MONMOUTH CHRISTIAN UNION

CONGRATS TO FINLAND FOR WINNING THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST!
You guys kicked ass......about time that we had some decent music in the tournament for a change. Rock On Lordi!!!

I found this on the net and It explained really well why the Da Vinci code is such a paganistic pile of steaming horse ****.For the full article visit http://www.grasstopsusa.com/df051606.html

The Da Vinci Code might be subtitled “Religion for Morons” or “Gnosticism Meets The New Age.” It’s fantasy posing as reality. The Sony Pictures film is blasphemous, defames the Catholic Church, and promotes neo-pagan Goddess worship.

Director Ron Howard (who specializes in visual candy) assures us that Opie’s opus will be true to the novel – a pretentious, overwritten piece of trash that makes Bridget Jones’s Diary look like one of the 100 Greatest Books Ever Written. The plot of Dan Brown’s mega-best seller (45 million copies sold) goes like this: Jesus married Mary Magdalene, who bore his children, who became the Merovingian monarchs of France, whose descendants are running around Europe today – being chased by Opus Dei or Mormon missionaries or Martians or someone. Again, according to The Code, The Catholic Church has for centuries concealed the truth about Jesus to maintain its power. Mary Magdalene represents the “sacred feminine” – which supposedly predates monotheism – and which wicked patriarchalists have spent millennia trying to suppress, the better to deny man’s sexual nature and subjugate women.The book (and presumably the film) even has a ritualistic orgy, where communicants dance with orbs and the grand master of the book’s mysterious order gets frisky with a plump, middle-aged lady. Brown may have achieved the impossible - devised a type of mumbo-jumbo that makes “healing” crystals seem serious.

Orthodox Christians are rightly offended by The Code’s plot, denying as it does the divinity of Jesus and his mission. People are free to believe, or not believe, in Jesus. Jews and Christians have been debating the identity of the Messiah, what God requires of us and how salvation may be achieved for almost 2,000 years. But to turn the life of a man almost a billion people on this planet worship into a soap opera beggars the term insensitive.

At least Christians can take comfort in the fact that their’s isn’t the only faith maligned and misrepresented by Brown’s book. Where did Brown get his understanding of ancient Judaism – from that noted Kabbalist, Madonna? Did he discover Jewish polytheism among the documents hidden away in the Templars’ secret crypt, along with Jesus’ marriage license?As a Goddess-worshipping, neo-pagan, Brown seeks to reverse the Bible’s process of taming man’s erotic nature (by channeling it to fidelity and family), once again divorcing the sexual from the spiritual – freeing man’s hedonistic urges from Judeo-Christian constraints. That Brown has so many admirers among Hollywood libertines is unsurprising.

But why all the fuss? After all, it’s only a movie, right? The novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand was once asked why she primarily wrote fiction, instead of works of philosophy. Rand explained that it’s far easier to convey ideas through fiction than non-fiction – witness Dante’s The Divine Comedy, witness Uncle Tom’s Cabin, witness Ben-Hur, The Screwtape Letters and To Kill a Mockingbird . Novels and films aren’t footnoted. The author or screenwriter can create a thoroughly convincing universe that powerfully projects his message. From The Birth of a Nation and Triumph of The Will to Thelma and Louise and Brokeback Mountain, films have told us how to think about the world around us.Most movies present the world according to Hollywood (and the word became flesh – lots of flesh) – that the sex act is good in and of itself, that people should follow their feelings (which invariably will lead them to right conduct and happiness), that prayer is like throwing a penny in a wishing well, that God is within us, that God is love, that God makes no demands of us and that the followers of traditional religion are a bunch of uptight, puritanical, hypocritical killjoys.Debunking Christianity – which is The Da Vinci Code’s mission – advances this worldview.All too many people read novels or see films and think they’re experiencing reality. Their understanding of the complicated history of settlers and Indians comes from Dances With Wolves. They are informed about the crusades by Kingdom of Heaven. Their understanding of the theory of global warming comes from The Day After Tomorrow. According to a Barna Group survey, 24% of those who read The Da Vinci Code said it aided their “personal spiritual growth and understanding.” In other words, one in four of its readers believe the book’s thesis (as opposed to its storyline) is true. Our “personal spiritual growth” isn’t aided by what we believe to be a lie.

The best response to The Da Vinci Code – besides derisive laughter – is a boycott. Resist the urge to determine just how bad it is by buying a ticket. You’ll only be rewarding the perpetrators – perhaps encouraging The Da Vinci Code: Part II, wherein Dan Brown reveals that Jesus was really married to Lazarus.

Verse of the week

“How many times should we forgive lord? seven times?'no' said the lord 'but seventy times seven ”

Message of the week

A very well known passage this week and an often misunderstood subject, forgiveness. We are all taught to forgive, that isn't hard to understand but why? Well' Jesus was nailed to the cross, he was the son of god, and to recieve forgiveness the ancients would offer a sacrifice. These all tie together. For the forgiveness of our sins there had to be a sacrifice, but the weight of the worlds sin there had to be a sacrifice pure of heart and perfect in God's eyes. Jesus was the only man or being that would suffice. In other words our sins nailed him to that cross and he died for us so we can be forgiven. We also need to forgive others. Not just other people but the church, too. They make mistakes as they have to walk a very fine line between alienating christians and accepting the immoral. This has lead to the acceptance of homosexuals, abortion and women priests. We must understand their predicament and accept some actions are not made with true feeling but are made at the fear of alienating the unsaved majority.

Quote of the week

“second chances, everyone without exception needs them and hence should offer them”.

Prayer of the week

Dear most glorious father help me to forgive, we are told in this world we will meet hardships and people will say and do things to upset us. Help us to forgive them as by your sons death on the cross you seaved us.

Also pray for…

More CU advertising, Our fellow CU member Skinner as he goes under the knife this week

As with any society within Monmouth school (including the Christian Union), you need to make the students aware of what you are doing, and when you are next gonna be doing it.
SO.........as part of our advertising and marketing capabilites, we decided to advertise next weeks CU a bit.

(Note: give yourself 20 points if you can spot Luke and Smith)!

Now that is what i call one kick-ass advertisement.

Morning losers!!!
Thats right...you guessed it, the Pope of Pontypool is back, with yet another mind boggling, brain twitching, Christian related question........oh how i love to question things. =)

Now, as strong supportive Christians, we have all been taught that God is the almighty creator of all things, and he loves us as his children.
However, we have also been taught that Gods will must be done in order for us to enter the kingdom of heaven, otherwise we are to spend the rest of eternity in hell (or in my opinion, spend another life on earth with a second chance.....but thats another story).

Anyway, if we can only follow Gods will in order to enter his kingdom, then this obviously brings to light the old saying "Gods way...or the Highway"!
But if thats the case.......does that make God a fascist?

(Obviously, we all know that God is not a fascist, it would be completely insane to even think so, but considering that God is the one sole ruler of heaven and earth, and that his will must be done in order for us to enter eternal life.......fascism does cross your mind a little bit.....dont you think)?

After a week off where my computer didn't work my thought of the week is back to get us thinking again!

"One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than 50 preaching it."

Verse of the week (Psalm 71 : v 20)

“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again”

Message of the week

Last week we talked about pain and why God allows it to exist. It is possible that if pain didn’t exist the human race would have been wiped out long ago. I know it sounds weird but think about it…if there was no pain we wouldn’t know when something was wrong e.g. a disease or emotional ‘gut instinct’. Both of these are useful although unpleasant. Focusing on emotional pain though, “how can that be good pain?” you may ask. It may be a sign that you are not living your life according to God’s will. Depression can allow people to view the world around them with more clarity and hence change there life to more in keeping with God’s wish. So emotional distress can bring about challenge and change. A blessing in disguise!!

Quote of the week

“Pain need not always be regarded as an enemy, it may become our ally in gaining a fuller life”.

Prayer of the week

Gracious Father, help me understand that in your universe you allow only compliments of you. Even in Pain and suffering you have an authentic word to speak to me. Please help me hear it. Amen.

Also pray for…

The ongoing divide within the HMSG, The deliverence of Fester as he misses the CU for the first time in forty-three years.

I know it's a bit premature, but I had to leave early, since global warming may have melted the glaciers I want to see by next week. I left school early, and drove to Plymouth where I caught the boat to the artic. There weren't many people on it, except for this crazy old guy next to me! In the distance you can see the very glacier im going to, and this isn't a joke its actually called the Fester glacier, named after me as I discovered it early last year! See geography is going places!

Anyway I will keep you informed on how my world tour is going, in my trusty campervan.
See you around
Fester

Apologies for this, but the thought i very recently had will probably be the most intelligent one ill ever come up with...so i thought id quickly publish it on our CU website.

It says in the Bible that if a man is not baptised, he can not enter the kingdom of God (or something along those lines).
Anyway, say for arguments sake that one day, you meet your perfect match and you fall in love with this person. You eventually marry him/her and have a wonderful life together. The only problem is though......is that this person has not been baptised.
Now here's the really questionable bit...........Gods kingdom is supposed to paradise, correct? (After all...it is heaven). But, when you pass away and enter the kingdom of God (providing that you've lived a decent life), how can it be called paradise if the one you love is never going to be with you?

Just thought id give that a mention anyway. Any replies would be appreciated...i will be very interested to hear them.
God bless.

The Pope of Pontypool

Is Baptism necessary to enter the Kingdom of God?

Every Friday for as long as Fester can be bothered there will be a feature on this Blog showing a Diary of Fester around the world. Opposite is a picture of the almighty Fester (especially for Chris ad Tay!!!) in his campervan before he sets off to the artic to look at Glaciers. You've got the whole CU behind you you Walking Machine!!!

Recently, i was fortunate enough to be engaged in a deeply religious conversation with fellow Christian Union member "Smudge". Don't ask why, but we some how managed to get onto the topic of evolution, and where mans existence really came from. However, the slight catch is: both me and Smudge take different opinions on this matter! Ater engaging in hours of conversation...neither of us could decide which of our theories were right....we just agreed to disagree. But..........which do you (the reader) feel is the best argument for the creation of man? Our arguments are listed below.

Smudges verdict

Smudge completely believes in the verdict of Genesis (ie: that man was created solely by God, and the story of Adam and Eve is true). God is solely and completely liable for the creation of man...nothing else.

The Pope of Pontypools verdict
I on the other hand take a different approach. I have (in the past) read in the bible that "a God who would prove himself would be an idol"........which is quite right! After all, if God proved himself to us, where would the need for faith occur?....everyone would now know of God's existence, so where would our faith and belief in his existence come into play?
And this is my ideology behind the creation theory. By just simply creating Adam and Eve, God is technically proving himself (because we all know it takes "two people to tango" to create another human). Hence, by creating Adam and Eve without any form of biological elements, the only solution to their existence would be God.
Charles Darwin however provided his famous account of "Evolution"....and this i believe to be true.......why? Because its the only way God can create humans without directly proving himself. By using evolution, God is now testing our faith, as we either accept the religious approach (ie: that he created mankind)...or we take the scientific approach (that everything in the Universe was created through science, and mankind formed solely from evolving).
Basically, what im trying to say is: God would never prove himself to us, because where would the element of faith come in? With this in mind, he created evolution to conceal his existence...leading to the development of man, and the choice that mankind faces today about the creation thoery.

So there you have it.......both me and Smudge have put our arguments across, but which do you believe in........the choice is yours: Genesis or Evolution?

Genesis or Evolution?

Sorry the thought of the week is late this week, but i have had both my evenings full with a pantomime competition, im sorry i didnt have time to make an entry with playin Peter Pan in our panto on the Monday night and watching the other 5 competitors on monday and tuesday. Im happy to say though that we won and have progressed through to the full Wales stage in Port Talbot in 10 days time! woohoo but it will mean ALOT more practice has to be done, anyway you didn't want to read bout this so heres the thought:

"So faith, hope and Love these three abide, but the greatest of these is Love. Make Love your aim..."

Verse of the week (2 Timothy 1 :10)

“Christ has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospels”

Message of the week

There are some truths we can all hold close and use as anchors for our souls. Firstly (raised last week), in a fallen world pain has a positive function. It is a sign that danger is coming! We can’t fully comprehend why God allowed pain in the world but as discussed last week we can see its positive purpose. Secondly, that the Christian Faith has survived its worst moment, the death of its leader! By his life and deluge into darkness and most awful death he has brought renewed hope to the Christian faith. The hope that if they accept this that redemption, joy and eternity with him will be the consequence. This will long outlive the one-dimensional and shallow philosophies of life.

Quote of the week

Christianity is unique and invincible. No other faith has such a message, no other faith has such a saviour.Prayer of the weekLord Jesus, help me remember when life is difficult that I belong to a saviour who has not only made life possible, but full of possibilities. I am so thankful, Amen.

Also pray for…

A commitment to Christian traditions throughout the world, Those whose faith are weak, the sexually immoral

Wow, that was an awesome concert yesterday! How good were Delirious? ? It was pretty good being at the very front this time! We thought this was one of their best concerts, and not a bad trip for our C.U ;-) Hopefully we will have more like this........! We have some pictures but will post some of them latter, as it is school today and we're quite tired! Also Fester, was a legend, we didnt have a parking ticket, but our minibus has got a some pretty big scratches on the top ;-) Oh, and we we arrived back at school all the gates were shut! So we had no where to park, so we left it in the car park over the road, so it must have looked really funny this morning! We hope everyone enjoyed it, it was really cool seeing so many youths there! So if you were from our C.U or were at the concert please leave comments on what you thought! And hi to the girls who were from Essex, we're sorry but we even forgot to ask for your names, sorry! Hope your results went well and your trip back wasnt too long, we dont know our results because our school has messed them up on the computer system!!! But please do comment it would be cool to hear from you, Festers picture will be coming soon, and believe us we got a good one on the minibus on the way home;-) Also look at the links on the site as some of us have our own blogs!
Blessings

B.T.W review of Delirious? to come with pics ;-)

The way is not in the sky, the way is in the heart.