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found round our way...

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:06:00 +0000

Coff

Jeff Halper in Cardiff

noreply@blogger.com (chalky) — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:01:00 +0000

Jeff Halper founded ICAHD, the 'Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions'. He writes and thinks really fantastically about the occupation, describing Israel's activity in the Occupied Territories as the 'Matrix of Control', which is really helpful once you have a clue what it means. He's talking here on the 28th May and hearing him speak, and probably having the opportunity to ask him questions, will give you every chance of getting a better understanding of what it means. It's a pretty big deal that he's coming here and I can't recommend strongly enough that you go!!

ICAHD help people understand the ways in which Jewish Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the bypass roads that connect them, the persistent and widespread demolition of Palestinian homes, the separation wall, the numerous checkpoints etc etc work together to make normal life effectively unviable for those living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Apart from writing, thinking and communicating, ICAHD are also an activist organisation, regularly opposing the actions of their state in loads of ways; they're not averse to making their presence felt at the sites of demolition, etc - "Not just to protest, but to resist" (jeff h).

You can read an account of one recent event, and its back story, here; "another of those routine tragedies that are never publicized", which ICAHD exist to oppose and expose.

Jeff's visit is part of the launch for his new book "An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel" which is probably going to be excellent if his other stuff is anything to go by - you can read a review, see the press release, and check out the ICAHD UK site for details of Jeff in the UK (he's also going to Hay festival!).

The event:
7.30 pm,
Wednesday 28th May,
Temple of Peace,
King Edward VII Avenue,
Cardiff,
CF10 3AP.

Be there, or be slightly less informed about Israel/Palestine.

chalky x

The Year of Living Biblically

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:54:00 +0000

Currently reading this and highly recommend it. A very funny, non-religious take on literalism, but also a respectful and quite moving engagement with the 'good' book. Particularly funny as the author has mild OCD and finds this quite compatible with a lot of orthodox religious observence - repetition, ritual and clean/unclean etc.

http://www.ajjacobs.com/content/home.asp

Lots of love

Chris (The Richard and Judy Book Club)

This is not a Game

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:22:00 +0000

Those who know me know that I am involved, albeit in a small way, in the campaign for justice in Burma. Few people would have missed the protests in Burma on the television where thousands of monks took to the streets in peaceful protest, many of whom were met with violence from the police and armed forces. I hope that you were moved as I was when you saw the images. Therefore, I hope that you will join me in committing to keep your television off on August the 8th, 2008.

Burma has one of the most oppressive military governments in the world. It is actively involved in violent oppression of the countries ethnic minorities, violent suppression of any campaigners for democracy or freedom of speech, and persistant use of forced and child labour including in its military. Unfortunately, although there has been great international support for Aung Sang Suu Kyi (Burma's rightful leader and the only living imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner) and the rest of the pro-democracy movement, any meaningful attempts and international pressure have consistently been blocked by China, Burma's biggest financial, military and political support.

China has a shameful human rights record of its own. Even the Olympic building programme has been criticised for its alleged use of forced labour, forced eviction and diversion of water from villages. This is why I ask you to boycott watching the Olympics or supporting it in any way (e.g. avoid buying Olympic branded products or buying products from Olympic sponsors). PLease encourage your friend sna dfamily to do the same.

In 1936 Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany got tremendous publicity by the displays of "international solidarity" at the German-hosted Olypic games. Please do not allow China to do the same.

The parable of the Taggie® of great price!

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:22:00 +0000

This might not look like anything precious to you. The photo doesn't do it justice. If you looked closely you would see the velour is worn in places, it is utterly filthy with bits of food, snot and grime on it, and its lost one of its tags. However, to my 14 month old son, it is desperately precious. He has had it since he was born. It has to be there when he goes to sleep. It has to be there when he wakes. The first thing my wife and I do when we go in to console him is to give it back to him and, 9 out of 10 times, it works. In fact, it is so precious, we have had to buy an identical one just so it can occasionally go in the wash!

But tragedy struck today. As my wife was pushing my son round ... well, a supermarket that I shan't admit to frequenting... she heard the familiar cry of " 'aggy. 'aggy" (Reuben says six words: Mum, Dada, 'es, no, ta and 'aggy!). Indeed, the Taggies were missing from the pushchair. She retraced her steps and checked at the customer service desk: No Taggies. I searched the house and went back and walked every aisle of Tes... err .. the shop. Twice! I also asked at the desk: No Taggies. "Check back later, these things have a habit of turning up." Said the optimistic assistant. "A 0.3m2 piece of dirty blue fabric in 10,000m2 of shop? I don't think so." I thought to myself.

Both the original and replacement Taggies were lost. Reuben screamed throughout his lunchtime nap and screamed when I left him at creche. I felt awful. So, having already searched for the replacement Taggies, I set about searching everywhere I had been since the last time we remembered seeing the original Taggies: the streets (no), the park (no), the library (closed), about 12 charity shops (gulp!). What hope did I have of finding it among the piles of second hand goods of North Cardiff? What if it had been sold?

I then remember a devotion I read in a wonderful book called God360*. This isn't your typical devotional book, rather it encourages practical actions for spiritual lessons. One that I had never had the guts to do was to give something very precious to a charity shop, as a meditation on the cost of losing and redeeming something of value**. Not just your favourite CD or book, but something small but really valuable to you.
Your wedding ring?
The first present from your girlfriend?
I couldn't do it then, but now I prayed to God that I'd find this precious item. I usually struggle with prayer and give so few of my needs up to God (and He knows, I need his help!) but I prayed in earnest this time.

I browsed the first shop. The second I looked and asked at the desk. They were kind enough to check the stock room but it wasn't there. The third shop, it was there. Lying in a box of children's toys.

"How much is this?" I asked.

The elderly lady turned it over in her hands. I am sure I detected a look of disdain at handling the dirty rag. "I have no idea." She replied "Twenty pence?"

"Can you hold it for me?" I yelled as I dashed out the shop to the cash-point.

When I returned I emptied my wallet of the crisp, ten pound note and laid it on the counter. "Oh! Haven't you anything smaller?" She asked.

How much does this mean to me? The question was rhetorical and it took me no time to speak. "Keep the change"

"But its only 20p!" She exclaimed. Should I explain, or just keep quiet?

"I know" I smiled "Have a nice day."

You, like me, might struggle daily with feelings of worthlessness. There are days I feel used up and no good for anyone. Fit only for the charity bin or rubbish dump. But however dirty or worn or torn-up you are, really, truly, you are immensely precious to Christ and his father, YOUR Father. No matter where you've got yourself lost, he would and did empty his wallet out on the counter and give everything he had to buy you back.

That's how much he loves you.

*(To download a pdf file of the entire God360 devotion "Lost and Found" click here.)
**(This was the text but also see the parable of the lost coin or the pearl of great price.)

Roath Real Food Market Launch - St David's Day

noreply@blogger.com (chalky) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:05:00 +0000

Hi all, spread the word... have been sent the following details and know this will be of interest to some!! Their intended start date late last year was postponed due to permission issues with the council which have now been sorted.

"The ROATH REAL FOOD MARKET is set to get off to an excellent start on SATURDAY MARCH 1st, 2008 from 9.30am - 1.00pm in the front car park of the MacKintosh Sports Club on the corner of Keppoch Street and Plasnewydd Place in Roath (just off City Road, across from The Gate arts centre) and will run EVERY SATURDAY morning from then on.

The Roath Market will aim for the same combination of a wide choice of delicious fresh, Welsh and (some) certified organic food, all raised or made by the stallholders themselves, with the same friendly atmosphere which has made Riverside Market such a success over the past nine years. We have more than 25 stalls confirmed for the launch on March 1st (some favourites from Riverside Market but plenty of new faces as well!), and there will be music, juggling, and plenty of tasting going on to get everyone in the local food mood. Fair Trade tea and coffee will be available and the MacKintosh bar will be open...and hopefully it will be a plastic bag-free zone!"

charity bike ride opportunity!!

noreply@blogger.com (chalky) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:59:00 +0000

If you fancy raising a bit of awareness and money at the same time as your fitness levels this year, join me on the Amos Trust C2C cycle ride in June!

We will be going up to Penrith on the Thursday and doing the well-known sustrans sea to sea route in three days, Friday 27th-Sunday 29th. A few people have expressed an interest and it would be great to have a barnone contingent; there will be around 20 riders in total.

The money raised will be going to support the Umthombo Street Child project in South Africa. Predominantly run and staffed by former street children, the project is uniquely able to support the children and young people currently facing the phenomenal challenges of street life and speak with some considerable authority to policy makers and others in positions of power. They seem to do both pretty effectively, so if you can't join me, be generous in your support anyway!!

Strange fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:45:00 +0000

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Strange Fruit - Billie Holliday

Thanks for all those great ideas for improving our lives and the lives of those around us in the coming year. If I could add one more:

I was reminded of the words above by an article in this months "New Internationalist" magazine (Issue 408) by Brandon Astor Jones, a prisoner on death row in Georgia facing execution sooner rather than later. His very honest and personal article makes the point that, as well as being unjust (the vast majority - if not all - death row prisoners are poor and cannot afford competant legal council), the death penalty is simply a more socially acceptible form of lynch mob "deeply rooted in the desire to terrorize and enrage not only its victims, but also the compassionless citizen-mob that helps to carry it out."

Similar arguments are made in the immediately proceeding article from a very different position. Jean Baptiste Kayigamba is a Rwandan survivor of the 1994 genocide during which his "dad Gabriel, mum Domitila, brothers Gerard, Benoit, Alphonse and Amabilis, 15-year-old sister Esperance and nephew Aimable were brutally murdered - not to mention scores of aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and former classmates" and colleagues. His article praises the recent decision of the Rwandan government to abolish the death penalty, and he feels this way for a very similar reason to Brandon: "despite the agony and trauma, putting to death those who murdered my parents and relatives would not bring them back. The Government cannot put to death thousands and thousands of people. By doing so, it woud be carrying out the same barbarity that characterized previous regies, which trivialized the lives of the people".

I hope you need know convincing that the death penalty is wrong and needs worldwide abolishion but, if you do, I hope the opinions of these two people, victim and accused alike, will help you. Jesus gave us an example where forgiveness and God's justice does more to heal the pain of the victim, and more to provoke remorse in the perpetrator than any form of revenge and retribution. Unless we follow that example we cheapen not only ourselves but also his sacrifice for us.

I'd ask you to consider writing to both those facing torture or execution, and those who hold them. Amnesty International's website is a good place to start for both of these. Letters can give immense encouragement to those who are suffering and put immense pressure on those who perpetrate injustice.

Also, don't cease to pray for those who are suffering.

Simon

go and make it reality...end poverty

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:04:00 +0000

http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/

go and be ...a new consumer

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:02:00 +0000

http://www.newconsumer.com/pages/

go and do....Fairtrade...

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:00:00 +0000

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/get_involved.htm

Life is too Short!

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:43:00 +0000

Kiss longer, laugh harder, love deeper, smile wider!

friends of the earth - new years res>

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:30:00 +0000

Green New Year resolutions

Dec 8 2006

Another year has come and gone and once again it's time to wipe the slate clean. Most of us will probably want to shed those extra pounds piled on over Christmas, get fit and quit bad habits. But when deciding how to better your life, don't forget the planet's. More and more of us are ditching the excesses of previous years to go green - from recycling newspapers to switching to renewable energy. So why not follow Friends of the Earth's eco-friendly resolutions and aim to reduce, reuse and recycle….you're guaranteed to look and feel better for it.

RESOLUTION - GET FIT AND CUT CAR POLLUTION

Ditch the car and start walking or cycling.

Good for you: regular exercise can reduce heart disease and provide protection from strokes, diabetes and cancer. A staggering 70 per cent of all car trips are less than five miles - the ideal distance for a quick spin on the bike. Peddling burns 300 calories an hour and helps to firm up legs, bums and tums. Walking doesn't cost a thing and gets you in touch with the great outdoors. A brisk walk for 45 minutes a day, four times a week on a calorie controlled diet could result in a fat loss of 18lbs over a year. (The Department of Health)

Good for the environment: You'll be helping to cut back on carbon dioxide emissions. Road transport is responsible for around a fifth of UK Co2 emissions.

See: www.loveyourbike.org

RESOLUTION - EAT HEALTHY AND BUY ORGANIC

Say no to fast food and supermarkets and yes to organic and local produce.

Good for you: It tastes better and you'll feel better for it. The production of organic food causes much less environmental damage than conventional agriculture. It comes without those pesky pesticides and the demand for organic food is growing at 40% a year. Grub from farmers markets or grocers helps the local economy and also makes you feel part of the community. It's mad to buy apples that have been flown all the way from New Zealand when we produce fantastic ones here.

Good for the environment: Helps reduce aviation pollution by cutting down on `food miles' which contribute to climate change. The average meal travels 1,000 miles before it reaches your plate.

Website: Shop at the Natural Collection for a wide range of organic and environmentally friendly-gifts. For every purchase you make Friends of the Earth receives a donation.

RESOLUTION - REDUCE STRESS AND PESTICIDES

Take up Gardening

Good for you: Get fit, save money and grow something new from seed. Growing your own fruit, vegetables and plants in the garden is proven to help reduce stress. Digging deep is good exercise and therapeutic at the same time. Get composting. It minimises landfill waste and recycles it back into the earth.

Good for the environment: The garden is the one place where you can make a small but real difference. No pesticides, no wasteful packaging and no food miles.

Website: it would only cost each person around £150 a year to plant the trees needed to absorb their personal CO2.

RESOLUTION - SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND REDUCE AVIATION POLLUTION

Holiday in the UK.

Good for you: Britain is a green and pleasant land - get to know it better. All those cheap flights abroad are costing the planet. So why not consider taking a break nearer home. Even the most environmentally friendly people can undo all their efforts by succumbing to cheap breaks abroad and long haul flights. Just one return flight from London to Miami releases the same amount of CO2 as the average family car does in a year.

Good for environment: It would help cut aviation pollution. The world's 16,000 commercial jet aircrafts produce more than 600 million tonnes of CO2 every year, nearly as much as all the countries of Africa put together;

RESOLUTION - SAVE MONEY AND ENERGY

Switch off the telly and insulate.

Good for you: Small changes in your lifestyle can make a real difference to the health of the planet and your pocket. Energy saving measures just within the home can cut bills for a typical family in a three-bedroom semi by £200 a year. It's easy to do. Insulate your home, fit energy efficient light bulbs, lower your thermostat by 1c, switch to renewable energy and turn off lights and appliances when you're not using them. It's claimed that living an exemplary green lifestyle from cradle to grave could save you up to £80,000 over your lifetime.

Good for the environment: The UK has set a target to reduce Co2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2010. Almost half of the UK's emissions actually come from things we do everyday, such as leaving the TV on standby. So good house-keeping really does help. (Energy Saving Trust)

Website: For budding eco-enthusiasts, `Save Cash and Save the Planet', published by Friends of the Earth and Collins, is packed with ideas on how you can save money and help the planet. www.savecashsaveplanet.co.uk

RESOLUTION - SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE AND RECYCLE

New Year usually means out with the old and in with the new - but don't be so hasty. Recycle and reuse.

Good for you: Getting more than one use out of something not only saves you money but is hugely satisfying. Half of electrical goods left at dumps work or require only very basic repairs, so think before chucking out. Give and buy from charity shops. Victoria Beckham did her bit for recycling when she bought a little black and white dress from Oxfam. Sales soared by 40 per cent. Try flea markets, antique jewellery and vintage clothing shops.

Good for the environment: Help stop the planet going to waste by recycling and reusing what you already have. The average person in the UK throws out their body weight in rubbish every 3 months. Most of this could be reprocessed but instead it's sent to incinerators or landfill.

Contact details:

Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ

Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html

Media team

links from tonight

noreply@blogger.com (chalky) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 21:50:00 +0000

Hi all, here is access to the stuff we chatted about tonight. look forward to developing connections in future... let's keep talking about it!

The Amos Trust website - what it says on the tin; newly tarted up and with quite a lot of info about who they are and what they do. I can confirm it is all groovy - as you will know, the chalky seal of approval is deadly hard to win. Ooh, lucky them. As I said their yearly 'day' is on Sept 8th so it would be great if a few people came along with me to get more of a flavour - and it would be good to get more people doing the Amos fundraiser bike ride (or a bit of it)!! Go team. Etc.

Mordechai Vanunu -
The Wiki page about him
The Amnesty page
The (slightly crap) bbc report
(put the BBC thing in because there are links on the right to 'old' news if you want to get an idea of how things have been reported).

So - it looks like he can appeal in september - for the moment, a space to watch but we will get on it if there is anything to be done in the meantime.

Thanks for being so up for things everyone... this inspires me greatly! Now I just hope all my links work...

Take the AIDS test

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 08:47:00 +0000

Take the AIDS test

A World Vision interactive campaign to raise awareness and provide you with ways to be part of the solution to this crisis.

Take 5 mins...click on link above or paste www.worldvisionexperience.org to your browser

recent tuesdays

noreply@blogger.com (chalky) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 03:08:00 +0000

just thought it was worth saying i loved the tuesday before last - for those of you who missed it, we were kind of thinking outside the circle about places and people not here... bit of palestine, bit of burma, bit of stuff closer to home and it made me quite pleased to be around. chewing over things together and finding ways to act on them to salve (is that a verb?!) even the tiniest bits of damage is just what i think we should be doing... so nice one everyone.

piped up with the thought that it would be good if we did some kind of little info/act on something thing as a regular feature, maybe on a sunday... i reckon a little 10-minute 'this is a situation and here is a little something you can do about it', even if that's just find out more, write a letter at the time, think of something we can do/change/adjust in our day to day... if anything really grabs our attention maybe we can stick to one for a few weeks (eg when si was talking about burma, some of us knew bits but it might be good to try and flesh that out a bit over a few weeks. like all these big injustice things it has layers and history and messy press and stuff).

i know things will be different over the summer but maybe we can find ways to help each other know more about more and sharing that around so anyone who wants to does their bit of finding out and all that... any thoughts? praps it's something for 2 or 3 of us to co-ordinate. er, i'm in!!

(also i like rob bell this tues for the following: he talked about finding third way responses to injustice that weren't lying down and taking it and also weren't retaliation. 3rd way seemed to = creative non-acceptance of injustice that opened the way for the damaging party to repair, limit or stop damaging. takes all kinds of imagination. what a relief - we are compelled to make it up).

When the world looks rubbish...

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:14:00 +0000

I saw this and I thought of our rants. hopefully see you all on Sunday!
Becky.

Why I wont be Celebrating Easter...

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 20:52:00 +0000

(Or, why I choose to celebrate Passover instead)

REMINDER: This Tuesday there will be an "Eat and Pray" special at the Braybrooks house where we'll celebrate Passover. Below is a bit of an essay about it but I can guarantee a feast, both to the tastebuds and the spirit!

This is an actual letter I sent to a well meaning Christian friend who questioned why I chose to celebrate the Jewish festival of Pesach, or Passover, instead of Easter.

Dear friend,

Thank you for your e-mail, it’s always good to hear from you. I am sorry to see that you were disturbed by our decision to celebrate Passover instead of Easter, but am pleased to know that are concerned with our spiritual well being. It is touching to see you throw yourself in to save us from the depths of our potential heresy with a scripture filled e-mail attachment. You are also welcome to telephone if you get really concerned.

I am aware there is a strong possibility that your e-mail was sent in jest. If this is the case, I might be simply making myself look a fool by justifying myself. However, just in case you really are worried, I thought I would reply.

You will see at the end of the e-mail the Haggadah I intend on using at Passover. This I have adapted (read plagiarised) from a number of books and Internet sources. This I enclose as I am aware that you may not know the traditions of Passover. Although it closely follows traditions and laws practiced by Orthodox as well as Messianic Jews for over 1500 years (and some since God ordained the feast), you will see how Christ centred the festival will be.

I assure you there is no risk of us falling under law. The traditions and laws observed act as symbols and ordinances but in no way add to my salvation. In fact, the more I learn from the Torah, the more I worship the God that saved me from it. There are some laws I will be observing, such as fasting from leaven and eating bitter herbs, but these I choose to observe so that I benefit from the lessons God teaches through them. I do not believe God thinks any more of me for observing them or any less of me if I do not. You will also notice one important part of the Passover meal, the Paschal lamb, is omitted from the evening. This is deliberate. We will not eat lamb to emphasise that we do not believe that sacrificing a lamb will save us. I will not even pick up the shank bone from the plate when I explain the symbols of Passover for fear that anyone at the table may misconstrue it as a blood sacrifice. Our only Paschal lamb is Y’shua (Jesus). These are only symbols.

As I have discussed with you previously, it is important not to detach Christian belief or history from its origins. We cannot understand the gospels without understanding the first century Jewish culture in which they took place. Neither can we understand the epistles without understanding the writer’s or the reader’s backgrounds. If we divorce the jewel of the scriptures from the gold setting of its historical context, we will make our belief into mythology and the person of Jesus into an icon, a golden calf we can shape into any form our 21st century minds can conceive. It is for this reason that we must study the origins of Christianity, which are Judaism and the Torah. (For more on this, I strongly recommend the writing of N.T.Wright)

Jesus was Jewish. He followed Jewish law. He even followed Laws based not on the Torah but on the Talmud, the collected writings of Rabbis outside of the canon (an example of this in the Passover Seder, where the gospels demonstrate he followed the pattern set out in tradition, not law). It is important to bear this in mind when considering the Jewish feasts and festivals: by observing them, we are imitating Christ, not in order to be saved, but to learn from him.

Passover is the most important of these festivals. The Exodus is the most important story prior to the death and resurrection of Christ. It is a symbol of God’s redemption and care for his people. There is a tradition amongst Jews that where the first liberation came at Passover, so will the second (that being the coming of the Messiah). This is indeed the truth. Jesus chose to die at Passover. It was not a coincidence. It was a deliberate choice of timing to emphasise that just as God freed his people from slavery at Egypt and made them into a people, Jesus’ death and resurrection freed all people, Jew and Gentile, from the slavery of sin and made them God’s children.

By observing the Passover, we remember all of God’s faithfulness to his people. We recount the entire story from Abraham, to Moses, to Jesus. We also follow Jesus’ command to “do this in remembrance of me”.

There is not space for me to go into all the symbols and how they relate to Jesus, but I will give you the reasons I observe two of the most important ones. I would recommend reading “Christ in the Passover” by Ceil and Moishe Rosen and “Passover Haggadah: A Messianic Celebration” by Eric-Peter Lipson for more detail.

Fasting leaven: Passover is the feast of Unleavened Bread and I will be fasting from leaven over the festival. I have not thoroughly cleaned the house as Jews do. Neither have I thrown out all products containing leaven as the Torah commands (I was tempted, but as Kate is not fasting leaven, I thought it unfair to impose my decision on her). Like all fasts I observe, this does not save me. Rather, leaven is a symbol of sin and my fast recognises I should treat sin as ruthlessly, lest it spread. The fast reminds me of the following verses:

“… be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
(This emphasises to me that my fast is exactly the opposite of putting myself under law, as the P’s and S’s would have me do!)

“Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.” –emphasis added
(This is a key verse for me as it not only emphasises the true meaning of the yeast fast i.e. ridding ourselves of sin and pride, but it demonstrates that Paul, a Jew, understands and observes Passover, recognising it is all about Jesus)

Eating Bread and Wine: Your e-mail suggests that it is un-Christian to keep the Passover, as we practice the Eucharistic communion. However, this is a mistake. We break bread and drink wine both before the meal and afterwards and if you take a close look at the gospel you will see that so did Jesus. This is important and it is only important if you understand the significance of the bread and wine at the start of the meal and the significance of the bread and wine at the end of the meal (see the Passover Haggadah for details). This is a message I believe Jesus wanted to communicate. A message lost in Christian communion but preserved in the Passover. Why did Jesus drink the cups of wine before the meal, but not drink the cups after the meal until he was in the kingdom? Why was the bread he broke symbolic of his body? You will not answer these questions in a communion service but you will at Passover!

I think I have made my point enough and, although there’s plenty more to show you, others have said it better and I’d recommend you read a book on it or attend a Passover presentation. However, I will make one final bold and provocative point, which is crucial to the discussion of why we choose to celebrate Passover instead of Easter: there are no Christian festivals only pagan ones. Whatever you think of the law, the bible contains commands to celebrate Passover, Sukkot and Yom Kippur, but never to celebrate Easter or Christmas. Why? Because Easter and Christmas are Pagan festivals and add nothing to what has already been commanded in scripture.

Easter is the festival of the Spring Equinox and its observance celebrates the spring goddess (the Venerable Bede 672-735 ad. tells us her Saxon name was Eostre, from the ancient name for spring: Eastre). Bear in mind that Ashtoreh, a goddess frequently worshipped by the rebellious Israelites was a similar spring fertility goddess. Most of our spring customs come from Pagan ceremonies associated with this goddess including April fools day, May pole dancing, Punch and Judy and, most of all, Easter chicks, bunnies and eggs! (note: as with my unleavened bread fast, I will not be forcing my customs on others: my little brothers staying with us will celebrate the Passover meal, but I’ll also give them an chocolate easter egg hunt on Sunday morning and take them to my church’s Easter service!)

Christmas has a similarly pagan origin associated with the winter solstice and the associated pagan festivals of Yuletide and Saturnalia. Gift giving, Christmas trees, Holly wreathes, kissing under the mistletoe and Christmas logs are all pre-Christian features.

At present, I choose to continue celebrating Christmas as I cannot think of a better time of the year to celebrate the birth of Jesus (However, with the increasing repaganisation of the festival, I wouldn’t miss it!). However, Passover is intrinsically linked with the death and resurrection of the Messiah and the whole story of God’s actions toward his people. Not only would I strongly defend celebrating, I would strongly recommend others do likewise.

I look forward to speaking to you again soon and would be happy addressing any further concerns you might have.

Best wishes,

Simon

The 2 Minute Bible by Rob Lacey

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 10:28:00 +0000

1stoff,nothing but God
2nd off, God says the word
and WHAP!
Stuff everywhere
The snake does some word twist-ing
Adam and eve fall for it
God kicks them out of heaven on earth
And death strolls in.
They make babies
But the evil/good ratio goes through the roof
God turns the flood taps on
“waterworld!”
More babies.
Then Abraham the 1st jew
And his boys Isaac,Jacob and Joseph
400 years on the Jews are just slave labour for Pharoah
Till God waves them out of Egypt
via 10 plagues
Moses downloads the big ten rules
The Jews mess up on all 10
Grumbling round the desert
for 40 yrs.
Joshua gets them into a land
with milk and honey on draught
king David sorts out the giant goliath
between recording his greatest hits compilation
Solomon writes some wise one-liners
Then naff king after naff king
messing up the people
Elijah and the other couriers can’t stop the rot
So God lets Babylon trash Jerusalem
The Jews are slave labour
Again
Daniel gets to sleep with the lions
Isaiah predicts a liberator
Esther stops a holocaust attempt
and, 70 years on,
the jews trek back to do construction work in Jerusalem
But still no shift in attitude
More idol promises wind God up.
so He stops talking to them for 400 yrs.
Dot
Dot
Dot
Enter the miracle baby,
Jesus the Liberator
good with hammers and nails
he takes a career change at 30
and launches into his 3 year
“heaven on earth” tour
a mobile miracle clinic
with loads of subversive stories
and provocative questions.
The public love it
The team twelve love it
The religious suits … don’t!
Dodgy trial
Punishment beatings
Public execution
-more hammers and nails
2 days later he’s back
he’s back!
And He’s launching the sequel
via his foreign rep
Paul dot Benson@the jesus liberation movement.org
loads of emails
on what it all means
‘With God in us
We can bring heaven on earth
bit
By
Bit’
Ending up with Jonno’s general memo
On how things are going to get
Wrapped up:
The snake gets bbQd
The Jesus liberation movement get limitless life
Heaven on earth
Absolutely!

Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 11:02:00 +0000

Many thanks to all who helped with our house over the weekend and last night. A special thanks to Karen who both loaned us and delivered her piano late saturday night and picked up and delivered our lovely dining table early saturday morning. A big thanks to all the willing hands and artistic direction with the painting last night. Photos will be posted shortly!

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35

AGENTS OF CHANGE

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 13:29:00 +0000

I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
E. B. White (1899 - 1985)

Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.
Steve Jobs (1955 - )

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change."
Confucius

Technological change is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.
Albert Einstein

When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow.
Anais Nin

The most successful people are those who are good at plan B.
James Yorke:

Wisemen say...

noreply@blogger.com (BARNONE) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 08:20:00 +0000

Confucius, he say…
By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

Socrates, he say...
Wisdom begins in wonder.

St. Augustine, he say...
"Patience is the companion of wisdom."

Leonard Cohen, he sing...
‘follow me the wiseman said
but he walked behind.

Albert Einstein, he say…
Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the life-long attempt to acquire it.

Three Wise Men

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:59:00 +0000

From this month's New Internationalist.

RSS users

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 12:33:00 +0000

Please note that an RSS link has been created and can be found in the "links" box to the right.

Baby!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Simon) — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:37:00 +0000

POSTSCRIPT!!!: Reuben. We've settled now on the name Reuben which means "Behold! A Son!" which, although Kate's suggestion, was pretty much what I felt when I saw him.

This is Reuben in Hebrew: רְאוּבֵן (Re'uven)
This is Reuben in Chinese:

This is a "Reuben" (a sandwich with corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese.)

And this is Reuben!

The newest addition to our family (and pubchurch) was born at 00:48 this morning. He's a boy, 8lb 1oz and probably called Reuben but he hasn't told us for sure yet.

Wise men (and women) bearing gifts are welcome. Visiting hours 2-4/6-8pm. Please let us know before you come.

Simon and Kate