Embryos, Euphemisms and Eliminations

In recent days horrifying facts have emerged respecting the creation - and elimination - of 'embryos' in our country.

An article in the Belfast Newsletter reported that,  

"More than 4,000 human embryos have been destroyed in Northern Ireland since 2006.  The number of embryos being destroyed has massively increased from just 1 in 2006 to more than 1,200 last year."

Every Christian should be dismayed at these statistics – and their concern will not be dissipated by the 'pseudo-scientific speak' that has been quickly wrapped around this horrific reality.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/ni-destroys-4-000-human-embryos-1-3762407

• Of chief concern is the destruction of human life.

The term "embryo" de-personalises the real issue.  A human embryo is nothing less than a living human being at the earliest stage of its development.

Psalm 139:16 reveals that David existed in the eyes of God while he was in the womb and at that stage when, in today's jargon, he would be classified as "an embryo":

"Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."

The destruction of this embryo would have involved the murder of David! 

It is chilling to think that medical services within our country are saving life with one hand - and slaughtering it with the other. 

• Of great concern is the fact that IVF treatment is being offered on the NHS to same-sex couples.

Most valid is that objection that disapproves of public funds being used to provide this service to same-sex couples,

"who, by the very nature of their lifestyle choice, have determined they are not interested in natural procreation.  Yet, the public are expected to pay for expensive IVF treatment to facilitate reproduction for same-sex couples."

Dr Lindsay Wilson produced a booklet that was published by our 'Government and Morals Committee' in 2006.  Having outlined the procedure involved in IVF treatment, Dr Wilson makes the following observations: 

"We accept that life begins at conception; therefore in the case of IVF life begins outside the body.  There are several issues in the IVF treatment procedure that present us with grave difficulties.

Discarded embryos.  

Once an embryo exists it has the full status of any other person.  To discard it, is to kill it, and this is unacceptable.

Fetal reduction.  

This is another name for the heinous practice of abortion.  God’s Law demands that we do all in our power to preserve life.

Freezing embryos.  

Life has begun at conception; those embryos are alive, though frozen at present.  What, if on the first treatment the woman finds she is expecting triplets and doesn’t want any more children?  What happens to her frozen embryos?  What happens to the frozen embryos if she dies?  There are many thousands of frozen embryos in the United States of America, where no one wants them.  Some Christian couples have offered to adopt an embryo, and have it implanted.  While these people may be commended, legal difficulties could be formidable.  However the practice of producing embryos to freeze them in the first place is where the problem lies."

Our appeal to those in positions of influence within our country is to take a principled stand against this slaughter; to –

"Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction" (Proverbs 31:8). 

London Transport Shows Intolerance Towards Christians

London transport officials have blocked an advertising campaign suggesting homosexuals can turn from their sin and live in the manner in which God intended.

The proposed advertisements from Christian group 'Core Issues Trusts' (which advocates "reparative therapy" to turn homosexuals straight), were slated to run for two weeks starting Monday 9 April on buses serving five routes in London.

Bearing the message, "Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay and proud. Get over it," the advertisements were clearly designed to mimic a recent ad campaign from gay equality group Stonewall that read, "Some people are gay. Get over it."

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who chairs Transport for London, ordered that the advertisements booked by Core Issues be pulled amid public outcry over the campaign.

"London is one of the most tolerant cities in the world and intolerant of intolerance," Johnson said Thursday.  "It is clearly offensive to suggest being gay is an illness someone recovers from and I am not prepared to have that suggestion driven around London on our buses."

Stonewall spokesman Andy Wasley welcomed the decision, saying the group is "delighted" by Transport for London's commitment to diversity.

However, Core Issues' co-director Mike Davidson criticised the move as censorship and said his group had gone through the proper channels to book the ads.

"It is of deep concern that there can only be one point of view and that is the point of view of individuals who are determined to push through gay marriage and apparently believe that homosexuality cannot be altered in any possible way," he said. 

"This is a disturbing development."

The advertising campaign was also backed by Christian group Anglican Mainstream and cleared by industry regulator the Advertising Standards Authority.

Core Issues' website states that their organisation is "a non-profit Christian initiative seeking to support men and women with homosexual issues who voluntarily seek change in sexual preference and expression."

Evidently, London is prepared to tolerate the promotion of the perversion that is sodomy, but completely unprepared to tolerate the biblical message that reaches out in love to sinners and points them to Christ as the only Saviour. 

The 'Speaker' Who Spoke Out Of Order

Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, has annoyed MPs by using the Queen’s diamond jubilee to ‘lecture’ her on sodomy.

The Queen was in Westminster Hall to speak at an event in celebration of her 60-year reign.

In an introduction speech that lasted almost as long as the Queen’s own speech, Mr Bercow called Her Majesty our “kaleidoscope Queen” and gave a thinly-veiled plug for gay marriage.

Even the Prime Minister – who personally backs gay marriage – was caught on camera looking irritated by the Speaker’s brash actions.

Other distinguished members of the Westminster Hall audience visibly cringed at his words.

Mr Bercow is the president of gay rights group, Kaleidoscope Trust. Following his speech the group issued a press statement welcoming the choice of words.

The group said: “We congratulate the Speaker on his words,” adding: “we offer our own tribute to the kaleidoscope Queen.”

A spokesman for the Speaker later said that his reference to the “kaleidoscope Queen” was “not necessarily about the Kaleidoscope Trust”.

Parliamentarians were angered by the Speaker’s antics. One senior MP said: “It was too ghastly for words.

As usual with Bercow it was all about him and his own political obsessions. It was completely ill-judged and rather embarrassing.”

Another MP said: “The speaker is entitled to his views on gay rights but he is not entitled to lecture the Queen on the issue when he is addressing her on our behalf at an event to mark her jubilee.”

As for a Biblical verdict on this crass behaviour?

Romans 1:28 and 32 suggest themselves:

"And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

Murder of the New Born

A paper in the Journal of Medical Ethics, entitled, 'After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?', argues that killing a newborn baby should be "permissible in all the cases where abortion is, including cases where the newborn is not disabled."

The authors of this paper, Alberto Giubilini of the University of Milan and Francesca Minerva of Melbourne University, argue that,

(i) "both fetuses and newborns do not have the same moral status as actual persons";

(ii) "the fact that both are potential persons is morally irrelevant";

(iii) and thirdly, they write that, "adoption is not always in the best interest of actual people."

To summarise:

• newborn babies are not actual people, ....

• therefore, killing them is not immoral.

No matter how this policy is 'dressed up,' the brutal reality is that it is an argument pro killing babies.

Of course the arguments marshalled by these ethicists' are not new ... just an extension of the current argument that undergirds the murder of babies within the womb to cater for their killing outside of the womb.

If we accept the ideas on personhood that are held by those who advocate abortion, there is no ethical reason to stop carrying out abortions at the arbitrary point of birth.

The moment we assume the dangerous position of setting ourselves up as the arbiters of who is human and who isn’t, this is the calamitous yet inevitable end. Once we declare that all human life is not sacred, the rest is just drawing random lines in the sand.

As one author correctly pointed out,

"An ethicist's job is like a magician’s. The main job of both is to distract you from the obvious. The magician uses sleight of hand to pretend to make people disappear. But when ethicists do it, people disappear for real."

The suggestion from these ethicists - repulsive in the extreme - actually highlights the absurdity of the pro-abortion argument.

In the UK, in most cases, it is only legal to have an abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy (provided certain criteria are met). But this time limit is nothing more than a line drawn in the sand – a compromise between pro-lifers and their pro-choice opponents. It's a moral fudge simply because we can't agree on when a human being becomes a human being.

This is why these ethicists have taken the pro-abortion argument to its logical extreme, by drawing their line in the sand after birth.

The only totally logical response – and that can't include the 24-week fudge – is to be altogether anti-abortion.

To agree with Scripture, in other words. cf. our previous article on Abortion.

Petitions in Support of Marriage

Several petitions have been launched online to provide Christians with an opportunity to register their opposition to the Government's current plans to redefine marriage so as to permit homosexuals to marry.

(1) One is from the Coalition for Marriage:

While this one is certainly "not up to concert pitch" in articulating the evangelical Protestant position, you may wish to support it on the basis that it provides a basic definition of marriage by adding your signature here:

http://c4m.org.uk

The identification statement of the Coalition for Marriage (C4M) reads:
"The Coalition for Marriage is an umbrella group of individuals and organisations in the UK that support traditional marriage and oppose any plans to redefine it.

The Coalition is backed by politicians, lawyers, academics and religious leaders. It reaches out to people of all faiths and none, who believe that marriage is the most successful partnership in history and should not be redefined.

The Coalition draws upon a substantial body of evidence showing that marriage – as it has been understood for thousands of years – is beneficial to society, and that changing its definition would undermine that benefit.

The Coalition’s petition demonstrates that there is broad public opposition to redefining marriage. The Coalition is committed to a reasoned and courteous debate on this issue, and will highlight any intimidation or intolerance shown to supporters of traditional marriage."

(2) Another is from Christian Voice:

Again, you may wish to support it by adding your signature here:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/defendmarriage

Are People Born Gay?

If we were to make our judgment on this question based upon what we are being told in the news media, our answer would be "Yes."

However, the news media is by no means a reliable dispenser of truth.

Rather, what does the Bible say on this issue?

And - as an interesting aside - does what the Bible says square with verifiable findings in the scientific field?

These were the issues examined by Ian Brown in a message delivered last evening to a group of approximately 200 young people in Tandragee Free Presbyterian Church.

Audio for the meeting will soon be available - as will notes from the message in the form a a downloadable PDF file.

Presbyterian Moderator In Error on Homosexuality

When asked if homosexual people would be condemned to hell by God, Rev Ivan Patterson, current Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, gave this reply:

“No I don’t believe that ... I have no reason to believe that this is the case.”

Rather incredible, which is why I have found it important to provide this link where you can check his comment:

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/church_doesn_t_back_gay_cure_1_3445910

INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW MODERATOR

This statement appears even more unbelievable given the fact that when Rev Patterson was interviewed upon his appointment as Moderator, he:

- described his ministry as “conservatively biblical with a strong evangelical outlook,” adding,

“I get great satisfaction from helping people and would love them to become more knowledgeable about the God of the Bible and the implication of that for their lives.”

- announced that he had chosen ‘The Word is Life’ as his theme for his year as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, with special reference to the current background of the 400th anniversary of the publication of the Authorized King James version of the Bible.

- and made this further statement, “As a reformed church, the Bible is central to us. I'll be thinking more about the Word of God and what that means as we try to respond to the teachings of Christ in the Bible in our society and in our lives.”

SO WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

What the Bible says about homosexuality is unmistakable. Any person with a “conservatively biblical and evangelical outlook,” understands from the pages of Scripture that homosexuality is:

- unnatural and depraved (Romans 1:25-28);

- an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13);

- a sin that closes the door of heaven to those who practise it (1 Corinthians 6:9&10),

- has the seeds of destruction within itself, and is certain to attract divine judgement (Genesis 19, Romans 1:27&32, Jude 7).

This divine judgment is reserved for all unrepentant sinners - hell.

It would be very interesting to discover exactly how Rev Patterson interprets the final biblical text mentioned in the list above – Jude 7:

“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

ERROR COMPOUNDED

To compound his error on the day, Rev Patterson insisted, on the subject of reparative therapy: “I am not going to say that nobody can change but I don’t want them to go through some kind of psycho-therapy process.”

Why is he so reluctant to plainly state that homosexuals can - and do - change?

The Bible is crystal clear on this issue. It holds out hope of a supernatural change in the words of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Why did Rev Patterson not take the opportunity afforded to him on his radio interview to wax eloquent on this exciting news? Or at least display true grace by affirming it?

GLAD NOT TO BE CONNECTED WITH THIS FALSEHOOD

Statements ‘from the top of the church’ such as those by this Presbyterian Moderator make us increasingly thankful for the separated testimonies that exist in our country; fellowships of God’s people who are determined not to sidestep or deny the consistent witness of Scripture against the sin of homosexuality, and who proclaim the escape route from this - and all other iniquities - repentance from sin and faith in Christ alone.

Meantime, I wait to hear any expressions of dissatisfaction, disapproval, or forthright denial, of Rev Pattersons’ unbiblical comments on the subject of homosexuality from within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

I have the impression I may be waiting for an inordinately long time ... .

Abortion Clinics Given 'Green Light' for TV Adverts

Private clinics that carry out abortions for profit have received the go-ahead to promote their services with TV and radio adverts.

Until now, restrictions have meant abortion clinics can advertise their services only if they are not run for profit.

Advertising watchdogs have discussed liberalising the rules for several years.

However, their plans to go ahead were delayed in 2009 following a fierce public backlash.

And the only advert that has ever been aired on TV, by charity Marie Stopes International in 2010, it attracted more than 4,500 complaints.

Recent pressure to change the rules came from the Broadcast Committee on Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the Committee on Advertising Practice, bodies made up of advertising industry insiders and commercial broadcasters, who critics say have a financial interest in encouraging advertising.

The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice said it was changing the regulations to be policed by the ASA following a public consulation, suggesting the Department of Health had been invited to respond, but had not done so.

Critics say the reforms risk leaving the UK with among the most liberal advertising rules in the world.

Pro-life campaigners have reacted with dismay, saying the move would trivialise human life by putting the choice to have a termination on a par with buying washing-up liquid or cereal.

• Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is understood to be ‘very unhappy’ about the move, but cannot override the ruling from the independent advertising regulator the Advertising Standards Authority.

• ‘The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children’ argues the “pernicious” change will allow “abortion-peddlers” to “poison our culture.”

Dr Dan Boucher, of the charity CARE, said:

“The idea that abortions should be freely advertised on TV along with toothpaste and breakfast cereal says something very sad about the way in which the values of our consumer culture, of acquiring and disposing, are penetrating our way of life generally, even our approach to life itself.”

• Dr Peter Saunders, chief executive of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said:

“Having an abortion is a deeply traumatic experience that can lead to further medical and physiological complications. A 30-second advert is not the place to discuss and promote this medical procedure.”

• Conservative MP Nadine Dorries, who is campaigning to change the law so that women must be referred for independent counselling before a termination, said:

“What this is actually going to do is desensitise what abortion is and the seriousness of it, and making it sounds like it’s as easy as having your lunch.

Broadcasters will be making profit through advertising revenue off the back of a service which ends life. It’s appalling.”

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Many Scripture passages teach us not to deliberately kill innocent human beings (cf. Exodus 23:7; Proverbs 6:16,17; Revelation 21:8; 22:15; Matthew 15:19,20; and Romans 13:8-10).

In addition, please consider these specific passages.

• Psalm 106:37,38: Israel was polluted with blood because the people shed the innocent blood of their “sons and daughters.”

But unborn babies are “sons and daughters.” What then is the condition of our land when over 25 million “sons and daughters” have been legally killed?

• Matthew 2:16: Herod is considered wicked because he slew the male children in Bethlehem.

Luke 2:12,16 calls such children “babes.”

But Luke 1:41,44 also calls unborn children “babes,” so how can it be acceptable to kill them?

• Hosea 13:16; 2 Kings 8:12: When children or infants are dashed to pieces, it is a great tragedy to any nation. Yet unborn babies are children or infants, and in our nation they are dashed to pieces by the millions!

• Acts 7:19; Exodus 1:16-18: Pharaoh commanded that Israelite “sons” or “men children” be killed as soon as they were born.

But these same terms are used for unborn babies. Would it have been acceptable for Pharaoh to have had abortions performed to kill the babies? Is it any less wicked if people today do it?

Tesco Reports Slump in Profits over Last Six Weeks

According to 'Marketwatch,' Tesco PLC warned today (Thursday, 12 January 2012) of minimal profit growth in fiscal 2013 as sales in the U.K. continue to slump and the company is forced to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in trying to boost revenue.

The news sent shares in the retailer down more than 10% in opening trade and at 0807 GMT, Tesco shares were 40 pence lower, down 10.3% at 346 pence.

Tesco reported a 2.3% decline in U.K. same-store sales in the six weeks to Jan. 7, excluding VAT and fuel, a deterioration on third quarter sales which fell 0.9% from a year earlier, despite a major price-cutting campaign.

But while its U.K. difficulties hamper sales at home, its international operations continue to grow, and overall sales rose 5.2%, buoyed by rising petrol prices and continued strong growth in Asia.

Chief Executive Philip Clarke said he was disappointed with the U.K. sales, which were below the company's expectations, particularly because last year's sales were already crimped by heavy snow and transport disruptions.

He said the company planned to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in improving the shopping experience, and will cut capital expenditure on opening large stores to focus on smaller formats and improving already-open stores.

The dire Christmas trading in the U.K. means Tesco's trading profit for fiscal 2012 will be at the low end of consensus although underlying profit before tax and earnings per share will be broadly in line with market expectations, the company said.

However, with substantial investment in the U.K. in fiscal 2013, the company now expects trading profit to show only minimal growth. Chief Finance Officer Laurie McIlwee said the market had been expecting trading profit growth of around 10% in fiscal 2013.

Tesco has already invested GBP500 million in its Big Price Drop campaign, a high-profile cost cutting campaign that has cost the company any growth in U.K. trading profit for the second half of 2012.

Meanwhile ....

J. Sainsbury PLC launched a branded price matching campaign and a new "Live Well For Less" slogan which helped the U.K.'s third largest supermarket chain to report Wednesday a 1.2% rise in third-quarter same-store sales, excluding VAT and fuel.

Meanwhile, Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC replied with several cost-saving Christmas options and Monday posted a 0.7% sales rise over the festive season.

Despite better performances, after the Tesco update Thursday Sainsbury shares fell 5.7% to 285 pence and Morrisons shares were down 4.6% at 290 pence.

Tesco CEO Clarke insisted the Big Price Drop campaign was necessary, and blamed the sales decline over Christmas on Tesco's decision not to bombard its customers with money-off coupons, a strategy which some rivals chose.

Alongside the price focus, Clarke said the company will invest hundreds of millions of pounds in improving in-store service and product ranges - in a tacit admission that the company has fallen behind its rivals in the grocery race.

He said the decision to slow down the opening of large superstores, which dedicate massive floor-space to underperforming non-food products, is predicated on a shift to investment in online sales, which can showcase Tesco's entire range of food and non-food without the cost of large stores.

He said the number of store openings planned wouldn't change, implying Tesco remains focused on opening smaller format stores which play to consumers demand for smaller, more frequent and local shopping trips.

Tesco's efforts to lift sales in the U.K. have also been hampered by the company's large exposure to non-food, which has been hit by the decline in spending seen across the retail market for the last year.

Still, Clarke said that while non-food same-store sales continue to decline, the rate had slowed and the trend was improving.

Tesco's U.K. operations accounted for around two thirds of the group's sales and profits last year and, while it has struggled at home, its international business continues to grow.

And Clarke said the cut backs in capital expenditure planned for fiscal 2013 wouldn't affect its international expansion plans.

_________________________________________________________________

COMMENT:

Naturally, we didn't expect any nod of acknowledgement to the fact that, given Tesco's well publicised decision to sponsor homosexual causes (Pride London 2011 and World Pride 2012), many Christians have decided not to do their principal weekly shop in their stores for the foreseeable future.

It is quite remarkable that, despite Tescos best efforts to promote sales and in spite of the extremely favourable weather our country has enjoyed over the course of the past six weeks, the profits of this 'powerful company' have sustained a significant 2.3% decline and 10% has been marked off their shares.

Not that this is a time for us to boast: it is a reminder to us, as well as to Tescos and the vocal minority of sodomite activists within its ranks who crave its financial muscle to be flexed in their interests, that, "The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men" (Psalm 11:4).

Let sinners - and saints - learn to tremble before Him.

Adulterous Liaisons in Northern Ireland

According to 'extramarital dating sites,' the start of any year is prime time for men and women "to sign up to commit adultery."

One such site predicted an increase of 300% in new members at the beginning of 2012. The same site already boasts 43,000 Irish members.

An article carried by the 'Belfast Telegraph' (Thursday, 5 January 2012) outlined the case of one female who signed up to pursue the sin of adultery four years ago - "because she felt that after 13 years and a child together, her relationship had 'lost its spark'."

Since April past she has been engaged in a full-blown 'affair.'

However, despite the attraction of adultery, she fondly imagines that her sin will have little consequences:

"I've no doubt he loves me and I love him dearly. I don't want to break up our family and I couldn't break his heart by walking away ... .

I don't feel guilty because I can compartmentalise the two things. Being discovered scares men, but I believe that what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over."

Those who maintain these websites and so cash in on the sins of others (cf. Romans 1:32) clearly see no need for repentance. One spokesperson advanced:

"With websites the fate element is removed: people have to fill in a lengthy profile and face a lot of barriers. We're forcing people to question what they're doing in a way they wouldn't do in real life."

In case they believe their own excuses - and really are as morally bankrupt as the adulterers they facilitate, God's Word delivers a pertinent paragraph, or two:

"My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!"

(Proverbs 5:1-13).

And again:

"Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness" (Proverbs 30:20).