A measured and reasonable response to Strange Fire, a conference organized to reject the claims of Charismatics that prophecy, healing and tongues are a legitimate part of the church today. And truthful. It starts like this
In Defense of John MacArthur, Strange Fire Conference and the Challenge to the Charismatic Mov't
"A lot of people seem to be angry with John MacArthur; it would be more comforting to me, and a greater testimony to American sensibility, if Christians were more concerned about Pat Robertson. That the former can openly state his opposition to what he believes the falsified expression of spiritual power, is far less offensive than a man who has openly and repeatedly claimed to be speaking the words of God, but whose failed prophesies have proven him heretical. Yet the former man is almost universally condemned as hateful and divisive, while the latter maintains his audience for what? Not one, but multiple generations, despite a televised broadcast in which he said that Jesus told him President Obama would lose the last election."
I'm very conflicted about Halloween. Our church does a large and popular outreach. Yet it is the devil's night. This essay settled some things for me.
Halloween: Trick, Treat or Missional? – Jo Saxton
Monumentally bad real estate photos that will make you laugh The captions make it.
Like this one:
Presumably the idea being conveyed here is that if you don’t buy the house, the agent can arrange for you come to significant harm when you least expect it. Submitted by Jaques LeHommes, for which merci.Joel C Rosenberg posted the following about Israel:
Netanyahu makes case for a preemptive strike during major speech on the 40th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a thinly veiled defense of a possible Israeli preemptive strike on Iran during a Knesset commemoration Tuesday of the 40th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War,” reports the Times of Israel."
Speaking of Israel, there were several earthquakes there this week.
Two earthquakes in one day shake northern Israel
"Head of Geophysical Institute: Still no explanation for temblors; no reports of injuries or damage. While no injuries or significant damages afflicted surrounding areas, a string of minor earthquakes have rattled Israel’s North over the past few days – including two on Sunday alone."
Jiro dreamed of sushi but this India seer dreams of gold- and everyone started digging
"NEW DELHI: Archaeologists began excavating an abandoned palace in Daudiakala village, Uttar Pradesh on Friday after a popular Hindu holy man said he dreamt 1,000 tonnes of gold were buried underneath. The dig at the fort of Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh in Daudiakala village, Uttar Pradesh, started after Swami Shobhan Sarkar relayed his vision of the treasure to a federal government minister three months ago."
Jim Nix at Nomadic Pursuits has a slew of gorgeous HDR photos to feast your eyes on, like this one
The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula
"This is one beautiful cathedral, and I am very happy to have found it on my recent trip to Brussels. I passed through Brussels last year and despite shooting quite a bit of the town, I never actually saw this cathedral (or knew about it, honestly). I'm not sure how I missed it, but am glad that I corrected it when I was there a couple of weeks back."
