Paris answer to prayer

Paris answer to prayer

Britain’s change of heart reflects moral confusion

By Charles Gardner, Special to ASSIST News Service (Writer’s Opinion)

PARIS, FRANCE (ANS – January 17, 2017) -- Britain’s change of heart over their Israel policy is a welcome answer to prayer, and goes some way to make amends for their shameful betrayal when voting for the recent UN resolution aimed at delegitimizing the Jewish state.

But their refusal to sign the Paris “peace conference” communiqué is nevertheless a contradiction, reflecting the moral confusion of a government no longer recognizing right from wrong.

“There are risks,” the UK government warned, “that this conference hardens positions at a time when we need to be encouraging the conditions for peace.”1

Thankfully, the Paris meeting merely re-stated the oft-repeated position of most nations, calling on Israel and the Palestinians to renew their commitment to a ‘two-state solution’, whereas it was expected to try to impose a settlement on the protagonists despite their absence from the proceedings, derided by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu as “futile” and described by Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emanuel Nahshon as “flat as a failed soufflé.”2

Indeed, hard-earned taxpayers’ money will have funded a luxury weekend jaunt for diplomats from the 70 participating countries just to read a script.

A hundred years ago, when Britain pledged their support for Jewish repatriation in their ancient homeland through the Balfour Declaration, many of the Cabinet looked to the Bible for guidance. They were, after all, evangelical Christians.

Now most of our politicians choose instead to consult the Politically-Correct Dictionary. On this occasion, however, they have changed their tune which many believers put down to divine intervention in the form of answered prayer.

Tragically, the same government we expect to honor Israel (for biblical reasons as much as anything else) and do right by other nations, passes laws approving what I consider wholly inappropriate behavior between members of the same sex and then disapproves of those, like Christians, who refuse to hold that view because it is plainly wrong and against the teachings of the Bible.

Dame Louise Casey, for example, in addressing a parliamentary committee on the findings of the Trojan Horse scandal (exposing radicalization within certain Muslim schools in the UK), suggested that Christian schools may also be targeted for their teaching of biblical views on sexuality.

She said the issues raised by Trojan Horse were “not okay, in the same way that it is not okay for Catholic schools to be homophobic and anti-gay marriage.”3

What incredibly warped, upside-down, thinking drives our leaders these days? But this is what the Bible says: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5.20)

It’s time to awake from our spiritual slumber.

1) Jerusalem News Network, January 16 2017, quoting the Jerusalem Post

2) World Israel News, January 16, 2017

3) Saltshakers, January 14, 2017, quoting the Christian Institute

Photo captions: 1) Woman in Paris wrapped in an Israeli flag. 2) Pro-Palestine demonstrators in Paris (Photo credit: AFP). 3) Neither Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas , took part in Paris “peace” gathering. 4) Charles Gardner with his wife, Linda.

About the writer: Charles Gardner is a veteran Cape Town-born British journalist working on plans to launch a new UK national newspaper reporting and interpreting the news from a biblical perspective. With his South African forebears having had close links with the legendary devotional writer Andrew Murray, Charles is similarly determined to make an impact for Christ with his pen and has worked in the newspaper industry for more than 41 years. Part-Jewish, he is married to Linda, who takes the Christian message around many schools in the Yorkshire town of Doncaster. Charles has four children and nine grandchildren. He is the author of Peace in Jerusalem, available from http://olivepresspublisher.com, and can be reached by phone on +44 (0) 1302 832987, or by e-mail at chazgardner@btinternet.com .

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