o3-news

Just another WordPress weblog

Poll Finds Black Women Prefer Religion To A Relationship

survey finds black women prefer religion to relationshipCould this be one of the reasons why there are so many single women in the black church?

The Washington Post and the Kaiser Foundation recently conducted a survey and the results pertaining to black women showed that not only did they prefer religion to a relationship, but also that 40% think about getting married compared to 55% of white women.

The Washington Post states that ‘The survey shows a complex portrait emerges of black women who feel confident but vulnerable, who have high self-esteem and see physical beauty as important, who find career success more vital to them than marriage’.

Rich or poor, educated or not, black women sometimes feel as though myths are stalking them like shadows, their lives reduced to a string of labels. The angry black woman. The strong black woman. The unfeeling black woman. The manless black woman.

The survey, of 2,000 respondents included interviews with more than 800 black women amd represents the most extensive exploration of the lives and views of black women in decades.

To see the full results of the survey click here.

To read the article in the Washington Post click here

Politician Tells Occupy Wall Street Protestors To Get A Job And Take A Bath

Newton Gingrich, an American politician and presidential candidate for the Republican party gives his opinion of the Occupy Wall Street protestors in an interview with Thanksgiving Family Forum in Des Moines, Iowa.

Interestingly, the thrice married Gingrich was one of the men who led the impeachment against Bill Clinton, whom during his presidency had sexual relations with the intern Monica Lewinsky. It has now emerged that whilst leading the impeachment, Gingrich who at the time was married was also having an affair with one of his congressional aides, whom he has since married after divorcing his second wife (he now admits he has made mistakes).

In answer to his critics, Gingrich who recently converted to Catholism says “I’ve made mistakes at times…I’ve had to go to God for forgiveness.”

WATCH: Politician Newt Gingrich Tell OWS protestors ‘to go get a job after taking a bath’

Wikipedia Blackout – What Was it All About?

Couldn’t access Wikipedia or Reddit, well its all down to Protect-IP and the SOPA Bills currently going through congress (US).

The internet is one of the US most robust and growing industries. It enables free and open communication amongst billions and it’s been the backbone of protests around the world. But a new bill proposes that the entertainment industry is given the power to censor the internet. This would be known as Protect-IP.

Private corporations want the ability to shut down unauthorised sites where people download, music, films and tv shows. Since most of these sites are outside the US jurisdiction PIP uses a couple of different tactics within American borders.

Firstly, it gives the government the power to make USA Internet providers block access to infringing domain names. They can also sue US search engines, directories or even blogs and forum to have links to these sites removed. Secondly, PIP gives corporations and the government the ability to cut off funds to infringing websites by having US based advertisers and paid services cancel those accounts.

WATCH: Video giving explaination of SOPA and PIP Bill

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Church Forced To Remove Billboard About Atheists

Rivers Church in Johannesburg Billboard was ruled to be offensive to non Christians by the South African Advertising Standards Authority and was ordered to take it down.
The Advertising Standards Authority in South Africa has banned a church billboard advertising campaign which depicted atheists as unintelligent.

The image in the ad was accompanied by a quote from the poet Francis Thomson (1859-1907) which said An atheist is a man who believes himself an accident‘.

The ASA ruled that the billboard that was erected in 2011at the site of the Rivers Church in Sandton, Johannesburg, suggested that non-believers considered their existence to be accidental was likely to cause offence.

A complaint was made to the ASA by a non-Christian member of the public Eugene Gerber, which meant that the ASA had to investigate. In essence, the complainant submitted that the billboard offends him as an atheist as he does not consider his existence to be an accident. Secondly, the depiction of a man with an empty head communicates that atheists are stupid.

The ASA issued a four page judgement stating that it considered the billboard in terms of preventing content which could offend based on South Africa’s advertising code and that the ‘The respondent submitted that the advertisement is based on Psalm 14v and Psalm 53v1, which say “only foolish say in their hearts there is no God.

The ASA ruling, published on January 6 and stated that the complaint against the church had been upheld, who was order to remove the billboard and never use it again.

VIDEO VIRAL: Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus

Clocking up more than 12 million views in 6 days, Why I hate Religion, But Love Jesus is the latest video viral.

Spoken word artist Jefferson Bethke who is in the video said of his work …’a poem I wrote to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. In the scriptures Jesus received the most opposition from the most religious people of his day. At it’s core Jesus’ gospel and the good news of the Cross is in pure opposition to self-righteousness/self-justification. Religion is man centered, Jesus is God-centered. This poem highlights my journey to discover this truth. Religion either ends in pride or despair. Pride because you make a list and can do it and act better than everyone, or despair because you can’t do your own list of rules and feel “not good enough” for God. With Jesus though you have humble confident joy because He represents you, you don’t represent yourself and His sacrifice is perfect putting us in perfect standing with God’!

Click here to view poem in word doc

Evangelist Says God Told Him To Punch Man

Evangelist Todd Bentley who was the key figure in the Fresh Fire Revival in Lakeland, Canada in 2008, recently in an interview with Rick Joyner explained how God told him that he was to punch a man in the stomache that was going to be healed of cancer.

Full story here

Mark Driscoll: Real Marriage: The Truth about Sex

Grace and Mark Driscoll wrote the bool Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship and Life TogetherAmerica’s most downloaded Pastor has stepped into another controversy by authoring a book about sex. Pastor Mark Driscoll and his wife Grace, have written a book titled Real Marriage: The Truth about Sex, Friendship and Life Together, which was recently released by Thomas Nelson publishing.
Just a look at the contents page gives you an indication as to why reviewers are disgusted and appalled and other shout praise.  Some of the Chapters titles are

    • New Marriage, Same Spouse
    • Friend with Benefits
    • Taking The Thrash Out
    • Sex: God, Gross or Gift
    • The Porn Path
    • Selfish Lovers and Servant Lovers
    • Can we ____________? (discusses which sex acts are biblically lawful)

Tim Challies a religion blogger and Pastor in his review of the book commented that In the first place, “there is a kind of sloppiness and inconsistency to the book. One example of this is the way the chapters vary so much in style, some being very personal with others being abstract and coldly statistical… Real Marriage reads more like a series of seminars than a cohesive introduction-to-conclusion look at a subject.”

Blogger Aaron Armstrong of Blogging Theologically in his review of the book says “Whenever Mark Driscoll talks about sex and marriage, ears perk up. Some listen for ammo (and can usually find it). Others listen for something Tweetable”.

Sex for the most part is a private and often a closed subject in church. Discussion rarely goes beyond anything further than the missionary position which for most pastors is in line with the scripture of ‘go forth and multiply’, so a lot of couples will welcome this book

In his response to his critics Mark says the book was written to “compel married couples to have important conversations about important things” and says that I will endure as much criticism as necessary to help as many people as I can.

Full story here

Are You Sexperimenting Today….or Tonight?

Ed Young senior pastor of Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas wants to illustrate that sex began in heaven…and is spending 24 hours on the rooftop of his church in bed with his wife Lisa Young. From 6am today Ed and Lisa have been in bed and will not leave until 6am tomorrow (Friday 14 Jan 2011).

In a new book titled “Sexperiment: 7 Days to Lasting Intimacy with Your Spouse,” the Youngs encourage readers to have sex with their spouse every day for a week. By doing this, the authors believe married couples will gain a greater sense of purpose for their lives together, and gain a deeper understanding of God’s plan for their marriage, among other things.

For the full story click here

WATCH: Interview with CNN featuring Ed and Lisa Young talking about the Sexperiment

WATCH: LIve Stream of Ed and Lisa Young of The Sexperiment

Police Apology to Churchgoer From Pulpit For False Arrest

Clive and Alison Richardson being interviewed by SEC Adventist TV

Clive and Alison Richardson being interviewed by SEC Adventist TV

The Metropolitan Police in London were forced to publicly apologise to a woman who was wrongfully arrested by the police.

In February 2008 Alison Richardson contacted the police when bailiffs were attempting to clamp the family car outside her home, in a dispute over a fine relating to the church minibus that was briefly registered to her husband Clive Richardson.

When the police arrived they unlawfully entered the Richardson’s home by force and a police woman falsely accused Alison of punching her in the face.

The case went to court and Alison was found guilty and was given a community service order. The conviction meant that she was unable to keep the position she had within her church, as she had now lost her accreditation with the Criminals Record Bureau.

Alison appealed and was cleared by a judge who questioned the police evidence and found that they had unlawfully entered her home.

On this basis she sued the Met and was compensated.

In his speech Met police, Detective Sergeant Nick Westwood  “it is not surprising when on a day to day basis there are so many police officers and so many people they come into contact with that we get things wrong occasionally,’ he said.

‘It is only right and proper that when we make mistakes and errors we are willing to apologise and put those mistakes right.’

Mrs Richardson’s solicitor Terence Channer said: ‘Central to this case was Mrs Richardson’s exemplary character in contrast to the unlawful actions of the officers.

For full story click here

WATCH: Detective Sergeant Nick Westwood give a public apology

Is The Pastor or Ushers at Fault If A Member is Injured During The Move Of The Holy Spirit?

Slain in the SpiritCourthouse news is reporting that Disciple Fellowship Church in Belleville Illinois, led by Pastor Herman Tolar is being sued by one of its members for an injury received during a service.

Cheryl Jones has sued the Disciple Fellowship in Bellville, Illinois because during a religious chain reaction known as being ‘slained in the Spirit’ a member of the church who fell backwards hit other people and caused Jones to be knocked to the ground, hitting her head, rendering her unconscious.

Apparently, the church normally has two ushers who are positioned to stop members from hurting themselves when they are slained in the spirit, but, it seems that they were not in position on the day Cheryl was knocked out.

The complaint states that the church

  • failed to provide a safe place of worship and
  • failed to not ensure ushers were in place to protect parishioners
  • failed to control parishioners who receiving the spirit
  • failed to warn parishioners of the potential dangers of receiving the spirit
  • failed to conduct a reasonably safe service

Jones is seeking $50,000 in damages and medical bills.

To view Courthouse News report click here

For full story click here

Justice Begins For The Lawrence Family

Gary Dobson and David Norris received life sentences for the racist killing of Stephen Lawrence (centre) on 22 April 1993

(L-R) Gary Dobson, Stephen Lawrence and David Norris

Neville and Doreen Lawrence parents of Stephen Lawrence the 19 year old murdered by racists eighteen years ago in Eltham, South London (UK), have finally received justice, if only partially when two of the five (or six) murderers, David Norris and Gary Dobson were given life sentences by (Judge) Justice Treacy yesterday who described it as a murder which scarred the conscience of the nation.”

He also went on to say Neither of you has shown the slightest regret or remorse. Each of you has lied to the court. I do not punish you for that, but this is not a case where there is any mitigation available for contrition… The gravity of this case is in my view of a different order from, for example, a murder committed by one individual upon another as a result of some sudden quarrel. There was a degree of general premeditation; it was a racist crime driven by hatred.

To read full closing remarks by Justice Treacy click here

For background and story on the murder of Stephen Lawrence click here

Bishop With Secret Family Resigns

Bishop Gabino Zavala

Bishop Gabino Zavala

A priest in the Catholic church with a secret family has stepped down and resigned from his position.

The Vatican has reported that Pope Benedict has indeed accepted the resignation of Bishop Gabino Zavala, who is based in Los Angeles.

One of five auxiliary Bishops, Zavalo who is 60 and was born in Mexico has not been involved with the church since his resignation.

The Bishop who fathered two children said that the catholic media should report clergy sex abuse with a spirit of love and mercy. In the case of Zavala there is no abuse involved and both parties were consenting adults.

For story click here

A Happy New Year For 2012!

Wishing all of our readers a Happy New Year

and may 2012 turn out to be splendiferous for you!

Happy New Year for 2012

Drama In The Pulpit – Ministers Call Pastor Paula White a Liar, Deceitful, Scheming and Manipulative

Pastor Paula White getting ready for the takeover of New Destiny Christian CenterMegachurch founder and leading minister Paula White it seems has upset a number of her peers. The word is that she deceitfully lied and schemed her way into becoming the new Pastor of New Destiny Christian Center (NDCC), the church founded by Dr. Zachery Timms who was found dead in a hotel room on 12 August in New York.

Two days ago Bishop I. V Hilliard issued a statement via video and twitter stating that he was resigning as a member of the committee that was put together to give wisdom, guidance and counsel to NDCC church in appointing a new pastor. The committee consisted of four members and included Bishop TD Jakes and Bishop Neil Ellis from the Bahamas.

Pastor Paula White pastored Without Walls International Church in Tampa Florida with her husband Randy White and it was one of the fastest growing in the US with a membership of 12,000. Things changed on 23 August 2007 when Randy and Paula announced that they would be separating. Divorced followed which impacted the church, Paula moved to Dallas leaving Randy to run the church.

It seems that Paula has been speaking with the church board as it is alleged that Pastor Paula White and Zachary Tims were good friends, however , not all agree.

Dr. Chukwuemeka is the man who introduced Tims to church in 1991, led him to become a Christian and mentored him until 2009 and in an open letter to NDCC accuses Paula White of lying about how long she has know Tims. He has also set up a petition asking membrs of NDCC who disagree with Paula White as the new pastor to contact him.

WATCH: Bishop IV Hilliard Resigns from the Committee

Pastor Rico Sharp took to facebook and sent a letter to NDCC members saying, There is a malicious story of deception, manipulation, and greed developing and surfacing about Paula White that will totally dishonor The Holy Spirit… Dr. Hilliard told me everything that Paula did to manipulate this process and told me to that I can tell her that he told me (which I did). Dr Hilliard rebuked Paula personally and caught her in lies, and I also have confronted her personally and discovered lies and manipulation. There is a lot of corruption that has been going on behind closed doors and it hides behind the disguise of prayer, fasting and the voice of God. Full letter here

In 2009 Paula returned to Tampa, Florida to become the senior Pastor of Without Walls as Randy had decided to step down due to illness. Since coming back the numbers have dwindled further where the church has been described as fledgling and Paula has even sued a minister that was Pastoring a Without Walls sister church accusing him of luring members and using church money and assets for personal use.

NDCC by all accounts is a thriving church with a stable bank balance and property and would be a great fresh start for any Pastor.

Will report further as the story develops.

For further reading click here

Report of Pastor’s Wife & Mistress Fight In Church After Communion – Police Called

Pastor Frank and Debora RayA fight broke out in a Memphis church last Sunday during the Communion services! Members watched as two women threw down right in the middle of service and the police had to be call.

The police have now launched an investigation into the scuffle. Even though news reports claim it was two church members, insiders and the church’s message boards are reporting it was the first lady and the pastor’s mistress who got into the fight!

By the time cops arrived folks had swollen and bloodshot eyes, cuts on their necks and chest, and other minor injuries.

There are also reports that pastor Frank Ray is known for this kinda of church drama. This is not the first time an incident like this has taken place under Ray’s leadership.

The fight happened near the church’s choir section which turned into a brawl between the two families, according to a police report. When officers arrived, only three people from the fight were left and they’re all listed as suspects and victims.

The injuries include: swollen and bloodshot eyes, cuts and scrapes on the neck and chest and many other minor injuries. Sources are saying, which were documented in police records, that the argument began with accusations of one woman having a sexual relationship.

The word is that Frank Ray found his wife, Debora in Club Nikki in Atlanta, GA where she was a stripper. According to sources very close to the well known Baptist preacher he was advised not to marry the considerably younger woman, who was not the ideal choice or First Lady material! It seems that Mrs. Ray gave Frank’s girlfriend and old fashion beat down right in the middle of service inside of the sanctuary of the church.

WATCH: news report of women fighting in church

Source