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I think I first heard the phrase used by President Trump. ‘Fake News’ became the ‘word of the year’ for 2017 according to the Daily Telegraph ; despite it being two words! But the concept has been around forever. Ever since the lies in the Garden of Eden, Fake News has been in existence. The Times comments that ‘a lie is halfway round the world before truth has got its boots on’. Why? Because too many of us love to gossip and are fascinated with the failure of others. A new study from Science Magazine is extremely thorough. The report indicated that Fake News travels ‘faster, deeper and more broadly’ than the truth. Truth on social media platforms takes six times longer to circulate than lies. Twitter gets the most Fake News, with other social media not far behind. People tweet and retweet what they consider to be a surprise, to be provocative or disgusting. Indeed, it may be disgusting- but was it true? I remember a debate on the BBC some years ago - I haven’t been able to source it...

There are times as a church when it’s best to be quiet. But there are other times when we need to shout out loud! Well done to the Archbishop of Canterbury for shouting! An average bank loan is around 15%APR. The rate from Wonga? 4,214%. That’s not just profitable. That’s criminal. If the church can help by expanding Credit Unions and promoting them as a safer alternative, we should do it. Not to would be criminal.

David Cameron has lost his party, lost his country, lost has way and lost his mind. He’s lost his party. (Not that I mind- I don’t vote Tory). The Times records it as ‘ Cameron Reels from Huge Revolt on Gay Vote’. 60% of his MP’s are at odds with him on the vote, with warnings from the party they may lose the next election because of it. He’s lost his country. We are a cautious bunch, careful with change and protective of our roots. Our roots are Christian. Marriage is between one man and one woman. It’s been that way since we became the country we are today. He’s lost his way. How can a gay marriage be consummated? How can a gay marriage be for ‘procreation’?   Is he really going to change the law and delete all the references to ‘husband and wife’? He’s lost his mind. Usually pragmatic and clear thinking, he has been persuaded to move in a direction that cuts against all we are, all we have been and all we should be.

I became a Christian when I was 15 years old. Since then, the Bible has been my companion. It’s been a good book to base my life on. More importantly, our nation is based on the Bible- on a set of Judaeo-Christian beliefs. It has been a good book to base our nation on. We don’t always get it right, but the belief system we have developed has served us well and given us solid foundations. I saw our Prime Minister on the news last night. With little thought to our foundations, he intends to remove one. The Bible is clear- marriage is between one man and one woman. That’s what our nation is based on and we have historic records to that effect. Marriage goes back to the dawn of time. Marriage in our nation is written into our laws. Over 3000 laws refer to it. Many would have to be rewritten to remove the terms ‘husband’ and ‘wife’. Cameron wants to change marriage. It’s not something that was in his manifesto. He has chosen to ignore the considerable reaction against his views. And, more ...

Today sees the start of me being filmed on a regular basis- albeit, it's to do with pensions! I'm not sure I want to be called a 'Grumpy Old Pension Man' but it's a lot of fun. Check it out: Link:  Grumpy Old Pension Men

One of my favourite programmes is The Book Show on Sky Arts . I know, a bit pretentious isn’t it? Guests are invited to talk about their latest book and to discuss other favourites. It was a surprise to see such a heated discussion on a slow moving programme, but Richard Dawkins decided that he had been slighted by the host Mariella Frostrup when she moved the discussion on from his railing against Christianity. His attitude was so far removed from the regular show, it became almost amusing. This isn’t the first time Richard Dawkins has got angry- but the more he does it, the more he is helping the church. Here is Mary Ann Sieghart of The Independent , as quoted in The Week .: The Church of England is lucky. It couldn’t have asked for a better enemy. The contrast between the ‘puffed up, self regarding, vain, prickly and militant’ Dawkins and the ‘charitable, open, welcoming, tolerant, undogmatic’ church is practically an advertisement for anti-atheism. Thank you Richard Dawkins.