Comments by the leader of the Scottish Christian Party on the secular, scientific, political and ecclesiastical scene and the application of Christianity to public life.
The extradition proceedings against Julian Assange resume in court next Monday and are expected to last several weeks. It is a disgraceful case of political persecution on British soil. An unconvicted journalist has been held in Bellmarsh prison, a top security institution, in inhumane conditions. It took one year for an unconvicted man to secure …
Continue reading Julian Assange and the lack of natural justice
Today is the second anniversary of my brother Andrew's death. It is also the 49th anniversary of my reading the whole Bible for the first time on 22/8/1971. I have read the Bible daily ever since and now I spend several hours a day on my Bible commentary, making its teaching accessible to ordinary people, …
The coronavirus pandemic is teaching national Government to move towards the standards of government in the biblical Millennium. There is much room for improvement, but the unprecedented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme announced today by the British Chancellor of the Exchequer is a step in the right direction. It is a financial package "unprecedented in the …
People are frightened by coronavirus to such an extent that some people are in denial that it will come to their area. Many forget that God is in control and that there are benefits from God's providence. International benefits Climate change, international terrorism and epidemics have the benefit of knocking international heads together who do …
20/20 vision indicates excellent eyesight, so we may hope that 2020 will be a year of Vision for the UK having left the European Union. My first 20 years Roughly, the first 18 years of my life were spent in the UK outside the European Economic Community (EEC) and the remaining 47 years were spent …
The success of modern medicine has made some people behave in a reckless manner, risking their own life and the lives of others, in the false belief and mistaken hope that medicine can save them from any of the consequences of their risky behaviour. Coronavirus The coronavirus outbreak is an example. The USA has repatriated …
There are some important questions that need to be answered. Thankfully, the Bible answers them. Imagine what it would be like if we did not have these answers? Well, it is not very difficult to imagine because multitudes of people live their lives without even asking these questions, far less seeking the answers. However, life …
I recently summarised examples of Jesus’ extraordinary conversation in the Gospel of John. I hope it will be helpful to have a brief summary of the New Testament. Background – language and layout The New Testament was written after the Lord Jesus Christ appeared on Earth. In contrast, the Old Testament was written before He …
Continue reading A summary of the New Testament in the Christian Bible
"Jesus answered and said: ..."The Synoptic Gospels How often do we read this comment in the Gospels! Well – 34 times in the King James Version to be exact, and many more times in various combinations – but what I meant was – look how common it is! It is so common that one might …
"There is a Christian Party – I like that!" This is good news. When Donald Dewar, the first First Minister of the reconstituted Scottish Parliament in 1999, launched the Scotland Bill in 1997 he announced: "There shall be a Scottish parliament," and added: "I like that!" Similarly, "There is a Christian Party – I like …
Brexit has demonstrated the importance of voting for the person whom you want to represent you in the House of Commons. The current situation of a minority Government bound by the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 has highlighted the following issues: Direct and Representative democracy Should an MP honour the wishes of the country in a …
It will help people to understand our raison d’être and our philosophy if we begin with the basics. We are a political party registered with The Electoral Commission. We are not a church. We are a political party comprised of Christians, just as the Tory Party is a political party comprised of Tories. Not all …
A "Christian Voice" is a Christian articulating a Christian perspective on issues. It is not enough to have a Christian perspective, but one needs to articulate it. The Scottish National Party measures everything in terms of Scotland, the feminists in terms of gender, the homosexuals in terms of sexuality, the Greens in terms of the …
Continue reading Why we need Christian voices in public life
Does the BBC flagship programme Question Time change anyone's mind? The standard of debate on BBC Question Time is poor and getting worse. We were told years ago that we needed female politicians who would bring civilised debate to male-dominated politics. I never believed it and I have seen no evidence that it has done …
Continue reading When did BBC Question Time last change your mind?
There are those who think that religion and politics don't mix. The truth is that their religion and their politics don't mix. However, Christianity and politics mix quite easily together, and it is Christianity which gave us western democracy as we understand it and delivered us from the irreligious dogmatism of the 16th-century by recovering …
Continue reading Those who think that religion and politics do not mix
A black swan is a term used in financial markets. It refers to an unexpected and dramatic event. The coronavirus pandemic is a black swan. No-one expected it, at least at this time, and it has resulted in the third fastest fall in world markets since 1975 when the FTSE began as a measure of …
Continue reading Black swans and the resurrection of Jesus Christ
Why shouldn't climate change? Green-land? Greenland was once green and the home to Viking farmers in the 1100s AD. Since then the climate changed drastically in the 1300s, the Vikings left and their farmlands are now covered in snow and ice. Climate changes more rapidly than evolutionists deceive the public into believing. The world is …
The poor level of modern debate is not only a reflection upon our poor educational system, but it shows the spirit of the debaters and the standards in public life. Our poor educational system The inability of public speakers to define their terms, to interact meaningfully with opponents without misrepresenting their views, and their inability …
