Friday, September 07, 2007
Minister promoting “filth” shocker…
JUDGE not lest ye be judged - unless you’re a Free Presbyterian minister, in which case local rock bands are “filth”. After Arts Minister and Free P member Edwin Poots lent his support to the Oh Yeah music centre by joining Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody and Ash’s Tim Wheeler in Belfast last week, Rev Ivan Foster (the Jim Allister of Protestantism) issued his second condemnation of Mr Poots (this being the first). That anyone calling themselves a Christian should commend them and so influence the young to listen to such filth, is reprehensible in itself. But when that person is an office-bearer in the Free Presbyterian Church one has to wonder what view of his behaviour his minister and session hold and whether they will stand up for the Word of God and what it has to say on the issue, blasted Rev Foster, after advising us to check out the Wikipedia entries on the bands to see “the immoral titles, themes and lyrics employed by these ‘musicians’.” Yes folks, ‘Open Your Eyes’, for verily, when evil musicians urge you to ‘Free All Angels’ it doth herald the ‘Twilight of the Innocents’.
Belfast Gonzo @ 12:54 PM
Ah..... we have the non-religious aethists of Slugger commenting again on those of us who actually have read the Bible.
The verse about judging if you actually read the context is talking about hypocritical judging. The Bible states that we are to “judge righteous judgment.”
I could expose your straw man by simply replying “are you judging Ivan Foster by your remarks?”
A little knowledge Gonzo........
Ivan Foster’s article is accurate and Biblical - you may not like it as you are part of the world system (and that is your prerogative)but don’t push us all to like your perversions and anti-Christian actvities. You are sounding a tad intolerant for someone who is against intolerance!!
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:27 PMMinister for filth.......I like it.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:32 PMBloody awful music anyway, give us a bit of eric clapton.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:35 PMFair play to Edwin Poots. I’ve (surprisingly) warmed to him lately. I was at the gig last Saturday night (although I am an Ash fan rather than a Snow Patrol follower).
Ash had an earlier single called “Jesus Says” which aptly sums up the likes of Ivan Foster....
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:54 PMGosh, if he has a problem with the crap that Ash and Snow Patrol put out… I dont know WHAT he made of Led Zep!
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:55 PMThis article dovetails nicely with the Ian Og remarks on homosexuality.
The FP’s need to decide whether their “faith” prohibits them from public office where they have the responsibility to represent all sections of the community, even those who actions repulse them like Tim Wheeler and Gary Lightbody.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:56 PMFlith? Wishy washy maybe but filth, not in a million. So Sam what part of the bible said that middle of the road pop rock is to be condemmed. Care to point out any offensive lyrics by either band? BTW Sam did you manage to keep a straight face when you typed the phrase “non-religious athiest” is that like a meat free veggie burger or alcohol free pint of milk?
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:58 PMwhat would jesus say?
think he would have bigger fish to fry than snow patrol
by the by does anyone know the title to that duet on the most recent album?
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 01:58 PMFor this member of the congregation, the moral rot set in circa 1965 when the Reverend William (Bill) McCrea turned electric at the Ballymena Folk Festival and then released his ‘seminal’ album ‘Bringin’ it all back home ‘til ye’ featuring ‘Subterranean Homesick Orangemen’…when he introduced thon fellas The Bachelors to the wacky backy the whole country went to hell in a handcart…
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:13 PMNever mind Led Zep, if he thinks Snow Patrol are filth, how does he get through the day without dying from apoplexy? And can someone please send him the collected works of Throbbing Gristle on CD?
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:19 PMJpeters,
If you mean the most recent Snow Patrol album (Eyes Open), then the duet was called “Set fire to the Third Bar”. It was recorded with Martha Wainwright, who is a Canadian pop-folk vocalist.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:20 PMIf only these bands were offering some good evil rock ‘n’ roll hedonism! But putting musical differences to one side the Oh Yeah Project is a superb, and much needed, project. They deserve every success.
Fair play to Rev. Foster however for adding general hilarity to public debate.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:21 PMThe comments by Ivan Foster are really vitriolic and uneccesarily so. What about Christian love and compassion?
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:30 PMWhen will these people get real.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:31 PMI’m sorry to play the man, but this person is clearly an idiot. I had the pleasure of being invited to the Oh Yeah housewarming last week- I chatted to yer man from Snow Patrol, heard some excellent examples of local musical talent (including an acoustic set by Tim Wheeler) and found out about the excellent work this project is doing to encourage young people with musical talent to make the most of their gift without having to leave to go to Dublin, London or further afield.
Projects like this help keep young people away from drinking on street corners and encourage them to get involved in worthwhile activity. Any right-minded person will clearly offer their full support to this.
People like Foster really have nothing whatsoever to contribute to society- the best way to deal with them is simply to ignore them.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:34 PMignore them?
What and miss a good laugh?
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:41 PMActually, if you play Snow Patrol’s latest song backwards....
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:53 PMmac
cheers thats been driving me mad all day
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:55 PMIt would be interesting to see a list of the bands that Ivan Foster or Sam Hanna deem acceptable.
Go on, humour us - it’s Friday!
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 02:56 PMCliff Richard? No touching during the dancing. And bring her back home the way you found her!
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 03:00 PM“It would be interesting to see a list of the bands that Ivan Foster or Sam Hanna deem acceptable.”
Ballygobackward First Flute?
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 03:03 PMThis is all to gain attention on the vote tonite.
I hadn’t intended to comment on the meeting of the Free Presbyterian presbytery this incoming Friday as I believed my views were well enough known. That was before I read an article in yesterday’s Belfast Telegraph headed “Paisley to stay as head of church”.“A spokesman” stated that the issue was “entirely a matter for the presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church” and “senior church sources” told the Telegraph that it was “extremely likely” that he would be re-elected adding (or perhaps it was another source - the article isn’t clear) “We are not expecting anything untoward”.
A number of observations before I move on the substantive issue of whether or not Paisley should be re-elected:
Why was no one named in this article? Were they afraid of something? From reading it I don’t even know if the reporter spoke to two Free Presbyterians or two dozen Free Presbyterians.
Does the spokesman/senior source/sources know the meaning of the word “untoward”? Does he/they believe that a church should always seek to avoid “difficult” (OED definition of untoward) issues by not facing up to them?
If it is “entirely a matter for the presbytery” why are anonymous sources making statements to the Telegraph in a blatant attempt to bolster Paisley’s chances of re-election and dismiss any opposition? If they are prepared to discuss it with the press while skulking in the shadows why do they find fault with those who discuss this issue publicly while not hiding away?
Allow me to briefly set out why I believe Ian Paisley should not be re-elected. I am not going to go into anything deep or quote the Westminster Confession. I am just going to state simple facts.
Paisley along with all other Free Presbyterian ministers signed a statement which said it was “unscriptural, unethical and immoral” to share power with “those who have supported and advocated violence”.
Note the tense. The position of the Free Presbyterian Church was and is that the past deeds of Sinn Fein/IRA render them unfit for governmental office.
If this position changes common courtesy demands that the Free Presbyterian Church apologise to those parties which supported the 1998 Belfast Agreement. It would also be nice if they could explain to their own members (from Scripture) why the position changed.
Secondly, Dr Paisley was the defendant in a court case paid for by the Free Presbyterian Church.
This is (apart from anything else) a clear conflict of interest.
It is also clear to any fair and impartial observer that Ian Paisley had to break his word in order to enter government with the IRA’s political apologists. If anyone can furnish me will two contradictory definitions of the word “never” (as in “I will never sit down with Gerry Adams") I would be very interested to hear them.
Dishonesty is not an admirable quality in the moderator of an evangelical church.
As time has progressed it has become evident that as long as Ian Paisley and other Free Presbyterians serve in the government of Northern Ireland as presently constituted the ability of that church to comment on the morality of government policy is compromised.
At the resent gay pride parade in Belfast we had the ludicrous situation of Free Presbyterians protesting against an event which was funded by Edwin Poots - a man who holds office in the Free Presbyterian Church.
Readers are also reminded that Ian Paisley has not claimed any Scriptural justification for his actions.
Posted by Sammy at 13:33
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 03:14 PMRe. above post as my mother used to say some people are so straight they’re twisted!
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 03:38 PMI wouldn’t worry about Foster - if you’re considered to be a hard-line nutter, and that’s just by your colleagues in the Free P church then it says something about you.
He’s just used now by anti-DUP nutters to advance what they term an ‘argument’.
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 03:41 PMI don’t approve of any music that has sensual beats and lyrics that incite sensual thoughts - I would have though that was obvious as I only accept the Bible as the infallible source to guide my life.
I know that will provide shrieks of pejorative bile coming my way from the illiberal elite here but so be it.
Edwin Poots was elected as a Christian - he certainly was up front about it so I expect him to represent what that involves. What law states that a politican must be inclusive?
Posted by on Sep 07, 2007 @ 05:23 PM
