1087 days ago
You would have thought by now that the BBC would have wised up that pushing the blood libel that Israel is not vaccinating Palestinians against covid is not such a smart thing to do after the outrage over the casual Jew baiting two weeks ago on Have I got More News for You. But oh no.
1222 days ago
Other than for my father’s funeral, I have not been to church since the start of the ludicrous lockdowns in March. For a while our Church here in the last village in Wales was closed but in September it sort of re-opened, though this family did not go.
1950 days ago
I have never seen our local church in this unfashionable bit of Bristol look this way. That is to say full. But it was packed with more than a hundred souls last night for carols by candlelight. It was all rather touching. As I belted out some of the old favourites in my own tone deaf way and as Joshua ran around misbehaving it felt like Christmas had actually begun. The story almost came to life. I did feel a sort of bond with my fellow worshippers – ordinary folk, shepherds not kings.
2489 days ago
There will be a couple more photos later in the week but for now just one from what has been a great day. I have been hard at work all weekend cooking for folks last night, baking a birthday cake (more on that later in the week) and preparing for what was a lovely and special day for myself, the Mrs and Joshua - his Christening. Hence there has been little in the way of writing.
3751 days ago
I was with someone last night who lives in one of the more liberated Arab countries (in the Gulf) and who is involved in making short films. They relayed how a film out soon will make a few comments about radical Islam. The maker has left the country in question never to return. The alternative is prison or worse. That is free speech in the Arab world in 2014.
The one Middle Eastern country many in the West like to demonise is Israel. Its former PM Ariel Sharon died today aged 85. Sitting in Bristol, I can say that for standing by and allowing the Christian militia in Beirut to slaughter Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila camps in the early 1980s this man was a war criminal. He was a monster. And his actions (inactions) were bad news for Israel. He was a disgrace and he will, I am sure, rot in hell.
In his early life he was a war hero as Israel fought to retain one small strip of land where Jews could be safe from persecution but where folks could also say what they want, vote out their leaders, not get stoned to death or string up from a crane for being gay or opposing the regime, etc. But for his crimes in later life he was a monster and there can be no excuses made. Sharon will rot in hell.
I say this as an unswerving supporter of Israel. And the odd thing is that were I sitting in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem today I could say exactly the same thing. I could write it and post it on the internet. Such opinions will appear in sections of the Israeli press. In Israel free speech exists. Even if it means criticism of the State or its leaders. That makes that country unique in the Middle East. Yet so many opt to demonise Israel and laud the other regimes of the region that behave so differently in every respect.
