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Different churches have differing beliefs. Pershore Christadelphians encourage everyone to study the Bible for themselves. Explore these web pages for views on various topics. The big day has come and gone! We may well have eaten too much, enjoyed giving and receiving lots of nice presents and seen family and friends this time of year. It's a time of fun and festivity for many people, it's also a time when shops make a lot of money in the mass commercialism in the run up to the event, and in the sales afterwards. But why? What's special about Christmas? Many people, in answer to this question, will say it's to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Israel and the Middle East seem to constantly dominate our news agenda. Recent events between Israel and the Palestinians are among others in numerous skirmishes between the 2 sides. Many consider the situation to be impossible to resolve. Others try, but have so far failed to produce any lasting peace. But how has the situation become so bad? Why did the fighting start in the first place and will it ever be resolved? The Bible tells us that God’s plan is centred on the nation of Israel. God's plan will result in lasting world peace, and we have the chance to be part of it, if we want to be. How many thoughts does the average human think each day, do you suppose? Estimates range between 12,357 and 60,000. No doubt that variation reflects variations in how you count thoughts - or how thoughtful someone is! Driving to work one day, I was struck by a news report on the radio. A science professor from the University of California Berkeley was talking about their latest experiments. Work has been undertaken to identify the thoughts that, though unspoken, race around inside our heads. How would you define pride? The following examples show the different aspects of the word as we find them in the New Testament (definitions from Strong's Concordance): Mark 7:22 arrogant, haughty, “appearing above others” 1 Timothy 3:6 envelop with smoke, inflate with self-conceit” from a word meaning “to slowly consume without flame” 1 John 2:16 pride of life: “self-confidence, boasting” Biblically, then, pride is shown by being self-confident, arrogant, and proud in one's own achievements, boasting or thinking it . An attitude that says “I did it my way”. Based on Genesis 7:7-24 Natural disasters are destructions, not by man, to vulnerable men (but additional suffering can sometimes result from the foolish acts of people). There are many examples in the Bible. Reading through Genesis, the flood is the first we encounter. The details are recorded in Genesis 7:11 and Genesis 18,22 . Why did God flood the earth? See Genesis 6:1-7 . The world was wicked in God's sight, and He cleansed the it of sin. In Luke 17:26 , Jesus says the world around us will be in the same state when he returns. We held a special lecture on this subject from Richard Palmer, Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Birmingham, and Head of Nanoscale Physics Research Laboratory. Richard helped us understand that the Bible is a very scientific book, ahead of it's time and in harmony with science! The slides from the lecture are attached. Tumultuous events have been a feature of our world so far in 2011: January – Tunisian government falls February - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns; 6.3 earthquake - Christchurch, New Zealand March - 9.1 earthquake and tsunami - Japan. Over 15,000 killed, 8,000 missing. Emergencies at four nuclear power plants; Libyan uprising, no-fly zone April - Royal Wedding (a bit of light relief! So Many Views! If we turn to philosophy or religion, we find there are so many different views on the Meaning of Life. From the vast array of opinions, how do we know which one is right? Here are some examples: Frankyl: Hoping in an ultimate meaning Tillich: Being yourself Islam: Earthly life is merely a test, determining one's afterlife Aristotle: Living virtuously Christianity: we're all going to heaven? If you want to know what your prospects are for surviving death and ending up in a better place, this is an article you need to read. But be prepared to be surprised! Are you immortal? Does the Bible teach of the soul? It may surprise you to know that it certainly doesn't and that this has been frankly admitted by numerous theologians. It's not just the opinion of the Christadelphians, although we have been completely unable to find that teaching in the Bible. Do you ever feel the need to get away from all the pressing problems, and all the pressures, and just go away? To leave one of those notices on you office door, or on the front door of your house, which tells everyone that you're not available? Too Accessible Nowadays it's harder to get away. Mobile phones, email, social networks, and laptop computers make people accessible even in previously remote places - like mountain tops, or deep ravines. That can be a good thing, of course, but it can mean that we seldom, if ever, find uninterrupted time to think seriously.The Real Christmas
Peace in the Middle East?
Mindreading no longer science fiction?
Some thoughts on pride
How do we explain Natural Disasters?
Has Science disproved the Bible?
What is the world coming to?
What is the Meaning of Life?
Heaven, Hell or Somewhere Else?
Gone Fishing