Faithfulness Matters

Illegal, but moral? Were the Impact Team right to hack Ashley Madison?

Part of Impact Team's message to Ashley Madison The hacking of the Ashley Madison infidelity website by the Impact Team continues to be a major global news story. Today it was announced that Noel Biderman, the CEO and founder of the website has stepped down from his role. Business analysts are saying that is hard… Continue reading Illegal, but moral? Were the Impact Team right to hack Ashley Madison?

Faithfulness Matters

How should we view the victims of the Ashley Madison hacking?

Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com Ashley Madison is the world’s largest website dedicated to facilitate people to be unfaithful to their partners. Their strap-line sums it up: Life is Short. Have an Affair.  But over the last few weeks the hacking of their database by a group called the Impact Team has been front… Continue reading How should we view the victims of the Ashley Madison hacking?

Politics

Help needed: I am a Labour member and I haven’t a clue who to vote for as leader

Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com I have been a member of the Labour party since 1994 when I was in the final year of my Social Work degree. I almost joined when John Smith was leader but it was Tony Blair's ascent to the top job which inspired me to take the step.  For the first time I felt genuine… Continue reading Help needed: I am a Labour member and I haven’t a clue who to vote for as leader

Homelessness

“The homeless? Aren’t they the people you step over when you come out of the opera?” – politics and rough sleeping

Photo by Jiarong Deng on Pexels.com I left school in 1990 and got a job as a cleaner in central London. This involved being on the Strand, by Charing Cross Station, at 7.00am.  The extent of the rough sleeping at that time was truly incredible. There were 3-4 people sleeping under almost every doorway. Walking… Continue reading “The homeless? Aren’t they the people you step over when you come out of the opera?” – politics and rough sleeping

Theology

Greenbelt needs to rediscover it’s spiritual confidence

For some people the annual Greenbelt festival, with its blend of music, arts, justice and spirituality, is an article of their faith.  It provokes a fierce devotion in those who would never dream of being anywhere else on the August Bank Holiday weekend. But as the trustees of the festival have made clear, Greenbelt faces serious challenges.… Continue reading Greenbelt needs to rediscover it’s spiritual confidence

Homelessness

‘Homelessness and the three faces of poverty’: HPH lecture on 9th June, central London

Hugh Price Hughes was an energetic and enterprising Methodist Minister who founded the West London Mission in 1887. He was a proponent of what he called ‘Social Christianity’ which was in contrast to the Christianity he saw around him, which in his words has ‘been too speculative, too sentimental, too individualistic.’ His founding of the… Continue reading ‘Homelessness and the three faces of poverty’: HPH lecture on 9th June, central London

Politics

All right-thinking people should now boycott The Daily Mail

Last year, I wrote a post arguing that Christians should lead the way in a boycott The Daily Mail due to its campaign against overseas aid. Today, The Mail has descended further into the pit of the worst type of journalism with this incredible election headline: It is simply incredible that any newspaper could use the… Continue reading All right-thinking people should now boycott The Daily Mail

Theology

‘Understanding theology is to understand God, who is Love’

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Across the broad spectrum of Christian culture, one characteristic is shared by almost all traditions: the church uses a lot of words. Hymns, Bible readings, sermons, liturgy and prayers are saturated in words. And the internet is crammed full of blogs (like the one you are reading). And so often, it is those… Continue reading ‘Understanding theology is to understand God, who is Love’

Faithfulness Matters, Social commentary

Beach-body ready or not, the real winners are the advertising industry

Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.com Protein World’s ‘Are you Beach Body Ready?’ adverts have created a massive row. In among the countless adverts that commuters are pummeled by, these posters immediately struck me as unusually crass and objectionable. So I was not that surprised to see the furore that has developed this week in response.… Continue reading Beach-body ready or not, the real winners are the advertising industry

Social commentary

Making the world a better place, one commuter at a time

Anyone who commutes into central London can bear testimony to the daily struggle it brings. Packed trains, late cancellations and staff specially trained to make announcements as confusing as possible all contribute to the challenges.  My no.1 gripe is passengers who can't be bothered to move further up into the train which means that others can't even get on. Grrrr... This daily… Continue reading Making the world a better place, one commuter at a time