- The new move to expose the insidious tactics of Australia's cults | SBS News
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-new-move-to-expose-the-insidious-tactics-of-australias-cults/7f32xq8pv
It's good that something is being done about cults, however significant harm is being done by churches which do not fit the definition of a cult.
- Franklin Graham Calls Out Evangelical False Teachers in Pastor Survey
https://churchleaders.com/news/433494-franklin-graham-calls-out-evangelical-false-teachers-in-pastor-survey.html
"The survey found that only one out of every three Christian pastors polled in the United States possessed a biblical worldview. The percentage was even lower for teaching pastors."
This is just one reason the 'church' is in such a mess, and why so many non-Christians looking on have a low regard for Christianity and 'church folk'.
- Two Hundred People Left Our Small Church - Christianity Today
https://www.christianitytoday.com/2022/03/small-church-attendance-decline-pandemic-pastor-200-people/
This is a Christianity Today member-only article for full access to it. It is a fascinating read that includes information about how former churchgoers were surveyed regarding the reasons they left the church. Many people rarely reveal all, or even the genuine reasons for leaving, so many such surveys are skewed. While I can't, and don't, comment on this individual church mentioned in the article, we also need to remember that toxic behaviour among church leadership is common and may be a reason people are leaving your church.
- A daily helping of this common pantry staple may lower your cholesterol, study finds | BBC Science Focus Magazine
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/daily-helping-of-chickpeas-may-lower-your-cholesterol
For a long time now, I have been aware of the importance of sound nutrition in maximising both physical and mental health. This article is yet another illustration of the potential of good food.
- Diabetes can be easily reversed (and prevented). A doctor explains how | BBC Science Focus Magazine
https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/reverse-type-2-diabetes
Interesting, and for some, a hope-giving read. Mentions fasting.
- Cockatoos start sipping from Sydney’s drinking fountains after mastering series of complex moves | Birds | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/04/cockatoos-drink-from-sydney-water-fountains
What fun!
George Thomas
- Sermons with Benefits - Christianity Today
https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/06/sermons-with-benefits-delman-coates-biblical-sexual-ethic/?
A so-called Christianity that "undermines the Word of God is dead. It does not deserve to bear the name of Christ. We need transformation, not an excuse for sin. We can love well without endorsing licentiousness. Faithful disciples lead with grace without letting go of the truth."
I have repented (repent is a lovely word; I hope you think so) of my past sexual sin (and other sins) and mention it here to add some credibility to my witness as a sinner saved by Christ. I have always been heterosexual, never having had even one homosexual thought in my life. At an early age, not later than nine and possibly as early as age seven, I was sexually interested in adult women (not little girls - I had no sexual interest in my school peers, just a regular emotional connection). I used to lust after an adult female cleaner my mother employed, which stopped when I had to move to my father's house at age nine.
I bought my first pornographic magazine at age ten/eleven, and when I got caught with it, the school principal scolded me. The shopkeeper who sold it to me didn't make any fuss, even though it was probably illegal for me to buy it at my age (Guernsey 1972/73). Later in life, I was a gigolo - male escort (for women only). There's that nasty word 'prostitute' - I was one of them!
All sexual sin is grievous, including homosexuality. That men have never interested me sexually does not mean I am better than other people (see above). In religious circles, there can be an extreme focus on the sin of homosexuality at the 'expense' of other sins, yet when we study the Bible, we discover...
Jesus Christ had significantly more to say—directly and explicitly—about religious leaders and their hypocrisy than he did about homosexuality. His recorded words in the Gospels focus extensively on critiquing the self-righteousness, legalism, and hypocrisy of the religious elite. Direct references to homosexuality are absent or only inferred within broader discussions of sexual immorality. I will provide more information on this topic of horrid religiosity in due course. Toxic and pharisaical behaviour in churches is a common and severe problem with a multitude of effects.
I'll be blunt. While I don't condone sexual sins, I would honestly rather spend time with a bunch of homosexuals than pharisaical religious folk.
The Bible warns about people who claim to be Christian yet are fake.
- Ancient Roman baths transformed into early Christian church unearthed near Rome | Archaeology News Online Magazine
https://archaeologymag.com/2025/05/roman-baths-transformed-into-christian-church/
Archaeology has interested me from a young age. This discovery provides insight into shifts in Christian baptismal practice.
- Przewalski’s Horses Released into the Steppe in Kazakhstan
https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/przewalskis-horses-released-steppe-kazakhstan
Interesting point about how these horses are vital to the ecosystem.
- Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis Meets Lariocidin Hope | Technology Networks
https://www.technologynetworks.com/immunology/news/molecule-discovered-in-backyard-soil-can-fight-drug-resistant-bacteria-397774
Excellent research on an important issue. Gratitude to the scientists and others involved. Ponder: such people are more worthy of admiration than sports stars, and many celebrities...
- Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/scientists-japan-develop-plastic-that-dissolves-seawater-within-hours-2025-06-04/#
More good news from science. The plastic (a 5cm long piece) also breaks down in soil after 200 hours.
- Europe turns against Israel - Melanie Phillips
https://melaniephillips.substack.com/p/europe-turns-against-israel
Many people have agendas, which means they ignore the truth. Here, if he were alive, an extremely nasty little man with a moustache and perhaps just one testicle (hanging down) would be so pleased.
- Who wrote the Bible? A pioneering new algorithm may shatter scholarly certitude | The Times of Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/who-wrote-the-bible-a-pioneering-new-algorithm-may-shatter-scholarly-certitude/
"Breakthrough method analyzes word distribution to clarify origins of biblical passages — including disputed stories in Genesis, Samuel and Esther."