A Norwegian church is under fire for using the Jewish symbol, but some are coming to its defense
A church in Norway is under fire by local authorities for using the Star of David as part of its public Christmas decorations, which raises the question, why use Jewish symbols in association with a Christian holiday?
Despite the fact that it is apparently common in Northern Europe to associate the Star of David (in Hebrew the Magen David) with Christmas, Irene Heng Lauvsnes, mayor of the Norwegian town of Strand, asked the same question of the Klippen Pentecostal Church, which uses the Jewish symbol prominently in its annual Christmas celebration held in a municipal park.
Lauvsnes insisted that the Star of David is a symbol of the Jews and of the State of Israel, and therefore has no place in a Christmas celebration.
In an editorial appearing in his own newspaper, Selbekk sought to remind everyone that Christmas is a celebration of “a Jewish boy born to a Jewish mother in a Jewish stable in a Jewish city in a Jewish country.”
As such, Jewish symbolism is very much fitting with the true reason for the season.
Only in an ultra-secular society determined to water down religious commemorations to the point that they become mere cultural phenomena could the Jewish connection to Christmas be missed.
This can’t be what Paul meant when he told Gentiles to provoke the Jews to jealousy
Popular Evangelical pastor and broadcaster Rick Wiles recently alleged on an airing of his “TruNews” program that the impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump are an attempt by Jews to “take over America.”
These kinds of antisemitic conspiracies are not new for the well-known Evangelical broadcaster, but in his most recent spew, he has outdone even his nasty self.
The title of the broadcast is a dead giveaway: “Jew Coup: Seditious Jews Orchestrating Trump Impeachment Lynching.” In the hour-long tirade of crap that comes out of the mouth of this pastor, he explains to his vulnerable listeners: “That’s the way the Jews work, they are deceivers, they plot, they lie, they do whatever they have to do to accomplish their political agenda.”
Wiles (better “Wily”) goes on to warn his large Christian following that “People are going to be forced, possibly by this Christmas, to take a stand because of this Jew coup in the United States. This is a coup led by Jews to overthrow the constitutionally elected president of the United States and it’s beyond removing Donald Trump, it’s removing you and me (US Christians). That’s what’s at the heart of it.”
I hesitate to go on, but we need to be aware of the kind of hatred being promoted by these Evangelical leaders. “You have been taken over by a Jewish cabal,” he warns. “The church of Jesus Christ, you’re next. Get it through your head! They’re coming for you. There will be a purge. That’s the next thing that happens when Jews take over a country, they kill millions of Christians.”
I won’t continue. You get the idea. If you think this is an exaggeration, you can see for yourself below.
Every Christian and Jew should be concerned by these dangerous and vicious attacks on the Jewish people which gain a lot of traction in the world of lies, scandals, and hatred promoted over the Internet.
All of this, of course, reflects on Jesus, and you can only imagine what the Jewish people think when an Evangelical regurgitates such venom. O wait, no need to imagine, here is a response from The Yeshiva World, the “most widely read Ultra-Orthodox” Jewish website. Half-way down the page, you can watch a 2-minute summary of the Wiles rant, but I warn you, coat your stomach with Maalox before you do.
Memorial Cards- A way to make memories last forever
Memorial Cards
It is hard to lose a loved one but it has to be accepted that no one stays forever. Only memories can last forever and through memories, we can keep a connection with our past loved ones. When someone passes, It can be hard to let go of the person and the grief as well. The best way to heal and remember them can be through a memorial.
A memorial gives a measure of comfort and it is a way for all the loved ones to cherish the memory of the deceased. In order to make it more special, memorial cards can be a great idea. People will always remember the one who is gone every time they look at the card.
How important are these memorial cards?
Memorial cards are also known as funeral cards and prayer cards. You can customize them any way you wish. They are available in plastic, paper, wood, steel, etc. They usually contain a photo of the deceased with the name, date of birth as well as death and any poem, quote or a few lines which the deceased liked.
Here are a few reasons which will make you think as to why you should choose a memorial card:-
1.As you want the card to reflect the personality of the deceased, you can get it designed in the way which will remind the attendees of the deceased for a lifetime. After all, this is the purpose of the cards.
2.Everyone at a point of time in their lives may want that one who is gone to guide them or help them. A few inspiring words by the deceased printed on the memorial card may act as a guiding path for the close ones in the time of need. You never know what magic a few words can do.
3.The fast life around is squeezing the life out of everyone. The importance of life is forgotten in order to keep up with the pace of society. A memorial card can work as a reminder for everyone that no one is going to live forever. It is the present which demands to be enjoyed. A memorial card can motivate the close ones to create memories that will remain in this world after them, the good they can do to the society which will make them immortal in the form of memories.
Life is a journey towards death, as they say. In this journey, it is important to create memories and to keep the memories of those who are gone. A little effort on your part, of handing over the memorial card, will keep your loved one alive in the form of memories.
'Breakthrough' is based on the inspirational true story of one mother’s unfaltering love in the face of impossible odds 20th Century Fox
The trailer for the forthcoming faith-based film "Breakthrough" broke records with a staggering 40 million views in one week, highlighting God's power, producer DeVon Franklin has said.
When John, Joyce's adopted son, falls through the ice into the freezing waters of a Missouri lake, it seems that all hope is lost. As John lay without any signs of life in excess of an hour, his mother began to fervently pray for any miracle. Miraculously, John's heart starts to beat again, astounding everyone present and defying every scientific prediction. Mere days after the accident, John walked away from the hospital, fully healed.
Franklin, a bestselling author, pastor, and President/CEO of Franklin Entertainment, told The Gospel Herald that within days of its release, the trailer for "Breakthrough" garnered a staggering 40 million views, making it the most successful trailer launch of a faith-based film ever.
"It's unprecedented," Franklin said. "It's just a testament to God's power and proof that people are hungry for hope and inspiration. Beyond a great story, this film is a great entertainment experience that everyone will enjoy."
Franklin told GH he signed on to produce "Breakthrough" after hearing Smith's story while promoting his previous film, "Miracles from Heaven." He was drawn to the story because it's a "love letter to the power of prayer and the power of community."
"Before the accident, John always struggled with his identity," he shared. "It really reaffirmed for him that he is loved by God, he does have a place in this world, and that God does have a plan for his life."
The theme of identity is woven throughout the film, Franklin said, and is evident not just in John's life, but Joyce's, too.
"Joyce is incredibly headstrong and a force of nature, but she also has to come to a moment where she has to really go deep inside herself to figure out who she really is," he explained. "There's a moment in the film which I won't ruin where she goes before God with questions related to her identity. It's truly one of the most powerful moments in the film."
The film also drives home the importance of choosing faith over fear, Franklin said, adding: "This true story is striking a really strong chord with people because they want hope and inspiration, and they also want to be reminded that God is still in the miracle-working business."
And while the Smith family's story is rooted in faith, it resonates with both Christian and secular audiences. Franklin told GH that at an advanced screening for the film, one viewer who doesn't profess any particular faith "cried all the way through the film."
"They said it was the most moving film they'd ever seen, even though they weren't a Christian," Franklin shared. "The reason it resonates with everyone is simply that it's a great story. At the end of the day, we're all human, and we are all God's children."
"This movie really humanizes the struggle of what happens when life hits us unexpectedly, and how do we make it through," he continued. "It's in our toughest moments that we realize that we need others in order to make it through."
NBA superstar Steph Curry serves as an executive producer on the film, marking his first venture into the world of cinema. Franklin told GH that Curry was on board the minute he read the script.
"He was blown away by the story," he shared. "We have an all-star team on this film, between Curry and Rev. Sam Rodriguez, who is also my friend."
"Breakthrough" also stars Marcel Ruiz ("One Day at a Time"), Mike Colter ("Luke Cage"), and Topher Grace ("That 70's Show"). The film is slated to hit movie screens on April 12, 2019.
Christians volunteer because they are giving people. Volunteering, however, is not only a Christian act of devotion to one’s fellow man but also is a good career activity for the volunteer.
There are many reasons why volunteering helps volunteers not only to secure future jobs but also to thrive in their present jobs. First, let’s talk about future jobs. Volunteer experience can positively impress a potential, future employer. This positive impression can help a resume stand out over other resumes. The volunteer experience also can help the volunteer during job interviews.
There are different reasons for this positive bias during resume reading and during the conduct of job interviews. Employers want to hire people who can get along well with the other employees in their organizations' Such employers might reason that people who volunteer their time and effort are also the type of giving people who can get along well, not only with fellow employees but also with customers. As Erma Bombeck once said, “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.”
Good public relations is another reason for such a positive hiring bias. When employees of a company volunteer their time and effort, such volunteer work reflects well on the company that employs them. The public prefers to buy goods or services from companies that they like and trust.
Those who volunteer often feel better about themselves when they follow the Biblical encouragement of 1 Peter 4:10 which reads, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” Volunteering actually helps the volunteer to overcome depression.
There are still more benefits to volunteering. One such benefit is good work references for a resume. It is much easier for a volunteer to get a good reference from a volunteer supervisor than it is for an employee to get a good reference from a work supervisor.
Another advantage of volunteering is the opportunity to increase the network of people who might be helpful in future job searches. Many other volunteers will be working for many other companies that, in the future, might be hiring. Networking is one of the best ways to find a job.
Still another benefit of volunteering is the increased ability to try out new jobs. Instead of acquiring a reputation as a “job hopper,” a volunteer compiles an impressive list of volunteer experiences.
Such volunteer experiences also help volunteers to acquire new and transferable skills while performing their volunteer jobs. Many organizations also will train their volunteers.
Those who are interested in volunteering can search for opportunities by using the internet. There are national databases of volunteer activities that allow searchers to limit their search to their local area.
Volunteer and watch lives improve, including your own.
About the Author Dan Vale has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and he has been a career counselor, a director of a career counseling center, a graduate school instructor, and a career consultant. As the Career Examiner for the Examiner Online Newspaper, he published 270 career-related articles over a seven-year period, during which the time he had multiple endorsements and subscribers, and in April 2016 alone, he had over 19,000 page reads.
You can view his books at his Amazon Author Page.
