Christopher Hitchens, the devoted atheist, diagnosed with cancer, speaks about his own mortality.

Mortality is a topic that concerns us all and the time has come for Christopher Hitchens - well-known atheist - to consider....

From "The Independent" - UK

"It has been only a few short weeks since the English-American journalist, author, professional controversialist and curmudgeon was diagnosed with an especially fierce form of cancer. And even those whom Hitchens has infuriated – and they are legion – will surely find it hard not to be moved by his plight today. He is 61 years old, has three young children, whom he had hoped to see married one day. In video interviews recorded in the last several days with CNN and The Atlantic he looks worn out and quite altered. "

"More people, he reports, are praying for his recovery than for his demise. Others are praying for him to see the light and save himself. He tells Anderson Cooper in the CNN clip that there is one web page that has identified 20 September as "Pray for Hitchens Day". But when prodded by both Cooper and Goldberg on the matter of his perhaps changing his mind on the absence or otherwise of an Almighty, he seizes the opportunity to make clear that no such thing is in the offing. If such a thing were to happen it would be because the illness had rendered him demented. "

Christopher's highlighted comment clearly states that to turn to God is to be demented.  The hard, proud heart does not budge even in the face of the terrors of death. 

More than the insult to Christians, is the insult to Jesus.

John 3:19  "This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil, hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

So, despite the scorning, let's pray that Christopher Hitchens, talented man that he is, will swallow his pride, be honest with himself and with God and come into the light......

For further reading, follow this link. in "The Independent".

The Japanese Mafia (The Yakuza), real-life experiences and a Mafia Member saved and changed by Jesus.

Within the last two months both our daughters with their respective husbands and our 4 grandchildren started new chapters of their lives in foreign (for them) countries.  Jason, Liesl, Joshua and Jesse are now experiencing new things in Auckland, New Zealand and so are  Michael, Isabelle, Josie and Evie also encountering many new things in Tokyo,Japan.  How we miss each one of them!

 

Mingled with the gnawing longing that stretch from the UK to New Zealand and to Tokyo, there are giggles too - such as those triggered by this July post by Isabelle.  It is about Michael's first visit to a gym in Tokyo and the gym staff's responses to his small tattoo. Ever since then, I've been wondering about the Japanese Mafia (The Yakuza) and today was the day I got an opportunity for fact-hunting - thank goodness it was not first-hand!

 

I spotted this bit in "English as second language" which broadened our understanding of Michael's gym-experience, and made us smile all over again.

Although tattoos have become mainstream in Japan as well as around the world it is not uncommon for public onsen (Japanese baths) and some capsule hotels not to admit people with tattoos as was my experience in Japan. Many of the older generation still associate tattoos with the criminal classes which may be the reason you don't see to many people showing them off in public places.

Izo's blog about her hubby's tat sounds  funnier as I read via Google that within the Japanese culture, the mafiosi are known for their intricate full-body tattoos of mythological characters, a sign of initiation into the mafia.  No wonder the Tokyo gym staff was alarmed.  Mind you, Michael has only a very small tattoo....?  

Our son-in-law does not exactly  strike us as a maffia gangster - surely Gordon would never have agreed to one of his daughter being married to a gangster!   Even though the tat  process is now done with modern tattoo guns, it can apparantly  take up to two years to complete - no wonder , just take a second look at those colours and patterns.

Before I type another sentence, please see, (by clicking the link in the next paragraph) please hear, please take onboard that Jesus saves everyone who calls on His Name and everyone who confesses with his mouth or her mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in his heart or her heart that God raised him or her from the dead - every such person will be saved, will not perish, but will receive eternal life. 
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that your confess and are saved.  Romans 10. 
This goes for everyone, whether you are squeaky clean and have to realise this will never be clean enough to buy reconciliation with the Father and eternal life, or whether you are a Mafia member, who are crossing your fingers that you have some good goals even though the means are highly questionable - or whether you just don't care right now. 
I dare you to listen to the following short video.

Please, click on this link to listen to a short video testimony of a previous Mafia member, Antonio Lorenzo, who called on Jesus, who confessed with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and who believed with his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.  What a transformed, liberated life!


A 2-sentence history of the Japanese Mafia:

Their origins can be followed far back as to the year 1612 when men known as kabuki-mono (the crazy ones), came to the attention of local authorities. Their odd clothing, style, distinctive haircuts and anti-social behavior gained the attention and nortoriety of mainstream society in Japan and around the world. 

In Japanese legal terminology, Yakuza organizations are referred to as bôryokudan, literally violence groups. Yakuza members consider this an insult, as bôryokudan is a term which can be applied to any violent criminal. 

The Yakuza is an all men's society, viewing women as a bit weak, cannot fight like men, not born to fight.  Yet, this woman is an exception.

 

Why the Tattoos?

1. It is common to depict their clan's crest.
2. A black ring is tattooed around the arm for each crime they committed.
3. Tattoos is a sign that they were unwilling to submit to the norms and rules of societies.

 14 facts about the Japanese Yakuza.

1. The Yakuza cannot be taken lightly. In Japan there are 110,000 active members divided into 2,500 families.
2. Their influence is more pervasive and more accepted within Japanese society than organised crime is in America.
3. Their influence is world-wide.
4. In addition to their typical acitivities associated with organised crime, they are well ensconced in the corporate world.
5. For the Yakuza it doesn´t matter which country you come from or from which class of society you belong to, it is not too hard to become a member of the 'New Yakuza'
6. The Yakuza are believed to be one of the largest organized crime phenomena in the world and have been around longer than the Sicilian mafia.
7. They mainly make their livings from unlawful activities, such as gambling, drugs, prostitution and extortion.
8. The Yakuza still see their role as that of taking care of those on the margins of society.
9. To a Yakuza member, the most important thing is courage.
10. They are prepared to fight to the death, rather than lose the battle and they must be willing to die for their boss.
11. It is generally believed that most Yakuza members come from poor backgrounds or are on the margins of society.
12. For many poor people the Yakuza have become like a family that protects them.
13. After the earthquake in Kobe the Yakuza arranged financial aid and even a helicopter for local people most effected by it.
14. Many local business see the extortion money as a form of 'tax' and the police are sometimes reluctant to become involved.

4 Parallels between the Japanese Mafia and the Christian Church.

1. The Christian church cannot be taken lightly. Sorry I haven't got the stats on hand. Christianity's influence is world-wide.
2. As far as it concerns the Heavenly Father who sent His only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life,  it doesn´t matter which country you come from or from which class of society you belong to, it is not too hard to become a member of the Christian God's family.
3. The Christian Church has been around longer than the Sicilian mafia.
4. The child of God must be willing to die for their boss, Jesus their Lord and Saviour.

5 differences between Chritianity and The Yakuza - yes, there are some!!

1. The Yakuza see their role as that of taking care of those on the margins of society, but Jesus says we are to love our neighbour, who can be anybody from any layer of society.
2. Christianity cannot be reconciled to unlawful activities, such as gambling, drugs, prostitution and extortion.
3. To a Yakuza member, the most important thing is courage. But, a child of God is called to be like Jesus Christ and love binds all Christian characteristics, including courage, together.
4. The Yakuza are prepared to fight to the death, rather than lose the battle.  But the Christian knows that even if he or she loses a battle, that God is sovereign and, even if it takes time and process, that He will triumph.
5. It is generally believed that most Yakuza members come from poor backgrounds or are on the margins of society.   But there is a Heavenly Father who welcomes anyone from any background in Jesus, not only the poor and marganilised.

 

  

So......just for good measure and as a final PS,
here is an image of the anti-European Black Power Group, from New Zealand!

Jason and Liesl and others from other lands may be able to defend themselves

by claiming they are out of  Africa!

 
 

The Maori culture has a long tradition of tattooing, which dated back centuries until the Europeans outlawed it in the 1800s. These Auckland men belong to the anti-European Black Power Group. Their tattoos are a combination of traditional Maori tattoo art, called moko, and symbols picked up from the U.S. Black Power movement of the 1960s.Once outlawed, the tradition of tribal tattooing has undergone a recent renewal among the Maori people of New Zealand and other Polynesian cultures. Full facial markings, or moko, such as this Maori chief has, are the most common in New Zealand.

Dicovering on a country ramble whether God and His Book is a real bind or real liberty.

Hertfordshire (UK) Rambles - Walk 14 - Essendon and Little Berkhamstead.  
Sunday afternoon 8 August 2010.

Gordon and I have been noticing the very first autumn leaves. You know that niggly-nagly reminder that summer-time does not last for ever.  We both revel in  God's gracious consistencey and faithfulness as, for example, illustrated in the predictablility of the seasons.  How we would love to sit around a campfire and listen to many a real-life story  from you about our God and His love that endures for ever. 

This post is my personal  blow-by-blow account of walking in the Hertfordshire country-side a few days ago.  Really, of how much value would it be to you, to spend time reading it and looking at the pictures, if there are not further and higher inspirations than a late-summer walk in the English county of Hertfordshire.  Gordon and I both wish infintely more for you - than sharing this small adventure. 

So, two days ago, armed with a slim book containing 14 country walks, I set out to  teeny weeny Essendon village, 5 miles East of Hatfield, where we live.  Those first yellow leaves added a sense of urgency, to get going - before summer has vanished the next day!

Though my Gordon's knee does not allow him a long walk, we both hope that as you read and walk and find the clues, you will be pondering your own journey with a Shepherd who is very good, ie Jesus!

"From the church follow the lane which leads to West End, passing pretty houses and cottages, some adorned with the Salisbury crest, until the ancient pub of the same name is reached."

Well!  Do you think I could find that ancient pub in the teeny village - you can guess the answer.  Eventually a young man asked his nan, who has lived in the village for absolutely ages.  The nan's reply, "The pub is now private property"  No wonder!

"Just past the pub turn left down a signposted footpath. 

As you'll notice at a glance, this is not the most detailed map; the one in the book did not even depict the woodlands.   So I was ever so dependent on the words in the guide book and reading them carefully, not jumping to conclusions, not missing the keypoints, discarding wishful thinking - and following the directions.  It is impossible NOT to think of the Word of God and the Psalmist's heart attitude in the 119th.


OK I started off with a bang (after the first false start) and was delighted to see the kissing gate - sadly no-one to kiss right now.

"Go through a kissing gate and walk diagnonally right through the paddock here. Go through a gateway by a stile. Avoid the track coming in from the left and go slightly to the right over a stile to the left of wooden gates. Walk down the hedgerow on the left to another stile to the left of the wooden gate and there a wooden footpath signpost points diagnoally right over the field towards woods."


Straight away, I hit two snags with the instruction:  I found the gate, but no stile!  Instead a notice that shouts:  "Private" - implication:  keep out, keep off .  In the process for looking for this elusive stile, I found myself back at the first kissing gate - having come full small circle!!  NOT so thrilled to see the kissing gate this time, but at least I knew where I was.  Am I ever going to get going on this walk?!  Everything looked so non-descript and overgrown - there was no clarity no assurance, just the same instructions and the obstacle:  "Private" board.  This is what it looked like around there:
 

I took a deep breath and walked through the gate that beckoned me, overcoming the intimiating sign: "Private Property" - and IMMEDIATELY found myself in the right place - what joy - this is right, I'm at last truly on my way - after TWO false starts.  What obvious pictures these could be of those who start to follow Jesus - the Way and the Truth and the Life.
 

"Cross a stile in the fence and turn right along the cross track here which goes along the edge of the woods on the left.  Continue ahead through wooldand along a hede of yew on the left."

Gone is the searching, the stress and confusion and the lostness.  How glad I am that I know what a yew tree looks like!  There they are standing tall, majestically all along the cool, cool forest path as beacons of "your'e on the right way!"
 

"Cross a stile and keep on ahead through more open woodland following the well-trodden path."

  Aah, those yew trees on the left, the clear goal of the stile ahead and  the promise of a well-trodden path ahead - just what the Dr ordered:  a little series of certainties after all the searching.

 While I stick to the (liberating!!) instructions I can skip along the well-trodden path and delight in  the adjacent woodland without getting hopelessly lost.
Coming from South Africa, I deeply appreciate feeling safe and not scared.

"This path goes on downhill through branbles and scrub dotted with young trees, with lovely views over rolling countryside, then descends steeply through more woodland."

"The book" informs and warns - even so, I managed to get one small nettle-sting.  My own expectations overstepped the actual promise of rolling country-side.  In my mind's eye I was picturing ripe corn swaying in the gentle breeze, fields dotted by lonely stately oaks - but, come on!  The book said rolling country-side and views - that's it.   That made me think of God's actual promises and our padded expectations.
Here is a view of BURNT rolling countryside after the beautiful wood, then the strip of footpath overgrown  by untidy brambles and stinging nettles:

mmmmmm...?

It was right here that I again lost my way - terribly!   I had no reference point, doubted whether I could retract my steps, actually knew I couldn't and would get even more lost.   Was I heading for Little Berkhamsted - I was about to find out, not.  Just then, a couple came bouncing along the footpath, out of nowhere!  After 10 years in the UK, we are not ashamed to ask the way, or peer at a map with strangers - if they have time, they seem to enjoy it!  I was given a choice of continuing:  an easier way and an alternative more difficult one.  Friendly, clear, kind, and out of their own experience.  Then, "which part of SA are you?".  I tell them, Port Elizabeth and ask, "Have you been to South Africa?"  "Yes!" We exchange a story each of encountering a dangerous snake on the Garden Route (Puff Adder) and in Natal (Mamba).  And just in case, my fellow ramblers describe the UK snake grass and Adder.  And with a smile, assures me that the UK adder is not life-threatening.  Ahhh for GENTLE England and helpful fellow-walkers!

"Go over a bridge and straight on through a gap in the hedge.  Go ahead up the edge of a field with a partial hedgerow on the right.  At the end of the field go through a gap in the hedge to meet a broad cross track"

Thank you, author and book,  for assuringly definite clues that I'm on the right track.  Clues such as this wooden bridge - and for friendly fellow-pilgrims who know more than I do, patiently and with a twinkle in the eye showing me the way.  Confidence and faith regained I had courage enough to tackle the difficult route.

"Turn left for a short distance and watch carefully for a wooden signpost almost hidden in the woods on the right.  It indicates a bridleway with blue arrows which goes straight on and a footpath marked by yellow arrows wich crosses woodland."

At this point, I met a young family and we exchanged friendly greetings - we all seemed to be following the map and more or less knew our way.   I am reading every line, every clue in the book and make sure I don't go through a gap, cross a stile, follow a sign without checking again in the book.  The Bible gives us examples of kings and people who followed God with their whole hearts.

"Turn right along the narrow footpath through a strip of woodland.  Come out into a huge rolling field with a knot of trees in the middle and turn right up a thick hedgerow on the right"

"A knot of trees in the middle" - yes that is it!

The book said so - and there you have it: a knot of trees bang in the middle of a field, can't miss it, can you?  The author of the book has been here.

My courage to stick to the path grows in relation to these assurances.





A few little observations about well-trodden paths:

1. Bless all those who have gone on the path before.
2. Be generous in adding well-trodd-value to the right path.
3. Deadly paths are also well-trodden.
4. The right path can be pretty overgrown sometimes and it takes some hacking to find it - as you would mine for a diamonds.

Here is a picture of a not such a well-trodden path - adjacent were yummie ripe blackberries packed with VitC, small playful orange butterflies and  a jolly pub called "The Candlestick".

"Turn left past the pub along a pretty lane with lovely country views"

Being a sunny day, families and friends were eating pub-grub at the outdoor picnic tables.  This is all very well and pleasant, but for me, it was a bit embarrassing as the path emerges right there and all the walkers are in full view of the grazers and people-watchers. 

I got ever so close to taking the wrong "pretty lane" because I was feeling a real TWAT for taking so long to read the guide book, in front of those who were grazing and gazing.  I just wanted to walk away as soon as possible, rather than having my nose in the book in the public.  I pocketed my concern for what these strangers thought, had a good look, made sure and thankfully took the right "pretty lane".

"Turn left off the road down the bridleway - a broad rather rutted and muddy track through mixed woodland."

Though a pretty lane, it was long, long, long and I had to concentrate on keeping a focused look-out - and outlook - and not to miss the left gap into the woods.  After what felt like ages, I started to think and fret that I must have missed the gap on the left.  Despondency start to muscle its way in, and self-talk went this way and that:  it's silly to carry on, and just as I was ready to give us and turn back- there was that elusive gap!   A good time as ever for a rest, a drink, a munch and a telephone call to my soulmate.

Notebook, pocket Bible, camera bag and a mossy ex-tree to rest and peace that this is the right way.

I'm now skipping bits of the walk....all on track, until another patch of confusion:

Where's that row of pylons the book talks about - they are nowhere to be seen!  I walk on by faith through nettley and overgrown woodland, worried - looking for an unmarked opening to  the right and a large oak tree - through nettley and overgrown woodland.

"Then cross over a wooden footbridge.."

There....over there...is the wooden bridge!

"On either side of the tracks along most of its lenght are moss-covered banks with sign of old coppiced trees indicating that this route has been a well-used way for hundreds of years.  Ford over a tiny side stream and at a cross track marked by the remians of metal kissing gates ignore the left hand track which leads to a bridge and carry straight on, bearing left after a short distance to cross a second bridge.  Climb the steep bank on the other side and go up through the trees, then climb a stile and go up wooden steps to the road."

There's the old metal gate!!!!  What a delight to trod this well-used ancient path.

And the final bridge - I sat on the steps, read one of the letters from THE BOOK (Ephesians).

How good that we don't have to get ourselves off to  a wood, or some exotic place, but that anywhere we can draw close to God and - joy of all joys - pleasure of all pleasures in His presence.

Thanks for trudging over paddocks, though gaps, alongside woods, through bramble and along pretty lanes - I trust you have spotted many a direct parallel to our journey as Christians on the road marked out for us by God's Word and God's Spirit and bought for us by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ!"  Ephesians 1:3