Eery? Uncanny? Do you have chills going up your spine? (Or, is this just a hoax?)
UPDATE: from the London Times via Najistani, this is not a hoax, after all.
From Assist News
666 raises it’s ugly head in British House of Commons debateBy Michael IrelandChief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
LONDON, ENGLAND (ANS) -- Whether or not you are a student of prophecy, a conspiracy theorist, or dabble in the art of biblical numerology, you may find interesting or disturbing the fact that a motion calling for the disestablishment of the Church of England has been listed in the British House of Commons as 666 -- the Number of the Beast.
According to Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent of The Times, Labour Member of Parliament (MP) John Austin, who has repeatedly tabled Early Day Motions urging disestablishment, put down his latest motion last night as MPs debated scrapping Britain's blasphemy laws.
The motion appeared on the House of Commons order paper numbered 666, the number associated with the Antichrist in the Book of Revelation. Some scholars believe 666 referred to the Emperor Nero, Gledhill reported.
The King James Bible renders Revelation 13:8 as: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester and one of the signatories, said: “It is incredible that a motion like this should have, by chance, acquired this significant number. This number is supposed to be the mark of the Devil. It looks as though God or the Devil have been moving in mysterious ways."
Russell added: “What is even stranger is that this motion was tabled last night when MPs were debating blasphemy.”
According to Gledhill, the motion is unlikely to be debated. "But momentum for looser ties between Church and State is growing, as the support for the repeal of the blasphemy law illustrates. The blasphemy law favors Christianity and in particular the Church of England," she says.
Pastorius comment: My understanding (and perhaps some of our British writers and commenters can enlighten us) is that the very reason the House of Commons is considering repealing the blasphemy law is because of fear it may be used by Islamic radicals to justify prosecution for criticism of Islam.
Gledhill writes that although the attempt by Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris to amend the Criminal Justice Bill was unsuccessful, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has disclosed that he is consulting with the churches about its repeal.
A report by the Associated Press (AP) on Newsday.com says the beast of the Book of Revelation "intruded into the banter of the House of Commons" on Thursday when a motion calling for the disestablishment of the Church of England was numbered 666.
The last book of the Bible says 666 is the number of a beast that "had two horns like a lamb, and…spake as a dragon," and that "doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men."
The motion simply states: "That this House calls for the disestablishment of the Church of England" -- in other words ending its status as the country's legally established, official faith.
The AP report says that such motions rarely result in any action, but are used by members to publicize issues. Other members may sign the motion as an indication of support. By Thursday afternoon, the number of the signers was three.
The Church of England, created by King Henry VIII's breach with Rome, is the legally established faith in England. The monarch, by law, is obliged to be a member, and has the title of Supreme Governor of the church.
"Eyebrows were raised in the House of Commons on Thursday when a motion calling for the Church of England to be disestablished was listed with the number 666, symbol of the AntiChrist," says an Agence France Presse (AFP) report carried byYahoo!NewsUK.
"This number is supposed to be the mark of the Devil. It looks as though God or the Devil have been moving in mysterious ways," said Bob Russell, a Liberal Democrat MP among those proposing the motion for debate. What is even stranger is that this motion was tabled last night when MPs were debating blasphemy," he added.
The motion calls for an end to the formal link between Church and State in England -- embodied in the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who is both head of state and head of the Church of England.
The number 666 is referred to in the Book of Revelation in the Bible: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred, three score and six."
"It is incredible that a motion like this should have, by chance, acquired this significant number," said Russell.
Under the rules of the House of Commons the motion by backbenchers has little chance of actually being debated in parliament.
A web-search revealed an article by the Christian think-tank Ekklesia calling for disestablishment of the Church of England following Prince Charles' engagement to Mrs. Camilla Parker-Bowles three years ago.
In that article, Ekklesia, the UK Christian think tank, was the first body publicly to call for moves towards the formal disestablishment of the Church of England in the wake of the engagement of Prince Charles and Ms Camilla Parker-Bowles, announced in February, 2005. Charles is heir to the British throne.
The think-tank was asking for an ecumenical reconsideration of church-state relations.
"The circumstances of this engagement clearly illustrate how inappropriate it is that the Church of England should remain established," said Ekklesia's director, Jonathan Bartley at the time. "As a state church, it has no say over its Supreme Governor and its interests remain subject to those of the Crown."
Bartley continued: "In decision-making about the Royal wedding the Church of England has been shown to be little more than a bit-part in constitutional affairs. It is time to end this humiliation and set the Church free."
Ekklesia pointed out that the Church is now in the anomalous position of having as its future Governor and Defender of the Faith a man who even the Archbishop of Canterbury cannot permit to re-marry in his own Church using the official liturgy he is meant to uphold.
The only reason Charles and Camilla could hold their civil wedding ceremony in the Chapel at Windsor is that it is a "royal peculiar," wholly owned and run on behalf of the Queen. "It is an embarrassment that the Church can be franchised in this way," Bartley commented.
Ekklesia believes that the case for disestablishment will be strengthened by the Church's current plight, but it stresses that the theological case for ending the state link is paramount, and has nothing immediately to do with the Prince's wedding.
"The Church of England is the only state church in the worldwide Anglican Communion," says Bartley. "That the Church should be subject to the Crown compromises its ability to proclaim and live the Gospel free of state interests. It inhibits equal relations with other Christian churches. And it is also inappropriate in a plural society. Faith cannot be imposed. It must remain a free choice."
Ekklesia pointed out that Christ's message of equality, justice and special concern for the poor stands in contradiction to the principle of Monarchy, which is based on privilege for the few through heredity.
The think tank also said that the blatant anti-Catholic bias of the 1701 Act of Settlement is "deplorable and sectarian." Were Ms Parker-Bowles a Catholic, the Prince of Wales and his heirs would automatically lose their right to accede to the Throne.
Ekklesia suggested that the Church of England should formally invite other denominations and church networks into "a fair, equal and theologically-grounded conversation about church-state relations and about ways of moving beyond Establishment," said Bartley.
By the way, this morning's bowel movement looked like the Virgin Mary.
5 comments:
Seems to be authentic...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3167021.ece
"Commons call to disestablish church is number 666 Ruth Gledhill Religion Correspondent of The Times
A motion calling for the disestablishment of the Church of England has been listed in the House of Commons as 666 - the Number of the Beast.
Labour MP John Austin, who has repeatedly tabled Early Day Motions urging disestablishment, put down his latest motion last night as MPs debated scrapping Britain's blasphemy laws.
It appeared appeared on the House of Commons order paper numbered 666, the number associated with the Antichrist in the Book of Revelation.
BISHOP OF CARLISLE HITS OUT!!!
Also refer to this scathing attack on the British (mis)Government by the Bishop of Carlisle:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3368276.ece
"A senior Church of England bishop said that he has the number of the Labour Government — and it is 666. The Bishop of Carlisle, the Right Rev Graham Dow, told a meeting of the General Synod that the Government was like a demonic beast imposing its morality on the nation.
“It has become a Revelation 13 Government rather than a Romans 13 Government,” he said.
Revelation 13 is one of the most quoted chapters of the Bible by those prophesying apocalypse. By contrast, Romans 13 advocates respect for the law, God and authority.
Revelation 13, from the last book of the Bible, is one of the chapters most popularly quoted by those prophesying apocalypse.
It begins: "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy."
It ends: "Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
By contrast, Romans 13, also in the New Testament, advocates respect for the law, God and authority. "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute it due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."
Challenged afterwards about his comments, Bishop Dow said: "I didn't mean to say the Government was demonic. The point I want to make is the change from a positive evaluation in Romans 13 to a negative one in Revelation.'
In a booklet he wrote before he became a Bishop of Willesden in 1992, Explaining Deliverance, Bishop Dow listed some of the manifestations of evil or "destructive" spirits. They included denying Jesus Christ...
Creepy . . .just creepy.
Great post, Pastorius except for the diss at the Virgin Mary. I'm not Catholic by the way.
Najistani, excellent additions as well. I'm guessing that it was orchestrated, which is bad enough in itself.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7246085.stm
Britain 'soft touch' for attacks
The UK faces an implacable terrorist enemy, Rusi says
The UK's security is at risk because of a national loss of self-confidence, a leading defence think tank says.
The Royal United Services Institute says Britain has become a "soft touch" because of divisions over its national aims, values and political identity.
Rusi attacks "misplaced deference to 'multiculturalism'" and failure to "lay down the line" to immigrants.
It says a cabinet committee should be set up to co-ordinate security. The Cabinet Office rejected the criticism.
'Post-Christian society'
The Rusi report was written by Professor Gwyn Prins of the London School of Economics and the Marquess of Salisbury, the former Conservative leader in the House of Lords.
Rusi says it is based on the findings of former military chiefs, diplomats, analysts and academics.
We look like a soft touch. We are indeed a soft touch, from within and without
Rusi report
"The United Kingdom presents itself as a target, as a fragmenting, post-Christian society, increasingly divided about interpretations of its history, about its national aims, its values and in its political identity," it said.
"That fragmentation is worsened by the firm self-image of those elements within it who refuse to integrate.
"This is a problem worsened by the lack of leadership from the majority which in misplaced deference to 'multiculturalism' failed to lay down the line to immigrant communities, thus undercutting those within them trying to fight extremism.
"The country's lack of self-confidence is in stark contrast to the implacability of its Islamist terrorist enemy."
It added: "We look like a soft touch. We are indeed a soft touch, from within and without."
Restore confidence
To deal with this and other threats such as global warming, and to restore public confidence in the country's overall security policy, the report suggests the creation of two new committees.
The government firmly rejects the claim that the United Kingdom is a fragmented society
Cabinet Office spokesman
As well as the cabinet committee which would make a strategic assessment of the threats, it also suggests a joint committee of MPs and Lords to monitor security policy and identify any gaps.
However, a Cabinet Office spokesman said: "The safety and security of our citizens is the government's main priority, and the government rejects any suggestion that Britain is a soft touch for terrorists.
"Some of the recommendations made by Rusi have already been introduced by the prime minister.
"For instance a new National Security Committee is already established with a brief which includes international security, defence, counter-terrorism and community cohesion issues."
The spokesman said some of the report's other claims "do not stand up to scrutiny".
And he added: "The government firmly rejects the claim that the United Kingdom is a fragmented society."
Aurora,
It's not a diss at the Virgin Mary. It's a diss at people who think they see the Virgin Mary in their toothpaste, etc.
My point in making the joke is that it is very hard for me to believe that this has any signifigance. And yet, I'm not gonna let it pass by without posting it. It is simply too interesting.
I tend to agree with Ekklesia. Freedom of Religion is important to the propagation of the Christian message. Truth thrives in a free market of ideas.
That's one of the primary ideas upon which America was built.
I think it is ironic and sad that Europe (who tends to criticize America for being so religious) is the area of the world where they have official state religions. And yet, at the same time, Christianity is dying in Europe.
In my opinion, that is a natural consequence of enforced state religion.
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