Truly a time for foolishness

Apr 1 2009 Formby Times

Thought for the week for April is offered by Geoff Kershaw, from the Formby Christian Fellowship. Here is his first:

I wonder how many people today can remember the news item some years ago that shocked us simply because it seemed too far-fetched to be believed. I’m talking about the report that the government of the day was planning to introduce different-coloured milk each day so that we knew which day’s product we were drinking!

You’ve guessed it – it was April Fools Day, April 1st.

Of course, there have been quite a few similar reports on the same date since then, all with the same idea of “catching us out” or making us appear foolish. Well, of course, that isn’t too difficult, or don’t you think so?

The Bible has a lot to say about fools and folly. Psalm 14 for instance tells us that if one says in one’s heart there is no God, then one is a fool. The One that they say isn’t there isn’t looks down from heaven to see if there are any who understand and who seek God. Could it be that this same kind of folly is what has brought not just this nation but the whole world to the unprecedented financial state it is in today?

One has only to read on a few verses from Psalm 14 to Psalm 15 to realise the things that have not been on display: “blamelessness, righteousness, truth… honouring those who fear the Lord, lending without usury, not accepting bribes against the innocent”.

Perhaps it is time for a return to “seeking the Lord while He may be found”.

Religious madness

Joe Riley, a member of the Formby church community, included the following telling piece in a recent Liverpool Echo Column:

“Stella Rimington, former head of MI5, warns of over-zealous terrorism laws endangering civil liberties. Pity she didn’t start with an even more fundamental matter: freedom of speech.

The Home Secretary’s ill-advised decision to ban Dutch politician Geert Wilders access to the UK achieved massive publicity, and thousands of on-line searches, for his anti-Islamist film. That in itself, is all part of a government obsession to put the lid on anything and everything that could possibly offend members of any faiths other than Christian. It follows in the wake of a whole series of ridiculous incidents: airport staff complaining about images of Jesus Christ on lockers; children being forbidden to discuss Christianity in the playground; a nurse’s job being threatened when she offered to pray for a patient.

No wonder Christians are, according to one leading cleric “walking on eggshells,” when they should be standing their ground.”