John M. Frame, in "The Doctrine of God" (p.138), calls the doctrine of human freewill by the name libertarianism (a doctrine he rejects). Then, he admits that "it has a long history in Christian theology. Most of the church fathers more or less held this position until Augustine, during the Pelagian controversy, called it into question." He adds in a note, "Those Calvinists who place great weight on antiquity and tradition will have to concede, that the oldest extracanonical traditions do not favor their position." That is, early believers did not believe in the predeterminism that was established as a primary part of the theology of Augustine, the man who also declared the necessity of infant baptism and the obtaining of salvation only through the church (meaning the Roman Catholic Church). Free will is not the blank check that some presently hold it to be, but neither is it the fatalism that is the logical conclusion of Calvinism.
According to research, bread can become moldy if it is not stored properly. Two of the big agents in the molding of bread is, exposure to air and being stored in warm, moist environments.
According to a notice received from the Christian Law Association today, the latest attack in America on Christianity is against using the name of Jesus when praying in public. "In the past two months, two states have banned private citizens from praying in Jesus' name in the state legislatures, and other government units are sure to follow. Unbelievably, prayers to other gods, such as to 'Allah,' have not been challenged!"
The Australian government is considering a ban of "hate books" that glorify terrorism. The ban is aimed at Islamic books that exalt violent jihad and use religion to promote violence. "One book found at a Sydney shop, Defence of the Muslim Lands, carried an endorsement from al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden on its back cover and promoted "wiring up one's body" with explosives." Attorney-General Philip Ruddock "said the material offended society, because it attacked the very values that enable people to enjoy freedom of speech." The trouble with all this is where exactly to stop. Censorship is valid when used against sedition. However, much of the justification being given for this move involves the concepts of hate books and religious material that offends society. These same arguments are beginning to be used against Christian refutations of other religions. The danger of misuse is very real.
The Italian company Al Quds Jeans has designed and is marketing a pair of jeans made especially for Muslims. The jeans are "baggy with a high waist to allow freedom of movement during the repeated kneeling for Islamic worship. They have extra large pockets for glasses, trinkets and prayer beads and also feature discreet green seams at the top of the belt loops, in honour of the faith's sacred colour." In order to insure that the jeans will be made by Muslims, they are manufactured in Karachi, Pakistan. Some Muslims object to the name Al Quds, which is the Arabic name for Jerusalem, because it connects a holy name to a pair of jeans.
