Letters to the editor

Harry Potter

Dear Editor

I read your article in the May
issue about “Harry Potter, What does God say?” and I
am worried. I gave it someone to read that did not know anything
about Harry Potter and she was shocked. I was also talking to the
Pastors wife of the church we are going to and she gave me the
enclosed article written by, I think she said, a lecturer at
Bible College (in New Zealand) so I could find the “middle
ground”. But to me there is no “middle ground”,
there is either good or evil not a bit of both.

My husband and I have a very
simple faith we believe what the Bible says and we won’t
compromise. We have made ourselves unpopular because of this and
have left two churches because of our stand on what the
scriptures say, are we wrong on the issue of Harry Potter, are we
too one eyed? Looking forward to hearing from you.

Worried

Dear Worried

Don’t worry! One thing I
have discovered in my short time as editor of a Christian
newspaper (5 years) is that there are so many schools of thought
within the ‘family of God’ around any given topic,
that if complete agreement was ever realised – we’d
most probably be in heaven.

On the subject of Harry Potter
– I know plenty of Christian people who simply do not
believe that the series could have negative spiritual undertones.
Conversely, there are those like myself who feel that whilst a
person will not become demon-possessed by exposure to a Potter
movie or book, the very nature of witchcraft and occultism is
dangerous, and warned against in Scripture. By feeling
‘mature enough’ to turn a blind eye to the dark side,
I feel we diminish the clarity of the line which divides darkness
and light. In our relative maturity, we may in fact encourage a
negative pathway for those less able to discern. I know occult
practise is on the increase. I have also met a number of people
who have chased supernatural signs and wonders in church life
(like a preoccupation – which we are warned about), and
eventually ended up crossing over to the dark side to continue
their pursuit of the supernatural there. God is light – and
in Him is no darkness. Also, the ‘hidden or secret
things’ belong unto Him…

We will try to obtain permission
to print the article you refer to in the next Omega Times –
along with some further comment.

Thankfully, once we’ve
stated what we believe, we can let the issue go, because each
person must decide for themselves.

I’m not the final authority
on any subject; therefore I don’t try to carry the burden
of trying to convince people one way or the other on issues like
this. I believe that that is the work of the Holy Spirit –
coupled to a bit of ‘common sense’ (actually –
I have questioned recently as to whether such a category of sense
exists).

Keep on with your simple faith
– and encourage others in the same way.

Ed.

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Queen Elizabeth II

Dear Ed

Re. "God save out Queen" (June
edition O.T)

Sorry Bro. Andrew, I must take
issue on this. As much of British history as I remember, the
sovereign was absolute. The barons wanted more democracy so the
treaty of Runnymede established the British Parliament and the
Sovereign as the protector & defender of the faith. Today the
armed forces are loyal to the queen, she is the supreme commander
in chief, and the armies do not answer to the Prime Minister,
only the Queen or the Governor General.

As a young boy, even when her
majesty's name was mentioned we all stood to attention. All that
changed in Fiji. Lt. Col. ”Rambo' Rambuka, overthrew a
democratically elected government, re-established his corrupt
father in law as PM, promoted himself to Major General,
eventually established Fiji as a republic, all with the blessing
of the incumbent Fiji Governor general. As if that was not bad
enough, Elizabeth Windsor did nothing. If all the Queens’
horses & men could travel thousand of miles to the Falklands,
why not Fiji, re-establish what had been voted in democratically
and demote Rambuka to lance private!

When she did nothing, I began to
ask what is she for. The Queen is like Christmas, what do they
represent. The Queen ostensibly represents a guard to democracy
and does not, Christmas is ostensibly Christ's birthday and is
not.

There is some passage in the good
book about to whom much is given much is expected. I feel the
Queen has much to answer for. She has enormous privileges, is
very class conscious, has a heritage of debauchery and
corruption, is "holier than thou' with the matter of her sister
not being allowed to marry a divorcee, clearly God forgives, Mrs
Windsor does not.

Buck House is full of trapping s
of pomp & ceremony, glitter & sparkle. The Roman circus,
and its issue of bread to the masses was similar. Old churches
had brilliant images of Jesus & the heavenlies to convince
the masses, but the word per se was kept from them.

We need to be reminded, adorned
& lovely as Elizabeth Windsor is, if she is not reborn of the
Holy Spirit, she will go into eternal separation form God, I
think sometimes the Royalists of the world over look that fact. I
don’t have a great issue with a Republic, but am suspicious
of them, also remember the Queen is not neutral, Harold Wilson
was her favourite PM, she did not like Thatcher & the Tory
Government of Britain. The Queen is not a good leader, she likes
her position and all the associated ceremony, Jesus said,
"Greater things than these will you do." A good leader promotes
those about them to do more & better. Mrs. Windsor wallows in
the ceremony of the office, and will pass it onto no one. I am
glad she is not queen of me.

Tom Bond

Dear Tom

Thanks for your comments. Whilst I
agree with much of what you say, I actually like the Queen and
pray that God will give her wisdom and strength to make right
decisions with what time and authority she has left.

Your comments around her political
leanings? and whether the monarchy is worth anything, are open to
speculation.

With regard to her need to be born
again – that was the purpose of my article in the June
edition. Let’s pray and sing – “God save the
Queen.”

I remain convinced that we are to
respect authority, because ultimately, all authority is ordained
of God. Ed.

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Dear Ed

Subject: Re: Takeaway Christianity
(June edition O.T)

I have just had time finally, in
my ever-more seemingly hectic life, to sit down and read one or
two articles from this months Omega Times. The article on
takeaway Christianity really struck a cord with me. The reason
for this is simple, as I recently finished painting my house (On
Monday in fact). As I was painting it I asked myself “why
am I bothering", after all I had just preached on Sunday of the
Lord’s imminent return. Then as I was up the ladder
painting the guttering, which had become quite grubby and dull it
struck me (no, not the guttering). As I stared around from my
birds eye view, I realized just how much I had neglected my
property over the years and allowed dirt to accumulate.

The point I’m making is
this, that our lives are often like that if we stop living and
caring and especially in my case, our witness becomes somewhat
dull. After all what kind of message does it send to our
neighbours if we keep an untidy house?

Yes the Lord may return soon, but
I for one want to be busy about the Lords work and enjoying His
Creation when he comes. May God Bless you all

Martyn

Dear Martyn

Thanks for your encouragement. I
love the topics of purpose and legacy. I think we need a reason
to get up in the morning – and as Christians we have such
an advantage.

I also believe that in life there
are producers and consumers. We are all a bit of both – and
it’s all a matter of ratio…

Even as Christians, because
we’re human it’s very easy to take the path of least
resistance and simply ‘lie down’ and wait. It is
fatalism that says “I can not make any difference,
therefore why bother.” I very much believe that the time is
short and we must ‘work while it is day – the time
will come soon enough when no-one will be able to work.”
So, even with a modest knowledge of end times, I am motivated to
continue in my work out in the field (mostly outside of Churches)
for the glory of God.

When I die, it is my desire to
leave my family with a raft load of blessings – legacy
stuff. Definitely spiritual, but also where possible, materially
as well. I cannot see any benefit in just spiritualising
it all. That’s not how God made us! I have seen resentful
families who have to start establishing themselves from scratch
because Dad and Mum were so busy about the spiritual; they
neglected the bear essentials (tidying the back yard stuff).
Pilgrims passing through – who take pride in doing things
well while we’re here!

God has been gracious to all of us
and provided some talents. I use mine as best I can with the
attitude that “I only get one shot at this.” In this
respect, the need to ‘please everyone’ diminishes as
I set out to be the best I can be before God. We ought to fear
God – and not men. I have learnt that people (you and I
included) are social and gregarious creatures – meaning we
are prone to ‘conformity’, to fit in and surround
ourselves with like-minded thinkers. The issue there is that when
we mix only with people who all think the same way and interpret
the same way, we may in fact become one eyed - institutionalised.
In my line of work I’ve grown to love non-Christian
audiences – because they are verbally honest (keeps me
thinking).

Jesus is our example – the
Holiest man who ever lived, friend of publicans and sinners, who
had this testimony “Whatever He does, he does well”
Mark 7:37.

Blessings Ed