JE NE SUIS PAS CHARLIE HEDBO (I AM NOT CHARLIE HEDBO)

I am a staunch defender of free speech. As a consequence of the ministry I work for I am probably more of a defender of freedom of expression than most. But I am no Charlie Hedbo.

In eight years of ministry, having posted thousands of advertising displays with Scriptural content on Canada’s public transit systems, Bus Stop Bible Studies has not received a single complaint from any other religious group. This is how freedom of expression is supposed to be. Respectful.

There is a distinction between freedom of expression and freedom of deliberate offence. When the Atheist Bus Campaign ran in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada several years ago many were offended – we were not. When the Humanist Association of Ottawa proclaimed there is ‘probably no God’ and ran into resistance from Ottawa Transit we publicly defended their right to express their opinion.

On page A6 of today’s National Post [January 8, 2015] there was a reproduction of a Charlie Hedbo cartoon of Jesus sodomizing God the Father. The distinction between this cartoon and the Atheist Bus Campaign should be obvious; one is a depiction intended to offend the other is an expression of opinion. The latter is defended by the Canadian Charter of Rights, the former is not.

A red cape does not stop a bull, it simply goads it into charging. To quote the apostle Paul, “…for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Charlie Hedbo is a professional goader. When the response from Islamic fundamentalists is a virtual forgone conclusion, is it reasonable to ask the questions: Did the Charlie Hedbo staff not just commit mass-suicide? Were these not evil people murdered by evil people? Is there anything defensible in the actions of the murdered or the murderers?

Christie Blatchford commented in the same edition of the paper, “I only wish there were more for whom nothing — nothing — was sacred, and properly so, because nothing is. But we aren’t all Charlie Hebdo, alas, and never will be.” To Ms. Blatchford I would say, your freedom of thought and opinion are sacred and no one has the right not to be offended by your thoughts and opinions. Conversely, your right to intentionally offend is not sacred nor defensible. I hope you never get your wish!

All this jumping on Charlie Thebod’s bandwagon reminds me of what Paul said in Romans 1, “They invent ways of doing evil…” and “…they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

When there is a sudden and bloody mayhem the automatic response is for the body to start pumping adrenalin. My mind goes into overdrive. As a Christian I struggle to come to grips with my own feelings surrounding these tragic events. The taking of life, any life, is a tragedy. As long as there is life there is hope. Should I mourn the loss of these retched souls any more than the millions of lost who die every day?

CAUTION: If you are looking for samples of Charlie Hedbo’s cartoons on-line they are extremely offensive/pornographic.

PS One incidental thought… A distinction between Islam and Christianity; my God does not need defending – He defends me!

JESUS – THE VICTIM OF A HOME INVASION!

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If you read the Bible with any frequency you will probably be familiar with having a sudden revelation, a trivial comment that all of a sudden seems to be of great theological importance to you. I had one of those moments yesterday.

We read in Mark 2:1-65 NLT When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

We all know the story; it ends with the man walking home with his friends, his mat tucked under his arm.

What I have overlooked all these years is the significance of the first verse, ‘When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home.’ Capernaum was (is) a fishing town on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. After John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus ‘moved’ from Nazareth to Capernaum. This was Jesus’ new home base. This is where Jesus ‘returned’ to.

Depending on the translation you choose, the word ‘home’ in Mark 2:1 is variously translated as ‘home’ or ‘the house’. It seems apparent from Matthew 12:47 that Jesus family had moved to Capernaum also, so it seems reasonable that the context is that Jesus was living in the family home. Capernaum is where Jesus called his first disciples, healed in the synagogue, where Peter lived, the disciples’ destination before they got caught in the storm, etc.

When I was in Israel a couple of years ago I had the opportunity to have a quiet walk along the beach, the very beach Jesus would have walked along so frequently. I digress…

The key in all of this, the big thing I have consistently overlooked in this act of vandalism recorded in Mark 2:4, this ‘home invasion’, was that this was Jesus’ home they were invading!

Imagine having a house full of guests – so many that they’re sitting cross-legged on the floor, on the window ledges, standing outside on the deck leaning in to hear what you’re saying – when all of a sudden there’s a pounding on the ceiling, lumps of hardened clay, straw and plaster dust falling down on everyone, these four guys ripping the roof off your house to let in their quadriplegic friend.

It seems as though Jesus, unlike everyone else there, was delighted this intrepid-five showed up.

As I was reading about this home invasion another verse came to mind, Luke 16:16, a passage I had never understood before (I’m still not certain I’ve got it quite right) started to make sense, “Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.”

As I marry Mark 2:4 and Luke 16:16, I think of the countless exploits of nameless individuals who forced their way into the Kingdom, Jesus commending them for assaulting Him with their faith.

Seeking Justice for God’s People – a Biblical Perspective

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“For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing.” Isaiah 61:8 NLT

The following narrative’s origin, while birthed out of an actual dispute amongst Christians and Christian organizations, does not pertain to any specific situation. Rather, I have endeavoured to take a fresh, Biblical look at what Christians should do when Christian to Christian negotiations fail and justice has not been served. The fundamental question being addressed here is, “Should Christians take other Christians to court; specifically secular courts?”

As you read through these thoughts please do so with your Bible at hand.

While grappling with this issue I have had to contend with supposedly Bible-based and/or church traditions, and with serious questions such as “How can God possibly be glorified through this?” Seeing as it is the most important, I will try and answer the last question first.

I have struggled through many sleepless nights trying to discern whether actions being taken are appropriate. Yet, it was when I was challenged by this most fundamental question of all, “How can God be glorified through this situation?”, that I realized the course of action decided upon could and hopefully will bring glory to God.

I have become convinced that God can be glorified through difficult and sometimes controversial situations by:

Being obedient to God’s leading as we discern it through His Word, prayer, the Holy Spirit, affirming circumstance and His people (none being acted upon in isolation of others).
How we conduct ourselves in any specific matter. Holding one’s head high (as in trusting God), not falling into the trap of spreading rumours, exaggeration or speaking untruths, etc.
Opposing and exposing evil.
Seeking justice, especially for the orphan and widow.
Carefully and faithfully upholding what we learn in Scripture and applying it in context.
Not becoming judgemental. God is the judge and will have the final say in any given situation.
Trusting God to defend one’s cause when others falsely accuse or spread lies, rumours and innuendos.
Praising God and giving Him glory regardless of any specific outcome.

I further believe that when a Christian(s) finds him or herself in an adversarial situation he or she can wave the banner of godliness and be an encouragement and example to those who have likewise been oppressed and/or wrongfully treated by others within the body of Christ. The more I have meditated on these matters the more I have become convinced that those who are unjustly treated need to be defended in the presence of God and man. It is a serious relinquishing of Biblically ordained responsibilities by Church leaders who fail to seek and uphold justice. God did not call us to be dish rags – simply wrung out and thrown away. No! God, Himself is the greatest proponent of justice – Jesus sacrifice is absolute evidence of that. Peacemaking [Matthew 5:9] should not be confused with seeking justice [Isaiah 1:17]. The difference is often overlooked to the detriment of the church.

This brings us to the second major topic, contending with traditions.

Two key passages of Scripture are repeatedly quoted in situations where there is conflict within the body of Christ; Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 6:1-7. In both instances as I have read and re-read these passages in context, a whole new understanding has been realized. The importance of having a Berean attitude is of paramount importance. Verses or passages of Scripture read and quoted in isolation and out of context can establish dangerous precedents not supported elsewhere in Scripture.

The narrative in Matthew 18 actually starts off with disciples asking Jesus who will be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven and ends with Jesus telling Peter the parable of the unmerciful servant; the issue of ‘if a brother sins against you’ is placed in the middle of this extensive narrative. Having reflected on my personal experiences, I found myself more and more identifying with the servants in verse 31, “So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.” In 1 Corinthians Paul chastises the church for their gross behaviour including sexual immorality, etc. One of the offenses that grieved Paul was taking their brothers to court over ‘trivial matters’ (6:2). The words ‘trivial matters’ must not be overlooked and be used as an argument against taking appropriate action in the secular judicial system when matters of a serious legal or criminal nature arise.

Paul appealed more than once to the legal system, exercising his right to defend himself under Roman law (Acts 16:37–40; 18:12–17; 22:15–29; 25:10–22). In Romans 13 Paul taught that God had established legal authorities for the very purposes of upholding justice, punishing wrongdoers, and protecting the innocent.

The following are just a selected few of the hundreds of passages of Scripture concerning God’s perspective on seeking, applying and upholding justice:

The significance of justice

Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Psalm 89:13 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.”

Proverbs 1:2-5 “To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion— a wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,…”

Seeking justice

You will note that there are thirteen imperatives in the following two passages.

Isaiah 1:16-17 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

Psalm 82:2-4 “How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.”

Applying justice

Deuteronomy 16:18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.”

The Colon [ : ] and the Charter. The most important punctuation mark in Canada

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CHARTER+of+RIGHTS.jpg

In 1960, a pivotal moment in Canadian history took place. It was the year when the Canadian Bill of Rights, officially titled “An Act for the Recognition and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,” came into existence. This remarkable document was not only voted on but also signed into law by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. And right above his signature, in a powerful statement, Diefenbaker boldly proclaimed:

“I am a Canadian, a free Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship God in my own way, free to stand for what I think is right, free to oppose what I believe is wrong, free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and for all mankind.”

These words encapsulated the essence of what it meant to be a Canadian—a citizen of a nation that cherishes and safeguards individual liberties. The Canadian Bill of Rights, though partially absorbed into the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, still holds legal weight to this day. However, the Charter has surpassed its predecessor in significance. It now proudly stands as an integral part of the Constitution, the highest law of the land—a testament to Canada’s unwavering commitment to upholding the rights and freedoms of its people.

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In the realm of legal documents, even the smallest details can hold immense significance. Such is the case with the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Interestingly, these two foundational texts share an almost identical introductory clause. It begins with the profound words: “Whereas Canada is founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law:”

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What sets this clause apart is its concluding punctuation mark—a simple colon [:]. This unassuming symbol holds the key to understanding the profound nature of the text that follows. It signifies that the introductory clause is not a complete sentence but rather a contextual introduction to the subsequent list of articles. Everything that unfolds after those two vertically aligned dots must be comprehended in the light of the words that precede them. The absence of this contextual foundation renders the articles of the Charter devoid of meaning. For instance, the recognition of the rule of law is indispensable for the enforcement of any section within the Charter.

While commonly referred to as the preamble, labeling this clause as such undermines its true essence. It is the very heart and soul of the Charter—an embodiment of its principles and values. The heading that precedes this introductory clause amplifies its importance, boldly declaring: “CONSTITUTION ACT, 1982 (80) PART I CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS.” This proclamation further solidifies the foundational nature of the introductory clause, emphasizing its indispensable role in shaping the Canadian legal landscape.

Imagine a charter as a powerful document, a grant of authority that bestows rights upon its recipient. In this case, it is the Federal and Provincial Governments of Canada who formally recognize and acknowledge the recipient’s prerogative to exercise those specified rights. However, it’s important to note that the granter retains superiority or sovereignty, while the recipient acknowledges a limited or inferior status within the relationship. This historical understanding of charters still holds true in modern usage.

Now, let’s delve into the controversy surrounding the introductory clause of the Charter, with its pivotal colon. Interestingly, the controversy primarily revolves around recognizing the supremacy of God and not, except for anarchists, the rule of law. Here’s the intriguing dilemma: regardless of its controversial nature, acknowledging the supremacy of God is the most crucial and fundamental aspect of the Charter. Ignoring it simply because it sparks debate would undermine the Charter itself. Just as removing recognition of the rule of law invalidates it, so too does the omission of God’s supremacy. It is through God’s supremacy that the rights listed within the Charter gain their context, and it is the rule of law that upholds and protects these very rights.

The statement affirming the supremacy of God remains etched into the original document, signed into law by Queen Elizabeth II and accepted on behalf of all Canadians by then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau on April 17, 1982. It holds a permanent place within the Charter, as indelible as the ink used to print it. Even if there were attempts to remove God’s supremacy, it would require physically altering the document itself. No amendment, no matter how widely sanctioned by provinces and territories, could erase it. As long as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms exists, the interpretation of God’s supremacy must endure. In fact, back in 1999, NDP MP Svend Robinson proposed the removal of the mention of God from the preamble, but his efforts led to his relegation to the backbenches.

Some argue that recognizing the supremacy of God contradicts Section 2 of the Charter, which upholds freedom of thought, conscience, opinion, and religion. However, this is not the case. The Charter specifically grants the right to freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Similarly, one is free to hold the opinion that the Charter may have flaws, but it does not grant the lawful right to ignore it. In a notable Alberta Court of Appeal case, Justice Belzil emphasized that the preamble of the Charter acknowledges Canada’s Christian heritage, and courts should not misuse Section 2’s right to freedom of religion to erode the traditions rooted in this heritage.

The concept of the “separation of Church and State” is often invoked in discussions, but it is important to note that this is an American idiom and is frequently used out of context. In Canada, the situation is quite the opposite. Through the Charter, the Federal and Provincial Governments implicitly recognize the supremacy of God and, by extension, His church.

The significance of the rule of law mentioned in the Charter’s preamble was carefully considered by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Manitoba Language Rights case (1985). The court underscored the importance of the Charter’s preamble by affirming that “The constitutional status of the rule of law is beyond question.” One cannot simply negate one part of the preamble while endorsing the other. The interconnectedness of the principles must be acknowledged.

Theologian Douglas Farrow astutely points out that the word “Whereas” indicates that all sections of the Charter should be understood in light of the principle recognizing the supremacy of God. This includes the rule of law, which follows the supremacy of God in the preamble. Farrow argues that the rule of law is difficult to explain, interpret, or uphold without reference to the supremacy of God, as the development of the rule of law stems from Canada’s religious foundations. Essentially, a consistent moral law or right cannot exist without a Moral Law Giver.

On their website, the Canadian Secular Alliance poses an intriguing question: “If Canada officially recognizes the supremacy of one particular God, in what sense are Canadians free to choose their own religion and follow their own conscience?” However, the Alliance overlooks an important aspect. Within the boundaries of the Charter, individuals are free to exercise and follow their religion or lack thereof, as well as their conscience. For example, one can practice witchcraft or Satanism, but offering child sacrifices as an expression of these beliefs is not protected by the law. The legal recognition of the Biblical principle “You shall not kill [murder]” (Exodus 20:13) reasonably places limitations on the rights of those who engage in such practices.

In a related vein, Section 7 of the Charter declares that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.”Additionally, Section 15 emphasizes that “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination.” Unfortunately, the Government of Canada has yet to recognize and include unborn children as part of the “Everyone” protected by the Charter. Unborn children are subject to significant discrimination based on age (their rights are typically only recognized at nine months), sex (gender-selective abortion), and mental or physical disability (with around ninety percent of children diagnosed with Down syndrome in Canada being aborted). It is worth noting that there is no explicit provision in the Charter granting anyone the right to end the life of a conceived child.

God, who is supreme, says of the unborn child, “Before you were in the womb, I knew you.” Jeremiah 1:5.

We would be a much more virtuous country if we took the Charter’s colon seriously (no pun intended).

The Canadian Bill of Rights – PDF download

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms – PDF download

This is my son whom I love.

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I am on page 24 of Greg Paul’s book, Close enough to hear God breath. Mid-sentence, talking of God, Greg refers to “His dear Son, Jesus.”

“His dear Son.” I couldn’t help but think of my dear son, Daniel. One needs to be a father to understand the essence of having a ‘dear son’. I am sure every mother has mother-feelings. Fatherhood, though, is a distinctly male emotion.

I had a flashback to when the Spirit of God overshadowed Mary. It wasn’t sexual in any way; it was the act of fathering. God had a son for the specific purpose of redeeming mankind but one cannot overlook the excitement of God becoming a father, having a son who will learn to call him Dad [Abba].

Daniel is our second child. God had already given me ‘the desire of my heart’ in our daughter, Krista. When Wendy became pregnant a second time, I said, “God, you choose this time.” God chose a son for me; my son in whom I am well pleased, my son who will carry my genes and my family name to the next generation, my son in whom people [I hope] will see a shadow of his father.

I believe there is a natural pride a father has in his son; regardless of intellect, regardless of success or failure, regardless of anything. There is an overwhelming pride I enjoy in the simple fact that Daniel is my son whom I love and in whom I am well pleased.

There is all kind of theology surrounding the second person of the Trinity, the mystery of Christ’s pre-existence before the world began, but I don’t think this in any way takes away from the joy and emotion God experienced in fathering his Son.

Peace? A false hope?

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Protest against the wall, Bil'in, West Bank, 28.2.2014

While everyone would like to see a sustainable peace in the middle-east is it reasonable to expect that this will ever happen?

Some 4,000 years ago God made a covenant with Abraham, “…The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” Canaan then included modern-day Israel, Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan and Syria. While God has never revoked this covenant, wilful disobedience on the part of his Chosen People has meant that the Promised Lands have never been fully possessed and continue to be contested today.

Does Israel have a moral or legal right to the disputed territories? Trying to answer this question opens up a Pandora’s Box of arguments. Leaving God out of the conversation for just a moment – throughout history the conqueror has been the one to dictate the borders and rule over the conquered people. Canada and the USA are no exception. To argue that Palestinians have a right to any of the disputed lands is the same as trying to make the case that the First Nations people have rightful title to all the lands of North America. Reality has shown that ownership becomes ninety percent of the law.

700-Years BC, Isaiah the prophet foreshadowed the re-birth of Israel which happened in a single day. “Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.” When reading Isaiah 66:7-8, it is important to keep in mind that Israel’s status as a sovereign nation was established and reaffirmed during the course of a single day, May 14, 1948, and that it was born of a movement called Zionism, and that its declaration of independence was not the result of a war but rather the cause of one.

It is also worth noting that the Hebrews have never been a colonial power, they have always been content to live within the borders of the lands covenanted by God. Yet the ancient Egyptians, the Philistines, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persian empire, the Greek empire, the Roman empire, the Byzantine empire, the Crusaders, the Spanish empire, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union have each, in turn, tried to destroy the Jewish people. Each one of them gone. The Iranians and Hamas are now vowing to have their kick-at-the-can. History does repeat itself, often, and nothing is learned.

When Hagar bore Ishmael, from whom Moslems claim their [faith] descent, God prophesied that, “He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” This prophecy could not be more accurate as one observes this truth, especially from the actions of radical Islamists, towards those of contrary beliefs.

Will there ever be peace? Yes, but it’s not necessarily all good news. The Apostle Paul prophesied, “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3.

Peace? We must never stop trying. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

A Time for Change – Retirement from business

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After 35-years in the audiovisual installation industry I have decided it is time to hang up my hat so that I may devote my time Bus Stop Bible Studies, the ministry I had the privilege of starting in 2006. Yesterday was my last day at First Vision.

My audiovisual career started at Black’s Cameras, having just immigrated to Canada from England in 1973. I felt like I had landed in a land flowing with milk and honey. After 2-years working in the retail stores I was promoted to work in Blacks’ AV division, selling 16mm movie projectors and slide projectors to school boards and the like. During that time I remember the introduction of the first battery operated ‘portable’ colour video camera from Panasonic; the camera head weighed 16lbs. and the reel-to-reel backpack recorder 70lbs.

In 1976 I was offered a job by Multivision Electrosonic, a company who was at the forefront of the emerging multi-image market. Multi-Image was a large-venue display system comprising up to forty 35mm slide projectors synchronized to a sound track. This became a significant industry with the formation of The Canadian Association for Multi-Image, of which I was a founding member and treasurer.

In 1980 I and two colleagues started our own company, Integrated Systems, to further specialize in the evolving multi-image industry and system integration. During this time the company saw the introduction of the first video projectors and IBM became one of our main customers.

In the fall of 1987 I started by own company, David Harrison and Associates, to specialize in the permanent audiovisual system integration market. Approximately 7-years later the company was rebranded FirstVision. The first three years of the company were run out of my home basement office and yet during this time we were awarded a $1.2 million ($2 million in 2012 dollars) contract to design and install the AV systems for the new Glaxo Pharmaceuticals headquarters in Mississauga. This was to be the first of many prestigious projects awarded to the Company. The Company’s focus has primarily been serving banks, law firms and companies where the need for quality and service are paramount. This continues to be our core focus today.

There have been many exciting times in the last 35-years, amongst the most notable of which was the Hockey Hall of Fame project awarded to us in 1993; the year in which the Toronto Maple Leafs almost made it to the Stanley Cup. During our site meetings, towards the end of the project, the excitement was palpable as plans were being made for a parade down University Avenue. When Don Cherry and Ron Maclean came for a walk-through with the cameras, I was caught at the top of a stepladder adjusting a projector. Judging by the number of people who caught a three-second glimpse of me, the whole nation must have been tuned in to Hockey Night in Canada!

And, of course, there have been tremendous strides in technology. I remember selling two of the very first 42” plasma displays in 1997 for $25,000 each ($36,000 in today’s dollars). Now when you buy a bed they’ll give you a consumer model for free!

There is a proverb in the Bible which says, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29. This has been the privilege of my experience. Indeed, the latest project First Vision completed is the new Four Seasons flagship hotel which opened in Yorkville just days ago.

Throughout the years, though, it has been the people, the employees, customers and suppliers that have made the whole journey so memorable. I would be remiss if I did not hold out one individual in particular, Margaret Johnston, who has been at my right hand almost from the beginning, and continues to serve with the company. We have been blessed with highly gifted professionals who serve our customers today; many of them have been with First Vision for more than 10-years.

With eventual retirement in mind, two years ago I sold the majority of my shares in the Company, recently renamed First Vision Technology Inc. to better reflect the changing nature of the industry.

Thanks for the memories!

Pussy Riot – When all the world displays it’s ignorance

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When the world’s media goes nuts and everyone gets sucked in, there are those who still tell the whole story:

August 8, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Russian punk rock band “Pussy Riot,” currently on trial for desecrating Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, is being elevated by Western elites and media outlets to the status of a human rights icon.

Time magazine describes the trial as “A Kangaroo Court Goes on a Witch Hunt,” while Britain’s Guardian newspaper quotes supporters comparing group leader Nadezhda Tolokonnikova to Simone de Beauvoir. The Obama administration says it is “deeply concerned” about what it calls a “politically-motivated prosecution,” and the pro-abortion “human rights” group Amnesty International claims the trio are “prisoners of conscience.” Madonna Ciccone and other American pop stars and celebrities have characterized the girls as “heroes” and are demanding their release.

However, those same sources are giving a very truncated version of what the trio of girls actually did when they entered Russia’s most revered church, for what the band members claimed was merely a political protest against the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The three women, all in their twenties, are being prosecuted for barging into the Cathedral’s most sacred space, the sanctuary that contains the altar, where they performed a high-kicking dance, sang an expletive-laden song, and engaged in mockery of worship. A video of their antics, with an English translation of the lyrics, can be found here (warning: offensive content).

Western media accounts typically quote only one phrase from the song sung by the trio, “St. Mary, virgin, drive away Putin,” giving the impression that the song was nothing more than an outcry against the Russian leader. However, an English translation of the full lyrics obtained by LifeSiteNews.com indicate that the girls had more than just electoral politics in mind.

In addition to their mockery of Orthodox worship, the girls derided the “Black robe, golden epaulettes,” of Orthodox clergy, and mocked the “crawling and bowing” of the parishioners. They then added a barb against the Orthodox Church’s defence of public morality, stating, “The ghost of freedom is in heaven, Gay pride sent to Siberia in chains.”

“The head of the KGB is their chief saint,” continue the girls, in reference to Putin’s former position under the Soviet regime.

They then sing a stanza associating the sacred with feces, followed by another stanza objecting to perceived support of the Putin administration by leaders of Orthodoxy, then another stating “Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin,” adding “B**ch, you better believe in God.”

“Pussy Riot” members’ little-known history of obscene “protests”
Another aspect of the story that has been left virtually unreported by Western media outlets is the association of “Pussy Riot” and its members with other obscene displays calculated to provoke moral offence and outrage.

In 2008, band members entered Moscow’s Museum of Biology in order to engage in a “fertility rite” protest against the election of Dmitry Medvedev as the country’s president. “Pussy Riot” member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and her husband removed their clothes and engaged in public sex in the museum, while others took photos of the incident and posted them on the Internet.

Maria Alekhina, another member, has released a video of the group in which she enters a supermarket and masturbates using a chicken leg, according to an uncharacteristically frank article by the Associated Press. In another recent stunt, the group hung a drawing of a huge phallus on a St. Petersburg drawbridge, the agency reports in the same article.

The group’s repeated acts of calculated provocation against Russian religious and moral sensibilities have created an impression of the band in their home country that differs dramatically from the sympathetic portrayal produced for Western consumers.

While America’s pop culture royalty and media establishment fawn over the jailed trio, Russian performers have been loathe to associate themselves with their cause, including the nation’s two biggest rock stars, Zemfira and Mumiy Troll. Some, like the star singer Elena Vaenga, have even denounced them publicly, stating, “I’ll personally drink to the health of the judge who’ll slap them with some jail time.”

Even sympathetic Russian journalist Michael Idov admits in a recent article for the New York Times that “the hometown opinion on Pussy Riot is mixed at best. Even the liberal response has involved language like ‘They should let these chicks go with a slap on the ass.’”

Religious persecution from Russia’s liberals?

Alexander Shchipkov, chairman of the Club of Orthodox Christian Journalists, whom the Voice of Russia characterizes as “a prominent blogger who had to pay dearly for his religious beliefs back in the Soviet times,” regards the group’s cathedral “protest” as a “a cold, bloodless terrorist act.”

“The people who stand behind Pussy Riot want the church to adopt a secular system of values – moral relativism, ecumenism, political correctness and other rules of consumer society. The church will never agree to this kind of ‘secular Reformation,’” Shchipkov added, according to the Voice of Russia.

Dr. Igor Beloborodov, director of Russia’s Demographic Research Institute, told LifeSiteNews in an email interview that “Pussy Riot” has “repeatedly insulted the feelings of believers” in Russia, and is actively engaged in promoting an anti-family, anti-Christian agenda.

“Few people know that their aggressive actions have taken place under the slogans of the LGBT community,” wrote Beloborodov. “They have repeatedly stated in their comments that these actions are directed not only against the Orthodox Church and orthodox believers, but also in solidarity with sexual minorities, which in their opinion, are not supported by the Russian authorities.”

“They chose the church as a target for attack, as Orthodox priests are actively supporting the traditional family and the telling of truth about homosexuality,” he continued. “Obviously, in the spread of the ‘culture of death’ this group and all of their actions are a well-planned social project to discredit the church and the destruction of the natural family.”

“That is why today the anti-Christian lobby is expending huge resources in order to present this group as ‘martyrs.’ In fact we are dealing with dangerous anti-moral ‘terrorists’ fighting against society, churches and our children,” he added.

Witnessing an act of violence…

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Occasionally I do a Google-search to see what people are saying about Bus Stop Bible Studies. Very occasionally one pops up that really gets my attention, saying something that is of real significance. The following is text copied from the blog of one David Barker. I think the text speaks for itself.

“Last evening I rode the bus half way across the city. I sat at the back of the bus beside a woman in a hijab to my left and a Sikh in a turban to my right. After all, this is Toronto. I was on my way to a meeting – a workshop really – to review a draft statement of values called VisionWorks. Depending on who’s describing it, the community producing this document could be characterized as a far left post-Christian postmodern community, or as a far right band of neo-literalists who are supplanting one dogma for another. I don’t identify with either characterization but that’s neither here nor there.

I was using a copy of VisionWorks as a bookmark in an English translation of Friedrich Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil, which I was readng assiduously as the bus bumped and whined its way east. I read:

219. ‘Moral judgement and condemnation is the favourite form of revenge of the spiritually limited on those who are less so, likewise a form of compensation for their having been neglected by nature, finally an occasion for acquiring spirit and becoming refined – malice spiritualizes. Deep in their hearts they are glad there exists a standard according to which those overloaded with the goods and privileges of the spirit are their equals – they struggle for the ‘equality of all before God’ and it is virtually for that purpose that they need the belief in God.’

As someone stood to leave, I heard a crinkling on the floor. The Sikh beside me leaned over and pulled up a poster. It was an advertisement from the Toronto-based busstopbiblestudies.com – a scriptural quotation about loving god. You know the one. Somebody had pulled it down and tossed it on the floor. The man beside me stood and tried to insert it back into the slots that hold the ads in place, but the ad wouldn’t stay there and fell back to the floor. He tried again but gave up because there was no way to prop up the scriptural passage. He moved to the front of the bus and I noticed on the seat beside him an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper covered in selections from the Psalms. The heading was sandwiched between a crown like the one in the margarine ads and a star of David. It read:

‘THE PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES; KING JAMES VERSION OF THE HOLY BIBLE ABOUT THE MISCHIEVIOUS (sic) SPIRITS IN THE FLESH PERVERTING THE MIND OF THE KING PROPHET OF JESUS THE ALMIGHTY GOD…’

This was my evening for religious pluralism! The document I was on my way to consider is intended, in part, to address the fact that we live in a world where buses are packed with Muslims and Sikhs and fundamentalist Christians and postmodern poets who believe only in the bus ride.

After the Sikh had moved forward, I had room on the seat beside me to stretch out the ad and look at it more closely. What struck me most was that the ad was covered in dirty footprints. Not only had it been torn down; it had also been stomped on. Now I understood why the Sikh had tried so hard to put the ad back in its place.

I could share with him a sinking feeling at the sight of the footprints. It evoked in me something visceral, as if I had witnessed an act of violence. While I have no great regard for proselytism, nor for the religion being proselytized, it diminishes us all when anyone’s beliefs are stomped on.”

David, I hope you don’t mind me copying your words but your closing paragraph caused me to say out loud, “Amen!”

Good Friday or Good Thursday? Tradition requires great caution.

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Above: Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, where Jesus was crucified. A Muslim cemetery has been built above and a bus terminal below.

There are many traditions in the church. Indeed, traditions are often the differentiating factors between the many ‘Christian’ denominations.

There is nothing inherently wrong with traditions. Your family may celebrate Thanksgiving Dinner together year after year – this is a great tradition that helps bond a family together. However, when a tradition distorts Scripture and distracts us from its inherent truths we create significant problems and can do much unintentional damage. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” He did not say, “I am the way, the tradition and the life.” I would hasten to add, that what I write here in no way takes away from the significance of that which we commemorate at this time of year.

I recently conducted a study concerning the tradition of Good Friday. I have long been confused by this tradition as Jesus specifically prophesied concerning his death: “The Son of Man will be in the earth for three days and three nights.” An unambiguous statement if ever there was one! If Jesus was indeed crucified on Friday and raised to life before dawn on Sunday morning, according to my calendar, he could have only “been in the earth” for two days and two nights.

Why is this even important? Because, if I am going to use the Bible as my guidebook for life, I want to make certain that I understand it correctly, that I do not read it out of context, and that I can inherently trust what is written.

It is only one modern Bible translation, that I am aware of, where we read of Jesus being crucified on a Friday. I would respectfully argue that they are wrong – they are repeating traditions (Note: This specific translation has removed the reference to Good Friday in later printings).

For clarity, one should research the Old Testament instructions on which days the Passover feast(s) were to be eaten and understand that there are Special Sabbaths and more than just one day of preparation. Read a literal (word-for-word) translation of the Bible and it will become clearer. Older Bible translations do not mention the crucifixion happening [specifically] on Friday. Jesus had to be crucified on the Thursday. Scripture says so!

As an aside, some have used the argument of a solar eclipse occurring while Jesus was on the cross to slip in an additional day. “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining.” Luke 23:44-45. The totality of an eclipse can never last more than 7 minutes and 31 seconds and is usually shorter than 5 minutes so this does not work. Scripture specifically says the sun was darkened and darkness came over the whole land for three hours. So, what happened? Did photons literally stop moving?

As we look into what is written in the Scriptures it is important to understand the difference as to how the Pharisees and Sadducees observed the beginning of the day.

Colour code: Pharisee Sadducee

Wednesday
14th day of Nissan (Pharisee day starts at sunrise – 6:00am)
14th day of Nissan (Sadducees day starts at sunset – 6:00pm)

Passover [Pesach] begins at twilight.

Leviticus 23:5 The LORD’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.

Luke 22:14-16 (New International Version) When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

Thursday 15th day of Nissan (Pharisee day starts at sunrise – 6:00am)

Matthew 27:1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

Mark 15:1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

John 18:28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover.

John 19:14 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

Note: “Passover Week” not “the Passover”. This would be the first of two (and possibly second of three) Days of Preparation within the same week.

Mark 15:25 It was the third hour when they crucified him.

Matthew 27:45 [The Death of Jesus ] From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.

Mark 15:33 [The Death of Jesus] At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.

Luke 23:44 [Jesus’ Death] It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,

Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Matthew 27: 57-61 As evening approached; there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

Transliteration: 27:57 And evening having come, there came a rich man, from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was discipled to Jesus,

Thursday 15th day of Nissan (Sadducees day starts at sunset – 6:00pm)

Leviticus 23:5 The LORD’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.

Transliteration: 23:5 in the first month, on the fourteenth of the month, between the evenings, [is] the Passover to Jehovah;

Mark 15:42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Note: KJV indicates evening has just started – that is the first hour of the day of Sabbath Preparation – not the Sabbath itself. This timing is key. Literal translation: 15:42 And now evening having come, seeing it was the preparation, that is, the fore-Sabbath,

Luke 23:52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

KJV “And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.”

Note: This is a conflict in the NIV translation as this would be the 1st hour of the Day of Preparation.

Above: The tomb [at Gordon’s Calvary], the layout of which perfectly matches the biblical account.

Transliteration: 23:54 And the day was a preparation, and Sabbath was approaching,

John 19:31 It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover).

Literal translation: 19:31 The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, since it was the preparation, (for that Sabbath day was a great one,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away. Note: This was not the Sabbath (Saturday) but a ‘special Sabbath’.

Friday 16th day of Nissan (Pharisee day starts at sunrise – 6:00am)

Matthew 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

Note: There were conceivably three consecutive ‘days of preparation’:
1. Wednesday (daytime) for the Sadducee’s Passover celebrated by Jesus on Wednesday evening;
2. Thursday (daytime) Pharisee’s Passover and for the Feast of Unleavened Bread (to be celebrated on the Friday);
3. And Friday (daytime) for the regular Sabbath day (Saturday)

Other translations (see NLT) incorrectly say, “the Sabbath” (although the NLT does add a footnote). If this were the case, Jesus could have not been buried for three days.

Friday, 16th day of Nissan (Sadducees day starts at sunset – 6:00pm)

Saturday, 17th day of Nissan (Pharisee day starts at sunrise – 6:00am)

Exodus 16:23 (New Living Translation) He told them, “This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord. So bake or boil as much as you want today, and set aside what is left for tomorrow.”

The original Sabbath (Shabbat, shabbos, shabbes, shobos, etc.) is a weekly day of rest, now observed from sundown on Friday until the appearance of three stars in the sky on Saturday night.

Saturday, 17th day of Nissan (Sadducee day starts at sunset – 6:00pm)

Sunday, 18th day of Nissan (Pharisee day starts at sunrise – 6:00am)

Matthew 28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Mark 16:2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise*, they went to the tomb.

Luke 24:1 …very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb,

John 20:1 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.*Note: Sunrise for the 18th day of Nissan would be +/- 06:01am.

Sunday, 18th day of Nissan (Sadducee day starts at sunset – 6:00am)

Above: The outside of the tomb at Gordon’s Calvary.

Conclusion:

“The Son of Man will be in the earth for three days and three nights.” Jesus was ‘…in the ground’ from the evening (sundown) on Thursday [day 1], all day Friday [day 2] and all day Saturday [day 3] and Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

In as much as Jesus was raised from the dead before sunrise on Sunday, Sunday cannot be counted as one of the days Jesus was, in His words, “…in the earth.” Sunday, according to both the Pharisees and Sadducees reckoning begins AFTER the sun has risen.

The actual timing of Jesus’ death also needs to be considered. Mark 15:25 says’ “It was the third hour when they crucified him.” We then read, “At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.” Jesus was on the cross from the third hour until the ninth hour.

According to both Jewish and Roman traditions, the day was divided into ‘watches’ [during the night] and ‘hours’ [during the day], each being three hours long. When it says from the sixth to the ninth hour this could mean from the beginning of the ‘sixth hour’ to the end of the ‘ninth hour’, a total of six hours. Conversely, it could have been three hours. Also, the Jewish ‘hour’ began three hours before the Romans’.

Roman watch/hour	1st hour	3rd hour	6th hour	9th hour	1st watch	2nd watch	3rd watch	4th watch
Jewish watch/hour	3rd hour	6th hour	9th hour	12th hour	1st watch	2nd watch	3rd watch	4th watch

Jesus would have been on the cross between six and nine hours, likely the former as Pilate seemed surprised at how quickly Jesus died Mark 15:44). According to the Jewish clock, Jesus would have been on the cross anywhere from 6:00am to 3:00pm or, according to the Roman clock, from 9:00am to 6:00pm.

As we read in Luke 23:52 “Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.” It was still Thursday during the daytime, between 3:00pm and 6:00pm, (before sunset) so that Thursday, even though it was late in the day, would count as the first of the three days Jesus was ‘in the earth’.

Is my interpretation correct? Acts 17:11 ‘Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.‘

Whether you agree with my interpretation of Scripture or not in this instance, the wonder of it all is that Jesus rose from the dead! This is what I am staking my eternity on.