Restoration 10:10

If the Dudley Mosque was built on the derelict ground in Hall Street, it would rob the town of prime building land. After all there’s only 27 acres of development space left in the borough. However, if the Mosque was built it would generate jobs as well as providing training and development opportunities for the whole community. This is what we are told about the public inquiry taking place over the Dudley mosque. But the town is not being true to itself with this debate. Do we really think that angry words are being exchanged in the public gallery and twenty police officers and extra security are present because everyone’s falling out over a few jobs and a bit of land? I don’t think so. Much of the public unrest involves a faith issue. Not a race issue. But there is definitely a religious concern. A mosque is a place of public worship. But we are debating the whole thing in a secular sense as though planners propose to build an air field or a supermarket on the site. Personally I wish Donald Trump would come to Dudley and build his £1 billion golf course. Not to forget the one thousand holiday homes and five hundred private houses he’s planning to go around the 1,400 acre site. Dudley would become a golfer’s paradise and reap £100 million a year. But it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for Donald to build his golf course here in the West Midlands. In fact, Donald can’t even get his plans through a small committee. Scottish councillors have rejected his flamboyant proposal to keep their unspoilt coastline. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it? We don’t like people spoiling things for us. According to the Muslim Association the mosque is ‘an ideal employment site’. They don’t want anyone to stand in the way and spoil this great service and vision for the community. On the other hand it’s been argued that a huge mosque would be out of character with the town of Dudley and spoil its skyline. I think it would also spoil some people’s Christian views. Unlike the Muslims Christians believe Jesus is more than just a prophet. They believe Christ is the unique Son of God. That’s why some people are opposed to the building of the Mosque. But I can’t say this, can I? Otherwise I might spoil the wonderful image of religious tolerance we have in our nation.

According to a spokesman the attacker is just a vulnerable bloke that’s been radicalised and taken advantage of by Muslim extremists. The would-be bomber naively transported some explosive device to the Giraffe café in Exeter England. The viable nail bomb was designed to explode, maim and kill innocent men, women and children. But it’s the assailant who is apparently weak and vulnerable. The suspect is described as being brain washed and having a low I Q. If he’s so pathetic why didn’t they send in a social worker or counsellor to raid an adress associated with the bomber? Why did they use a bunch of armed police officers to do the search? Just because you have a low IQ or can be taken advantage of does not make you innocent. Nobody these days takes the blame for the things they do wrong. Ask the young teenagers why they carry knives. It’s not to kill anyone it’s only to protect themselves. It’s the other gang’s fault. And whatever you do don’t upset the youf. Police officers should not stop and search any young suspects for these deadly weapons. You might antagonise them. Then they’ll have another excuse to riot against the establishment. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a goody two shoes or a golden angel. I’ve done my fair share of misdeeds. But I do believe in good old fashioned confession. Its God’s way of making us be honest about our sin.

An army officer told the Sun newspaper of his miracle escape when a rocket-propelled grenade bounced off him.

“Lt David Robertson was struck in the chest by the missile, fired by a Taliban terrorist in Afghanistan. Incredibly it ricocheted off his body armour and exploded against his Warrior armoured vehicle – and David escaped with just minor arm wounds.

The 30-year-old from 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (The Highlanders), said:

“I saw it coming at me head-on. I was knocked back hard, and then there was a bang and a heat wave. My body armour saved me.”

David, of Inverness, is usually based in Germany. A defence expert said:

“Thanks to his armour we are celebrating the survival of a hero and not mourning the loss of a brave officer.”

WOW. How cool is this? The soldier came under attack was knocked back hard, felt the heat of a missile and was bombarded by an explosive loud bang. And he died; NOT. Thankfully the soldier was wearing his body armour and survived with receiving only minor injuries. So come on Christians. You might not be in a battle like the one being fought in the Middle East, but you are in a spiritual war zone so,

‘ Put on the full armour of God’ says the Apostle Paul, ‘so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes’ Ephesians 6:11.

Don your spiritual Kevlar. Take hold of Christ’s righteousness, thank the Lord for your salvation, proclaim the gospel truth, ready yourself for biblical service, live by faith, and walk humbly before your God. And like all the surviving heroes of Scripture we will be more than conquerors.

Muslim scientists and scholars have called for the world to replace Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) with Mecca time. The call was issued at a conference held in the Gulf state of Qatar under the title: Mecca, the Centre of the Earth, Theory and Practice. One Muslim geologist said that the English had imposed Greenwich Mean Time on the rest of the world by force when Britain was a big colonial power.

Obviously the British Empire has imposed things on the world; good and bad. But what ruling power hasn’t? No government, country, nation or continent is absolutely moral in its conduct. Civility, politics, and cultures are a mixture of right and wrong. They will impose things for better or worse. Greenwich Meantime is now called Coordinated Universal Time. To say that the English imposed it on the world is not strictly true.

The adoption of Greenwich Mean Time dates back to October 1884. 42 delegates from 25 nations met for the Meridian Conference in the USA. Fixing the time was passed by 22-1 votes. San Domingo voted against, France and Brazil abstained. The French didn’t adopt GMT until 1911; some 29 years later. It should also be noted that Turkey a predominant Muslim country was present at the Meridian Conference. It too democratically voted to accept GMT.

Should we replace Greenwich Mean Time with Mecca Time? No, because the request at the conference in Qatar doesn’t have an altruistic motive. At the same conference they didn’t only call for Mecca Time to replace Greenwich Mean Time. They also called on Arab governments to abandon the new world maps "because they are forged to serve Western interests." They also demanded that buildings in the Arab world be directed towards Qibla. (Qibla is the Arabic word for the direction Muslims turn to when they pray). The Qatar gathering was also urged to organise conferences to promote the idea of "Mecca as the centre of the world's land" .

Perhaps it’s not occurred to the Muslim scientists that the world doesn’t evolve exclusively around Islam. Some of us have a life outside of the Koran. And if you ask me the Middle Eastern skyline would become boring if all the Arab buildings were directed towards Qibla. In spite of the great architecture the direction of the buildings would be very monotonous. And don’t even contemplate changing the boundaries of the 192 countries which comprise the new world maps. There’s been enough blood shed trying to define the small area of the Gaza Strip.