It was truly sweet of the choir. Unfortunately, the kind of peaceful co-habitation and interfaith dialogue the saner parts of the world long for requires a two-way journey. The reason for the insanity we observe today is NOT because elsewhere in Christian lands children’s choirs do not welcome Muslim refugees with holy Muslim songs. It is, rather, related to why Muslims in their homelands or in non-Muslim lands are possibly centuries away from the kindness that justifiably inspired Mr. Akyol.

"Forget, even in a world of fiction, the possibility of Muslims welcoming Christian refugees with hymns in their Muslim lands. Just look at what they do to their Christian compatriots. See, for instance, how the Muslim Brothers, when in power, treated the Coptic Christians in Egypt: Arson attacks on churches instead of peaceful hymns."

Read more.

A Carved stone block upends previous assumptions about ancient Judaism" - NYT

Thousands of hills, known as 'tels' still hold treasures from the past

A fascinating discovery in 2009 is the block of stone known as "The Magdala Stone".

It was found in the town which Mary Magdalene called "home". Why is this significant?

This stone is upending previous assumptions about ancient Judaism.

Read more.

"War on Christmas" From Carols to nativities, Athiests threaten legal action to separate church and state" - National Post

The conflict over the use of public spaces for religious purposes heated up this year.

Read more.

"Amazing Grace sung on a street car in Budapest, Hungry" Watch the video

Watch the video.

The most amazing apology you ever heard of. Between 145 Christian denominations.

Hagia Irene - Church of Holy Peace, 1400 years old, In Istanbul

When 145 Christian leaders representing the major denominations / divisions of Christianity ask for forgiveness from each other for past persecutions, abuse of power, genocide, financial fraud and discrimination over past wrongs . . . yes, that's BIG news. (Not for the 'world', maybe, but for Christians, yes).

"We are glad that repentance for persecuting each other is part of our message. We see the importance of healing memories wherever this has happened.”

You may not have heard about the meeting that took place in Tirana, Albania, but if you are convinced that Christians should (learn to, maybe? - yes; act it out?- yes) love one another, this is important.

Read more.

"How C. S. Lewis made Christianity seem like Common Sense" - National Post

One of our favorite authors - C. S. Lewis.

Here is a great review of the famous writer of the Narnia Chronicles and Mere Christianity.

Read more.

"Welcoming refugees a huge task underway in Saint John" City Officials- Global News

This series of short videos shows how many people in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada are getting ready to receive many refugees from Syria. Watch these short videos, one after the other.

Also, the story of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon who are coming to Canada,, and how they are being processed to make sure that everything goes smoothly, is told in this story.

Hunted Down - The "Other" Christmas Story

I've never seen one of the most important stories of Advent acted out. The slaughter of the Innocents; the Revenge of the Jealous King; Deliberate Destruction; Zealousness gone wild.

That was King Herod's response to hearing about question asked by the magi, the astrologers from Persia. Startling. Dangerous. Seductive.  Deadly.

The other response was like the opposite side of a coin. The Great Indifference; Shrugged aside Possibilities; Deadened Curiosity; Orthodoxy Gone to Seed.

How could the scholars of the Scriptures, the scribes, have the knowledge that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, only eight miles away, and
not have their curiosity piqued when Persian magi arrived? Hadn't they been expecting the Messiah to be born? Didn't they know the Scripture passages by heart? Why the indifference to the arrival of the "King of the Jews"? Indifferent. Please don't disturb our studies; we're busy.

Fast Forward to today. A German reporter states that ISIL is determined to kill every person in western lands who believes in democracy, and he calls this new wave of terror, "worse than a nuclear bomb", having witnessed first hand the death of men, rape of women and girls and enslavement of innocents. Startling. Dangerous. Seductive. Deadly.

Fast forward even faster. A billion people wish vaguely for "world peace", yet when the "Prince of Peace is born", or his ways of non-violent peace making and reconciliation are commemorated on one particular day, the best the world can hope for is Black Friday, Boxing Day and all the special sales that go with the season. Indifferent. Please don't disturb us; we're too busy today.

"For this reason the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the Devil". I call that "D" day.

"A congregation of 300 in Richmond, BC, set to receive 92 refugees from Syria" - Vancouver Sun

Talk about going beyond the second mile. Talk about a generous spirit. This congregation of about 300 members in Richmond BC is set to receive 92 refugees, three families now and another 27 families in the next year.

Read more.

"12,000 small miracles in one day" - 12,000 employees were asked to give "creative generosity"

These 12,000 employees of an airplane company were asked to show exceptional generosity to people in their home communities. Everyone was given the same day for this outpouring of kindness.

Here is what they came up with. (Watch only five minutes of thousands of hours of kindness.)

Watch this five minute video.

"Damage by ISIL no less than the Prophet Mohammed cartoons" - Turkish Daily News

Damage done by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants is no less than the damage caused by that wrought by “Islamophobic” drawers of "intolerable cartoons," Mehmet Görmez, head of the Turkish Religious Affairs (Diyanet), has said.

“Today, the damage caused the networks, distant from any belief, reason and wisdom, who engrave the name [of God] on their so-called flags is no less

than the [damage caused by] cartoons –intolerable by any means– by the pioneers of Islamophobia,” said Görmez on Dec. 21 in his message on Mawlid an-Nabi, the Islamic anniversary of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, which is on the night of Dec. 22 this year.

Read the whole article. It may surprise some people to find self criticism included.

"For many in the Middle East, Faith comes at a high price" - New York Times

"AS we celebrate the holidays, let’s remember that this is one of those savage epochs when some families must choose between their faith
and their lives. It is an echo of when Nero burned Christians alive, or when self-described Christians unleashed pogroms against Jews.

Painting by Roberts: Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem

"Partly because of allergies about religion, the international response has been utterly ineffective. Liberals are sometimes reluctant to champion Christians who are persecuted for their faith. And conservatives are too quick to champion only Christians, neglecting other religious minorities — such as the Yazidis — who suffer even worse fates. One result of this “God gulf” is that the Western response to atrocities against religious oppression is pathetically inadequate." Nicolas Kristof in the New York Times

Read the whole article.

Who is he, in yonder stall?

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him

Nativity - Angelico

Master.
He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher .

He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

We honored to serve such a Leader,  who loves us and teaches us holy living.

"Give us back our Data: The great power shift behind technological changes" Evgeny Morozov

"One has to be very naïve to believe that this data is not going to shape how we live the rest of our lives, especially when insurance companies and banks are so eager to incorporate it in their decision-making," says Morozov. "Unless we change the legal status of data, we're not going to get very far."

What he details so acutely are the ways technology is changing not just our behaviour, but also our political and social relations. The rhetoric of "innovation" and "disruption"- coupled of course with the reality of this amazing technology - has got us to accept things we probably wouldn't vote for in an election. If a party said: "We want to get rid of all labour protections and scrap the minimum wage," you would expect few to vote for it. But when an app or a website results in that same outcome we seem ready to accept that we're backwards if we "stand in the way of progress".

Read more.

"53 Photographs of the 2015 Syrian Refugee Crisis - haunting pictures" - Turkish Daily News

Each of these award-winning 53 photos tells a story of one or more persons.

Fleeing the terrors of war - separated from homes bombed into dust - leaving behind language, valuables, clothing, - going forward with hope of r survival.

Such has been the story of hundreds of thousands in 2015 in the greatest refugee turmoil since World War II.

Watch these photos, one by one.

"Is the Church in the Middle East on Life Support?" - Ethics Daily

Martin Accad, writing from Beirut, explains the way that Christians in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Turkey feel about the past, as they examine their history, and the future, as they look ahead with concern. This important article will take about one minute to read, but a very long time to digest.

Beirut, capital city of Lebanon

At the turn of this century, it has become quite clear that entire Christian communities in Iraq and Syria will never recover from the targeted obliteration of which they are now victim. They suffer both from the unstoppable rise in religious fanaticism expressed in Islamic terms, and from the action of foreign governments that often have little regard for the historical realities of their countries.

Read more.

Contrasting the White Daesh (Saudi Arabia) with the Black Daesh (ISIS)

Kamel Daoud contrasted the behaviour and culture of Isis (black Daesh) with the state of Saudi Arabia (white Daesh).

He began: “The former slits throats, kills, stones, cuts off hands, destroys humanity’s common heritage and despises archaeology, women and non-Muslims. The latter is better dressed and neater but does the same things.”

But the west wages war on one while shaking hands with the other and forgetting that the kingdom “relies on an alliance with a religious clergy that produces, legitimises, spreads, preaches and defends Wahhabism, the ultra-puritanical form of Islam that Daesh feeds on.”

This is a penetrating criticism from The Guardian that some readers may not appreciate.

Read more.

Is it a crime to compare Turkey's president to Gollum in Lord of the Rings?

Not meant to be humorous, because someone could go to jail for a long time, or receive a severe penalty for denigrating the President of Turkey if  this comparison is perceived to be "unfavorable".

Who, asked the judge, is Gullum? Why compare his looks to those of the Turkish president? The judge wants five top people in Turkish society to analyze Gullum's looks, character and actions.

(No joking.)

Read more.

"Centuries Old Mosaics are going to be restored in Great Palace Byzantium Palace." Turkish Daily News

1,500 years ago these mosaics were among the most ornate in the Roman Empire. They show wild animals in great detail, with incredible color. Now, sensing that even more tourists will enjoy them, the museum will restore some of the mosaics.

The artists who designed these fabulous mosaics used thousands of tiny stones to fill out the design. The original walk way included many scores of scenes such as these.

Read this and plan to visit Istanbul. Be ready to visit this great museum!

"Muslims give the reason they left their faith - using a hashtag" - BBC News

Tens of Thousands of Muslims in England have publically declared why they are leaving their Islamic beliefs. For some, this is liberating; for others, it is against their faith and deeply disappointing. This fair-minded BBC report takes us into a little known aspect of Muslim life in Great Britain.

Watch the video.

Baptist leaders and Donald Trump: Consider what is really at stake:

Baptist leaders joined in denouncing presidential candidate Donald Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

“It’s no more than disgusting demagoguery—exploiting popular fear and fanning pervasive anti-Muslim bigotry for political gain,” Walker said. “Americans deserve better than this from those who seek to lead.”

“Make no mistake. A government that can shut down mosques simply because they are mosques can shut down Bible studies because they are Bible studies. A government that can close the borders to all Muslims simply on the basis of their religious belief can do the same thing for evangelical Christians. A government that issues ID badges for Muslims simply because they are Muslims can, in the fullness of time, demand the same for Christians because we are Christians.”

Read more.

"B.C. Supreme Court rules in favor of Trinity Western University" - Vancouver Sun

The largest Christian university in Canada, with about 4,000 students, requires staff and students sign a "Community Covenant" in which they pledge to maintain Biblical ideals and eschew sex outside of traditional heterosexual marriage.

Read more on this important decision.

Miracles on the Border: Syrian Refugees encounter Jesus

For three years, since Syrian refugees started pouring over the border, Christian churches in Lebanon have been reaching out in concern and love to those devastated by war, destruction and cruelty. What is happening in the homes of those who had fled, who had no hope?

Sami*, a Lebanese Christian pastor who told a widow about Jesus, has had similar experiences of hope coming in these comes with other Muslims. He and several Christian partners have been reaching out to Muslim villages in Lebanon with the simple Gospel message. They expanded their outreach to Syrian Muslims when refugees started streaming across the border last year.
"When we started to serve among those villages and communities, I had a doubt in my heart," Sami admits. "Will it work? Are we going to experience what we hear from different parts of the Middle East and the world about Mus
lims coming to know Jesus as Savior and Lord? It was a challenge, a discovery process for me personally and for many with us in the ministry. But as we have shared the Gospel faithfully, the Lord is showing us signs of people who are opening up, asking questions and opening the door for us to reach a wider community.

Read more.

"How 1,000 women who aborted feel about the local church" - Christianity Today

Another great resource from Christianity Today, this one about the difficult issues involved in Christian women who went ahead with an abortion.

What do they feel, and say, about their local church?

Read more.

"Why Iranian Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus" - Denison Forum

A painting written in Turkish in a place where Iranians gather

This isn't a case of just one or two persons.

It's something that is very wide spread. And not just in Germany, as this blog talks about.

Iranian Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus Christ, or 'Isa Mesih', as they call him. Why is this happening in such numbers?

Read more.

It's Chanukah! Why Jesus Christ wasn't stonned to death on this day.

It's Chanukah! Today and for the next week, Jews celebrate the Feast of Rededication! Happy Chanukah! It's also the day when Jesus Christ gave his clear claim to be the Messiah.

Chanukah, or The Fest of Rededication, commemorated the multiplication of holy oil needed for the menorah after enemy troops were defeated in and around Jerusalem. Syrian troops under Antiochus IV Epiphanes had prohibited circumcision and the ceremonial observation of the Jews and then he had pigs offered on the altar in the Temple. Mattathias Maccabees and his sons, through a guerilla action, forced the numerically superior army to leave and a treaty was established giving the Jews their freedom once again to conduct their religious practices as they wanted. In the time of Jesus, the heroic actions of the Maccabees resulted in an aspiration that the coming Jewish Messiah would also overthrow the mighty forces of Rome, in other words, a political Messiah was to come.

On this day in the Jewish calendar, on Chanukah, some wanted to kill Jesus Christ for what he said. "They picked up stones to kill him for what he said." (John 10:31). But, why were they so upset? In the language of his day, in the meaning of the word "Messiah", he made many people upset. Why did this happen? Previously, Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath. (John 5:1-15) Jesus was powerful, that is he could do miracles, but would a Jewish Messiah heal on the Sabbath? Wasn't he expected to lead a rebellion against Rome? When challenged about his miracle on the Sabbath, he said, "My Father is always at work and I too am at work." (5:17) Not only had he broken the Sabbath, but he "called God his Father, making himself equal with God." (5:18)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.

Now, at Chanukah, at the Feast of Rededication of the Temple, Jesus makes his claim to divinity even more clearly. He was asked point blank: "Are you the Christ, the Messiah, tell us!" (John 10:24) They demanded a clear answer. He completely disappointed them. First, the works (miracles) gave witness to his Messiah-ship. He described himself as a shepherd and said to his opposition, "You are not my sheep." (10:26)

He was calling himself the (1) Shepherd of Israel - which was one of various functions of the coming Messiah.

This was a clear reference to two O.T. passages of the Bible. Psalm 23 and Jeremiah 23:1-6. Jesus did something very clever, he joined the ideas behind of Chanukah with four OT themes: He claims to be (1) Shepherd to the house of Israel, (2) the Branch of David, (3) the coming King, and this implied a NAME!  (4) 'The LORD our Righteousness'. (Jeremiah 23:2-6) Jesus indicates that as Messiah he will not be a political leader and he will not fulfill the demands of customs and traditions of men. He gave a clear answer, "I am the Christ - I am the Messiah", but more than this, he was claiming to be Divine - WOW - "The LORD our Righteousness". He could not have been clearer: "I and the Father are one." (10:30)

Jesus completely disappointed him by saying  that while no one could snatch the sheep from him, his opposition would not be part of his flock. They would not, and could not, accept his teaching.

We may not understand this clearly, but Jesus' opposition certainly did. They heard it loud and clear and responded: This is Blasphemy! You deserve to die! And so they picked up stones to kill him. (10:31) "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "But for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." (John 10:33) And again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. (10:39).

So, Jesus Christ was not killed on Chanukah. His death, and resurrection, came several months later, at Easter, at the time of Passover.

"Why Robin Williams Died and why it matters" - Denison Forum

What happens when incorrect conclusions are reached? Why do we need immediate conclusions, even when we know that they may be wrong?

Millions of people enjoyed the insightful humor that Robin Williams brought to his craft, to scores of movies.

This interesting blog says to us: "Wait! Don't jump to premature conclusions." This is important, especially when dealing with complicated situations where health, ethics, emotions and controversy overlap.

Read more.

"Toronto City Hall bans Christian music Festival in the public square" - The Christians

Last year, Toronto City Hall banned a Christian preacher from speaking in the public square at the corner of Yonge Street and Dundas Avenue. A law suit followed and the decision of the manager of that department had to reverse her decision.

This year, Toronto City Hall refused to permit a Christian Musical Festival for next year, which has been performing at the Dundas S
quare since 2006 and bringing many Christian denominations together.

Dundas Square sees Muslim preachers attempting to convert people to their beliefs, as well as Buddhists and Kari Krishna preachers, every day of the year.

Read more.

"Is Germany Importing Terrorists?" - Denison Forum

Security officials in Europe are worried that the large number of refugees coming from Syria could conceal terrorists.

Major concerns:

First, should Europeans be afraid of Muslims?

Second, What should the response of Christians be to this unprecedented movement of people?

Read more.

"A Syrian family arrives in Paradise" (Nova Scotia, that is)

One of thousands of Syrian families is settling into their new home.

Yep, they have arrived in Paradise. Read more.

"Here's where America's 338,000 Christian refugees came from" - Christianity Today

Since the year 2003 the USA has resettled 762,000 refugees. Of these, 338,441 described themselves as Christians. That is, 44% of the refugees coming into the USA in the last 12 years identified themselves as belonging to one of America's many denominations.

This article from Christianity Today shows what denominations were included, which countries were represented and the percentages. A very useful article to save away in your electronic filing system if you are involved in helping to resettle refugees.     Read more.