Filed under History, Political affairs, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, World affairs
Area of action: Society
Grounds of discrimination: Racism
In December 2018 Unia pressed in anti-Semitism hearings in the Belgian Senate for the reintroduction of an anti-Semitism watchdog. The organisation asked Minister Kris Peeters, at that time responsible for Equal Opportunities, to take the first steps towards an inter-federal action plan against discrimination and racism. Anti-Semitism remains a persistent problem. The calls being made by Unia in 2018 were in response to a large-scale survey of 16,000 Jews in twelve EU countries by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), a human rights agency of the EU.
The findings of the report make for a sobering read. They underscore that antisemitism remains pervasive across the EU – and has, in many ways, become disturbingly normalised. Already in 2018 an overwhelming majority of survey participants felt that antisemitism was getting worse. They also feared for their own safety, and that of their loved ones. Though we also could notice not only the monotheist Hebrews or Jehudi were targeted. Jeshuaists and Muslims, worshipping the same God were not loved either and felt the pressure. Jeshuaists and Jews belonging to different Judaic denominations protect themselves by not coming out to much in the open and by leaving their kippa at home, only discreetly displaying mezuzas, avoiding certain areas in their cities or skipping Jewish events.
The many graphs contained in the report reveal a sobering picture of Belgium. Except for France, Jews do not experience anywhere in the EU as much hostility on the streets as they do in Belgium. Among those surveyed, 81 percent mentioned public spaces as the place with the most hatred of Jews. The European average is about 70 percent.
“These are figures that require a structural approach in the form of a vigilance unit and a plan that overarches policy areas,’
stressed Unia director at that time, Els Keytsman.
Already in 2018, a shocking statistic sended a clear message:
in the past five years, across twelve EU Member States where Jews have been living for centuries, more than one third say that they consider emigrating because they no longer feel safe as Jews.
In the meantime, we know about many Jews and Jeshuaists who left Belgium.
Much too many people seem to forget how antisemitic acts can have a profound impact not only on individuals and those close to them, but also on the Jewish community as a whole. Several manifestations may bring forward all sorts of the types of antisemitic acts which we see increasing since a decade and by the growing popularity of two Flemish National parties, the right-wing populist Flemish nationalist Vlaams Belang, with a strong anti-immigrant message that succeeded the right-wing Vlaams Block, and the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA – New Flemish Alliance), a movement that self-identifies with the promotion of civic nationalism, which strives for the secession of Flanders from Belgium.
The last few years in Belgium and France we have seen an increase in desecration of Jewish cemeteries, vandalism of Jewish buildings or institutions, expressions of hostility towards Jews and Jeshuaists in the street and other public places, but also an enormous antisemitism in the media. It is incredible what we can find on the internet, including social media, where nobody seems to be willing or able to silence the hate-speech.
In 2018 antisemitism online was already seen as a particularly widespread problem: a large majority of all respondents in the 12 survey countries (89 %) consider this either ‘a very big’ or a ‘fairly big’ problem, and as many (88 %) believed that it had increased over the past five years. The percentage of respondents indicating that antisemitism on the internet is problematic is especially high (at least 90 %) in Belgium, France, Italy, and Poland. In Belgium and France, a majority of respondents rated almost all antisemitic manifestations that the survey asked about as ‘a very big’ or ‘a fairly big’ problem. These are also the countries with the highest proportion of respondents indicating antisemitism in general as a problem.
The majority of respondents of that survey are aware of legislation that forbids discrimination based on ethnic origin or religion – some 64 %–87 %, depending on the area, indicated knowing about it. They are most aware of anti-discrimination legislation in employment and least aware of protection related to housing. Most respondents (71 %) also say they are aware of an organisation in the country that offers advice or support for people who are discriminated against, but we should be aware that out of self-protection most Jews and Jeshuaists do not dare to react or bring the problem into the public. Respondents most often referred to Jewish organisations specialising in the safety and security of the Jewish community and/or antisemitism, and national equal-ity or human rights bodies. Lots of Jews and Jeshuaists lost their trust in the Belgian State and in Belgian politicians.
Fortunatelyserious incidents are today punishable by law. For example, in 2018 Unia was a civil party in the case against the vandal who caused serious damage in the Jewish quarter of Antwerp.
“Unia was also a civil party in the case concerning the attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels.”
Last November Unia was calling for a more inclusive image for folkloric events and intangible heritage such as the pre-Lent merrymaking and festivity carnival. Unia said local organisers and partners can play an important role in this. That is one of Unia’s recommendations in a report drawn up following the controversy about the anti-Semitic float in the municipality Aalst, on the Dender River, 24 km (15 miles) northwest of Brussels.
Unia feels that dialogue and awareness must be a priority.
“What is offensive to one person is apparently folklore for another. Showing consideration for other people’s sensitivities can never be simply imposed by law. Only through dialogue can we take into account the feelings of others and learn to see things from their point of view. “
That is why Unia organised meetings between Belgium’s Forum of Jewish Organisations and a group of Aalst carnivalists.
“Their float – depicting anti-Semitic stereotypes – was unintentionally reminiscent of Nazi propaganda. We understand that many people were shocked by this connotation, and it led to a highly polarised conflict. We have seen that both parties now have an understanding of each other’s position and context. Talking to each other does not guarantee that stereotypes will never crop up again, but it is a start.”
It could have gone the right way, but this year, it uncovered the hidden agenda more clearly. From what was presented at the cortège was more than just laughing with something that bothered them. It was showing their disgust for another culture and other religion than theirs.
Much too often we hear the excuse
“For carnivalists, freedom of expression means the freedom to make fun of anything and anyone.”
Though, one should question how far one can go with mockery. Unia says
“Conversely, that freedom also means that you are bound to provoke controversy now and then, and you have to be able to deal with criticism.”
People from Aalst seem to have lots of difficulty with the criticism they received over the last twelve months.
Lots of events happening in Aalst real lovers of God would never come to know if they were not shown on television and brought into social media.
Thanks to social media, images of parades and festivities are reaching the general public on an unprecedented scale and are thus amplified and sometimes, or more than once, may be taken out of context. Moreover, while in the past, traditions were not called into question, this questioning has now become appropriate, Unia notes.
“As such, that is a positive thing. Folkloristic events can evolve according to changing attitudes and new insights, allowing them to become celebrations in which no one is left out”,
according to Keytsman.
We do find politicians and organisations for protecting civilians, should recognise historical similarities and see the dangers behind certain events, which, in the beginning may look harmless and childish, but have a very deep and dangerous undertone. Puerile actions may develop into actions out of frustration and dissatisfaction which generates aggression against certain population groups.
This year out of frustration, how they were treated by Unesco, everal people in the parade mocked the specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), using Jewish caricatures as well.
But, from what we came to see and hear in the media, it went much further.
Unia promises to collect all the information and will investigate whether criminal offences were committed. For this, they are in contact with the prosecutor’s office and the police.
We wonder how Unia is going to act or take juridical prosecution against the group who had their float a sign labelled
“regulations for the Jewish party committee,”
and it included a not to misunderstand sarcastic:
“Do not mock Jews”
and a shocking
“Certainly do not tell the truth about the Jew.”
which clearly indicates they have formed an idea about Jews in general and do want others to believe that Jews have something to hide or do not want to have the truth about them told. This means those carnavalists understand the truth about the Jews is not or may not be told!?!
Rudi Roth, a journalist for the Antwerp-based Joods Actueel Jewish paper, said the expressions of anti-Semitism in Aalst this year were more numerous and prominent than last year. He called it a
“backlash effect.”
Coming closer to the event celebrities gave notice not having free time to come to the parade. Several politicians backed out of appearances with Aalst’s mayor, who has defended the parade displays.
According to Christophe D’Haese of the right-wing New Flemish Alliance, carnival is not an anti-Semitic event and should be seen in its context of
“everything is allowed”.
He said the event
“certainly has anti-Semitic elements,”
the likes of which he said had not been on display since the end of the Nazi occupation in 1945.
With good reason Rubinfeld said
“Aalst’s name is now associated with anti-Semitism,and that’s partly because of the mayor’s inaction.”
With questioning eyes, we are very curious to see whether Unia this year will make a real effort to go to court and make it clear that what has been shown this year in Aalst has been far out of proportion in our society and cannot be admitted.
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Preceding
What to do in the Face of Global Anti-semitism
Anti-Semitic pressure driving Jews out of Europe
Perhaps Anti-Semitism for lots of people isn’t always easy to see
What makes you following Christ and Facebook Groups
A Jew and Muslim walking together side by side down USA city streets
Speaking up and Celebration of Purim
Numbers 10:10 Make Your Rejoicing Heard
Niet te negeren gebeurtenissen rond Joden in België
Hoe ver kan men gaan om zich te beroepen op Vrije meningsuiting
Aalst Carnaval: Unia analyseert meldingen
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Jelmer Mommers in zijn boek “Hoe Gaan We Dit Uitleggen” mag dan al oplossingen brengen om de klimaatverandering te temperen, want we moeten er bewust van zijn dat we ze niet zullen kunnen stoppen. Maar zeker mogen wij ons hoofd niet in het zand steken en moeten we onze verantwoordelijkheid nemen om de na ons komende generaties een goed leefbaar klimaat te geven.
Wij kunnen het niet nalaten stappen te ondernemen, anders zou dit getuigen hoe zelfzuchtig wij als individu wel durven zijn. Als maatschappij moeten wij samen verantwoorde stappen nemen om de opwarming van de aarde tegen te gaan. Dit vergt eerst en vooral politieke moed, waarna ook economische gevolgen onder ogen moeten gezien worden. Men kan niet ontkennen dat het algemeen een economische impact zal hebben voor meerdere jaren. Ook naar beroepen zal het een impact hebben. Er moet namelijk op landbouwgebied een hele herziening komen. Mensen moeten er toe komen om minder vlees te eten en beter om te springen met het voedsel en voedselvoorraden. Het is hoog tijd dat ons consumptiegedrag ernstig onder de loep wordt genomen.
De Aarde en de toekomst van de mensheid liggen heden in onze handen. Er mag geen lafheid en geen egoïsme zijn. Elkeen moet tot het besef komen hoe kostbaar onze planeet is. Zij die niet willen zien moeten wij de ogen open doen. Er moet openlijk durven over gepraat worden. We mogen onze tijd niet passief ondergaan. Het kan makkelijk zijn om te zeggen
“We doen wat we doen en de toekomst zal haar oordeel over ons vellen.”
De vluchtelingen- en de bankencrisis van vorig decennium is niets in vergelijking met de groter wordende stroom van klimaatvluchtelingen, die nu al waar genomen kan worden en zal toenemen met de komende jaren.
Het neoliberalisme met haar geweld van de vrije markt heeft er voor gezorgd dat het leven van een mens klein en futiel werd, maar ook verstoord in zijn eigen achtertuin. De gehele technische revolutie ligt mee aan de oorzaak van wat we nu en in de komende jaren nog tegemoet moeten gaan zien, van hoger wordende temperaturen en aangroeiende woestijnen.
Sinds de technologische revolutie van de 19de eeuw hebben we generatie na generatie zien profiteren van vooruitgang. Nu echter is er een kantelpunt bereikt waarbij onze kinderen en kleinkinderen, het slechter hebben dan onze generatie. De globalisering en de overconsumptie laten zich voelen.
Erg genoeg zien we heel wat gepalaver en nodeloos heen en weer gepraat dat blijkbaar niet veel schijnt op te lossen. Men moet geen deskundige te zijn om in te zien dat we die vooropgestelde doelstelling uit het Parijse klimaatakkoord niet gaan halen. Zelfs met heel uitgebreide en drastische maatregelen zal het moeilijk zijn door het niet eensgezind zijn van de geïndustrialiseerde landen en hun bewindsvoerders.
Krista Bruns bij het behalen van haar Phd bachelor diploma aan de Universiteit van Utrecht, waar na ze een premaster jaar in Econometrics aan de Erasmus Universiteit van Rotterdam volgde en een uitwisselingsemester aan de Universidad de Complutense in Madrid.
De 28 jarige Krista Bruns, sinds kort woonachtig in Den Haag en onlangs gepromoveerd in de Economie, en zich bij een ouderwetse blog verkiest te houden, wordt, zoals wij, toch ook een beetje verdrietig als zij over de klimaatproblematiek nadenkt. Net als wij gelooft zij dat het nog niet te laat is en beseft ze dat het momentum en de noodzaak beiden aanwezig zijn. Ze drukt zelfs de hoop uit:
Wij kunnen de geschiedenis in gaan als de generatie die het tij van 200 jaar industrialisering en vervuiling deed keren. Hoe mooi zou dat zijn? {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Zij durft ook te kijken naar het huidige menselijk (wan)gedrag, waarbij de politiek onze dagelijkse belevenissen wel (on)handig weet te verstoren.
Wel met een economische blik, niet gehinderd door wetenschappelijke conventies of al te veel jargon. {Blog}
dringt zij zich nu ook op in de bloggerswereld, met haar eigen persoonlijke standpunten, los van haar functie als beleidsmedewerker van het Nederlandse Ministerie van Financiën. Ze hoopt zo met haar stem ook iets te kunnen verwezenlijken. (Wat wij toch allemaal hopen, is het niet?)
Zij schrijft verder:
Wij kunnen de geschiedenis in gaan als de generatie die het tij van 200 jaar industrialisering en vervuiling deed keren. Hoe mooi zou dat zijn? {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Met heet besef dat we te weinig doen en te laat stelt zij dat er geen tijd meer is voor uitstelgedrag.
Klimaatverandering is een probleem met mogelijk desastreuze gevolgen, maar deze ontwikkelen zich vergeleken met een mensenleven vrij langzaam en onzichtbaar. We hadden het dus pas door toen het al bijna te laat was, en zelfs nu we het weten doen we er weinig aan.
Dit innerlijke conflict, waarin we weten dat er iets aan de hand is, maar het gevoel hebben dat we er niks aan kunnen doen wordt cognitieve dissonantie genoemd. Het treedt op wanneer gedrag, emotie en cognitie (kennis) niet op één lijn liggen. Dit leidt bij mensen tot een groot intern ongemak, en als reactie daarop gaan we klimaatverandering negeren, bagatelliseren of ontkennen. {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Ons hoofd nite in het zandsteken eist het durven aanzien van onze eigen invloed op wat er voort het ogenblik aan het gebeuren is.
Probleem is dat mensen die op de problemen willen wijzen of hun vinger uitsteken, wel meer dan eens als lastigaards worden aanschouwd. Onze met haatberichten en lelijke woorden vollopende brieven bussen bewijzen dat zelfs dagelijks.
Psychologe Florien Cramwinckel (zie video hieronder) toonde in haar onderzoek ook aan dat we mensen die sterk hun morele waardes proberen over te brengen vaak een beetje irritant vinden, omdat ze ons confronteren met onze eigen tekortkomingen op dat gebied. {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Algemeen moeten we iedereen er toe komen om de hand in eigen boezem te steken.
Ik denk dus dat we een stuk verder zouden komen als we een soort generaal pardon uitspreken … {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Bruns denkt aan een wijs man die ooit zei:
Het beste tijdstip om te beginnen was 20 jaar geleden, het op-een-na beste tijdstip om te beginnen is vandaag. {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Het is waar dat het geen zin heeft om te blijven zeuren over wat er in het verleden verkeerd gegaan is. Men moet de koe met de hoorns aanpakken wanneer dat geweldig dier langs komt.
De politici van vandaag zijn geen grote hulp. Vooral de populisten trachten met allerlei verzinsels de mensen te misleiden. Ze schamen zich niet om zelfs bevinden van erkende wetenschappers te negeren en nog erger, hun bevindingen in twijfel te trekken of als onzin af te schepen.
Betreft de klimaatskeptici schrijft Bruns:
Een derde reden dat we last hebben van uitstelgedrag is volgens mij dat klimaatwetenschappers, meer dan hun collega’s in andere vakgebieden, nog steeds vaak worden uitgemaakt voor een soort religieuze fanaten en dat hun resultaten in twijfel worden getrokken. Onderzoek proberen te reproduceren en falsificeren is nobel werk, maar in dit gebied gaat het er soms heftig aan toe met alternative facts en voor- en tegenstanders die zich beiden te sterk door hun eigen agenda laten leiden. {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Het wordt hoog tijd dat het gewone volk hun leiders ter verantwoording roept, maar ook dat zij zelf gaan inzien dat we zogvuldiger moeten omspringen met het gebruik van gronden, zij het om landbouw er op te verrichten of om het te bebouwen met woonelementen (huizen of apartementen) die op een milieuvriendelijk wijze moeten onderhouden en verwarmd worden.
We zitten momenteel in de 6e grote uitstervingsgolf, bijna een derde van de 27.600 landgebonden zoogdieren, vogels, amfibieën en reptielen neemt sterk in aantallen af. Ter vergelijking: de laatste van de vorige 5 grote uitstervingsgolven was 65 miljoen jaar geleden en betekende het einde van de dinosauriërs. Ook met de onderwaterwereld gaat het niet goed, volgens een rapport van WWF is er in 2047 geen wilde vis meer als we zo doorgaan. Zelfs de insecten, doorgaans toch één van de meest robuuste soort organismen op aarde, hebben sterk te lijden. Nu lijkt dit op het eerste oog niet zo erg, maar biologen hebben ons voorgerekend dat zelfs het uitsterven van één diersoort kan leiden tot het ineenstorten van een compleet ecosysteem, met grote gevolgen voor de hele planeet en de mensheid. {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
Al enkele jaren kunnen wij getuigen zijn van uitzonderlijke weersomstandigheden.
Het extremere weer zal ook niemand ontgaan zijn. 2017 was het jaar met de meeste bosbranden, het duurste orkaanseizoen als het gaat om schade, ijskappen die afbreken in een niet eerder gezien tempo. 2018 lijkt wat betreft temperaturen alle records te gaan breken, in Nederland althans. Zélfs als je van mening bent dat al deze processen zich voornamelijk buiten de schuld van mensen voltrekken, dan zou je in een wereld waarin we alles en iedereen proberen te controleren, toch zoveel mogelijk willen doen om dit proces tegen te gaan? {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
We kunnen slechts hopen dat er wel degelijk langzaamaan aan het besef begint te ontstaan dat er iets gedaan móet worden.
Een stijgende zeespiegel, extremere weersomstandigheden en het vernietigen van de natuurrijkdommen die in miljarden jaren zijn opgebouwd, zal ontegensprekelijk, leiden tot meer conflicten, oorlogen, migratiestromen, hongersnoden en economische crises.
Wat kun je doen?
Stap 1: informeer jezelf. Ik ben er van overtuigd dat deze verandering van inzichten van binnenuit moet komen. Het is niet erg als je vroeger dingen deed die je met de kennis van nu beter niet meer kunt doen. Maar ééns gelezen kun je het niet meer ontlezen. Doe wat met die kennis! Vroeger wist ik ook dat er vegetariërs bestonden. En dat vlees van dode dieren kwam. Maar ik besefte me nog niet de echte impact van vlees op het milieu, de bizarre manier waarop in de bio-industrie met dieren omgegaan werd. Hetzelfde geldt voor vliegen, een reisje naar een lekker warm eiland waar ik een paar jaar geleden geen seconde over twijfelde, wordt nu toch heel wat minder aantrekkelijk.
Leestips David McKay Sustainable Energy without the hot Air Paul Collier Plundered Planet Kate Raworth Doughnut Economics Jared Diamond Collapse Jorgen Randers et. al Limits to Growth Tim Jackson Prosperity without Growth Ik snap wel dat het lastig is om structuur en helderheid te scheppen in de enorme stroom van goede en foutieve informatie die er omtrent dit alomvattende probleem te vinden is. Dat iedereen moeite heeft om dit probleem te omvatten en de informatie te structureren blijkt wel uit het klimaatakkoord, waar na maandenlang nadenken door deskundigen uiteindelijk geen concrete maatregel in bleek te staan. Een helder boek was voor mij Sustainable energy without the hot air van David McKay. Het wordt ook wel het ‘Freakonomics’ van de klimaatproblematiek genoemd en het zet in heldere tabellen en figuren uiteen welk potentieel er nog is voor milieuvriendelijke energie-opwekking en hoeveel we zelf kunnen besparen op onze uitstoot. Op de website van McKay zijn ook leuke rekentools te vinden. De belangrijkste boodschap uit dit boek is: maak een plan wat onder de streep uitkomt. We kunnen leuk allemaal onze opladers uit het stopcontact halen als we ze niet nodig halen, onder het motto ‘alle beetjes helpen’, maar dit is alsnog maar een miniem percentage van ieders verbruik en uitstoot op een dag. Zelfs als we dit allemaal doen gaat het dus weinig zoden aan de dijk zetten: er zijn grote beetjes nodig. Kijk wat er echt een verschil maakt en ga hiermee aan de slag, ook al betekent dat soms afstand doen van verworven luxe.
Wat dan wel?
200 jaar economische ontwikkeling heeft ons een hoop welvaart en ontzettend veel gemak gebracht. Maar onder de ronkende motors van het kapitalisme is ook een feedback loop ingezet die zichzelf niet zal stoppen. Producenten geven weinig om negatieve externaliteiten en zijn op zoek naar de goedkoopste productiemethode om zoveel mogelijk spullen aan ons te verkopen. Wij als consumenten hebben weinig weet van waar die spullen vandaan komen en wat daar voor nodig is en blijven ze dus kopen, wat de producenten weer sterkt in hun verdienmodel.Je energieverbruik binnen de 4 muren van je eigen huis is zeker belangrijk en makkelijk te sturen. Begin eens met elke maand de meterstanden opschrijven en experimenteer om te kijken wat daar veel invloed op heeft. Maar besef ook dat het grootste deel van onze uitstoot niet ontstaat binnen ons huis maar door de productie van goederen die wij aankopen. Volgens mij moeten we weer terug naar een cultuur van genoeg. Vraag je eens af of het nodig is om elke dag vlees te eten. Of om elk jaar een mooie vliegreis te maken. Laat die kaki-vruchten, hoe mooi ze er ook uitzien, eens liggen en koop lekkere stoofpeertjes in de winter. Repareer een kapot kledingstuk in plaats van voor een paar euro iets nieuws te kopen zonder je af te vragen hoe dat in godsnaam voor die prijs geproduceerd kan worden en vanuit Bangladesh hier naartoe verscheept. McKay rekent uit dat 60 van de ca. 195 kilowatt uur die een gemiddelde Westerling per dag nodig heeft komt van het produceren en verschepen van onze spullen.
Het lijkt misschien een opoffering, maar ik heb dat zelf helemaal nooit zo ervaren. Vlees eten mis ik helemaal niet, maar zelfs als je niet zonder kunt: smaakt het niet lekkerder als je het bewaart voor speciale gelegenheden? Wat vakanties betreft: natuurlijk zijn er plekken op de wereld die ik ooit nog wel eens wil zien. Hier ga ik voor sparen en dan ga ik alles eruit halen wat er in zit. Maar de afgelopen 2 jaar heb ik ook ervaren dat ‘staycations’ of vakanties dichtbij huis ontzettend relaxt zijn: je hebt geen lijstje van bezienswaardigheden die je moet afvinken, je bent vrij om te doen waar je zin in hebt en ook korte afstand van huis is er zo ontzettend veel moois te ontdekken!
Wat kan de overheid doen?
Bij dit soort grote transities kijkt men vaak (terecht) als eerste naar nationale overheden en supranationale instituties. Met belastingen, subsidies en regulering hebben die grote middelen in handen om gedrag te beïnvloeden. De Nederlandse overheid heeft deze taak serieus genomen en gaat ambitieuzer dan de in het Parijsakkoord gemaakte afspraken aan de slag. Toch passen hier ook een paar kanttekeningen.De eerste is dat belastingen vaak werken als het zwaard van Damocles: ze gaan vaak ten onder aan hun eigen succes en teveel instrumentalisme heeft ongewenste bijwerkingen. Kijk maar naar het verstorende effect van de verschillende bijtellingen voor hybride auto’s op de automarkt. ‘De vervuiler betaalt’ is een mooi principe, maar als dit betekent dat rijke vervuilers hun schade af kunnen kopen en dat het arme vervuilers verder de armoede in duwt schiet je er weinig mee op. Daarnaast zal een effectieve belasting op vervuiling uiteindelijk zijn eigen grondslag uithollen en daarmee niet meer het primaire doel van een belasting vervullen: geld ophalen om publieke middelen van te betalen.
Een tweede kanttekening is dat er momenteel erg macro gedacht wordt. In Parijs zijn stevige afspraken gemaakt. Daarnaast heeft de regering besloten dat de gaskraan in Groningen dicht moet. Als er echter geen vertaalslag gemaakt wordt naar wat dit voor een gemiddeld gezin betekent, zijn we niet dichter bij huis. Bij gelijkblijvende consumptie zullen we de energie dan gewoon uit het buitenland importeren. Schotel mensen het eerlijke plaatje voor: wat gebeurt er als we niets doen? Iedereen wil een leefbare wereld voor zijn kinderen. Wat is er voor nodig om dat te halen? Kan een gemiddeld gezin nog 2 keer per week vlees eten en eens in de 5 jaar een verre vliegreis maken? Als we die cijfers helder hebben, wordt de gedragsverandering ook makkelijker te bewerkstelligen.
Een derde overweging is wel dat dit soort veranderingen zich vaak eerst langzaam, en dan ineens snel en onvoorspelbaar voltrekken. Het is voor overheden lastig om in te schatten welke kant de technologie opgaat en in het verleden zijn hier ook grove fouten in gemaakt, door bijvoorbeeld flink te subsidiëren om een kritische massa te bereiken voor een technologie, die enkele jaren later ingehaald bleek te zijn door iets beters. We kunnen dus moeilijk op de realiteit vooruit lopen. De markt kan dit doorgaans beter inschatten, maar is nog niet altijd bereid om zich in te zetten en risico te nemen op het vlak van sociaal ondernemerschap. Al komt dit wel steeds meer op gang.
Tenslotte is er voor de transitie een grote investering nodig. Economisch gezien betekent investeren vaak geld lenen voor hoge startkosten, die later terug zullen worden verdiend. Dit geldt in brede zin ook voor veel milieuvriendelijke hervormingen, zoals het isoleren van huizen, het aanleggen van infrastructuur voor elektrisch rijden, het verbeteren van het internationale treinennetwerk en ga zo maar door. Ik ben van mening dat de huidige kapitaalmarkt massaal aan het investeren is in projecten waarvan de negatieve externe effecten nog niet in de prijs doorgekomen zijn. Wanneer deze kennishiaat in de markt omslaat, zou het ook wel eens snel kunnen gaan met private investeringen in duurzame projecten. Tot die tijd is het echter een medeplichtigheid van de overheid om te bedenken hoe dit eerlijk en kosteneffectief gefinancierd kan worden.
Eerlijk is hier een lastig begrip, want hoe spreid je de lasten over huidige en toekomstige generaties? Paul Collier heeft hier een heel inzichtelijk boek over geschreven, waarin hij betoogt hoe de romantici die het probleem ‘tegen elke kosten’ willen aanpakken en de ‘struisvogels’ die liever hun kop in het zand steken nader tot elkaar moeten komen. De crux is in Collier’s ogen dat we toekomstige generaties niet precies dezelfde natuurlijke omgeving hoeven terug te geven als degene die wij nu hebben, maar wel een wereld met exact dezelfde verdiencapaciteit als hoe wij hem aantroffen. Dit zou bijvoorbeeld kunnen door de opbrengsten van het delven van fossiele brandstoffen in een fonds te stoppen waarmee investeringen in duurzame ontwikkeling worden gefinancierd. Dit model is in Noorwegen gehanteerd, en daarmee hebben zij een buffer van 1 biljoen USD opgebouwd om publieke voorzieningen als pensioenen mee te financieren.
Wat ga je morgen doen?
Zoals ik eerder al schreef, er is een hoop informatie en die lijkt soms onmogelijk te doorgronden. Daardoor krijgen we het gevoel dat we er niks aan kunnen doen en steken we liever als struisvogels onze hoofden in het zand of doen we aan gevoelsmatige gewetensbestrijding zoals de tv niet op standby zetten. Toch ben ik ook hoopvol, het momentum is aanwezig en we bezitten meer technologie en kennis dan ooit tevoren.
Vandaag is t-0 en morgen komt wat mij betreft het algemeen klimaatpardon. Schud dus je schuldgevoel van je af, maar lees je in en analyseer welke grote beetjes jij zelf kunt bijdragen. En bovenal: vertel je omgeving wat je hebt geleerd. Niet als moralistische betweter, maar omdat we allemaal hetzelfde doel nastreven. Kennis is macht, en als wij als samenleving eisen dat het over is met de race naar de bodem op het gebied van massaproductie en vervuiling, dan moeten producenten en overheden wel luisteren. En net zoals wij tot kortgeleden niet beter wisten dan dat spullen en eten uit de supermarkt kwamen en dat je je daar verder niet druk om hoefde te maken, zo zullen onze kinderen en kleinkinderen niet beter weten dan dat het normaal is om lokaal in te kopen, niet meer spullen te kopen dan je nodig hebt en jezelf zonder uitstoot voort te bewegen. {Geen tijd meer voor uitstelgedrag}
On the 26th of March 2014 this blog started with calling you welcome at “Guestwriters for you” at a site on which we hoped to offer readings from several writers with different ideas. Our hope was that both the lifestyle magazine Stepping Toes and this “Guest-speaker” corner would be able to find writings by different authors, who could deliver material of interest for many.
At Marcus Ampe his personal WordPress blog could be found his own personal political views and at his religious sites, like Our World and his ecclesia site Free Belgian Christadelphian Ecclesia people could find articles written from his Christadelphian view as a Brother in Christ. Though well aware there are not enough Christadelphians willing to share interesting writings and thoughts from non-trinitarian but also from trinitarian and even non Christian writers he invited others to join the platform to create a readers digest of interesting articles on the World Wide Net.
Five years later we can only say we are a little-bit disappointed that not many writers presented themselves to write about historical, ecological, science and lifestyle matters like fashion and architecture, but also none who wanted to write about arts and / or education. So many subjects are not yet tackled at this blog.
We still would love a variety of articles about many aspects which may concern us to build up a better life. Once more we call for people to join us and to share their thoughts. Together we can build at better living conditions for everybody around us, humans but also animals.
We are convinced that whatever religion you may have, from whatever country you may be, whatever race you may have, we can and should be able to live together in peace. For that reason Marcus called for blogwriters to join the Movement Bloggers for Peace. But also there, not many were willing to connect.
At first we at the end of each article we presented a list of articles of interest by others. We stopped doing that, because of the continued complaints and several people asking us to take them out of the list (because the did not want to be associated with us – though they should not have to be associated with us). They should have been aware we provided free advertising for their writings and had many of our readers sent to visit their blog. This not being appreciated we thought it better then to keep our readers at our own place and at our own affiliated blogs.
In 2014 we had 234 articles published getting us 1847 visitors offering us 3 124 views. 296 articles the year after got 4 333 views and in 2016 7 782 views could be reached and 358 articles added. A dip in 2017 brought us 5 018 visitors for 395 articles, the site catching 6 888 views. With lesser articles for 2018 (366) we could reach 5 751 readers with 8 260 views. On February 9, 2018 we got our best views ever.
Up to today we have 1 736 posts which caught 22 211 visitors giving us 33 061 views. We are thankful we may count on 304 followers by Word Press and 3 per e-mail. – which is not much -. The 616 followers on Social Media do not always deliver readings, and as such we can not cunt on them really. We are in any case very grateful for those who are willing to take the time to read and to react at the writings. Thank You!
In case you know much about styling, fashion, gardening, interior decorating, inner being, psychology, anthropology, history, political analysation, arts, you are always welcome to present yourself as a guest-writer for us. Even when you like to bring articles of other people to our attention you are welcome to let us know or to share them with us as an author presenting guest-writings.
Five years should be the sign we are getting out of our baby-years. You as reader may help us to grow.
Not only come to visit us regularly. Let this site be known by others. Let us know what you would love to see or find at this site, or give us some guidance to make this site better. All advice is welcome. Do also know that we do not mind some encouragement now and them. We are thankful for those few who do not mind to click the “Like” button. Thank you very much for that small but oh so important sign that can give us some encouragement.
On the 8th of April 2019 we still call everybody welcome who some way comes along this site.
Hopefully it shall not stay by a one visit.
May we look forward to more than one visit?
Welcome to this club of Bloggers for Peace and Understanding
Thank you very much for coming along this site and reading our articles.
Filed under Announcement, Headlines - News, History
Wolfgang Sobotka, president of the lower house of the Austrian parliament, presented the results of the “Anti-Semitism in Austria 2018” study in Vienna last week. It surveyed 2,731 respondents older than 16 including 604 Muslims.
Asked whether they agree with a statement blaming anti-Semitic persecution of Jews on their own behaviour, 19 percent of non-Muslims agreed. In the Muslim group, 45 percent of the respondents endorsed the statement.
Arab respondents, who made up half of the Muslim group, were slightly more likely than Turks, who made up the other half, to agree with the statement.
In the Turkish group, 28 percent agreed that “Jews still need to answer for the murder of Jesus.” The figure was 17 among Arabs and 13 among non-Muslims in the study.
Ten percent of non-Muslims agreed with the statement that “a lot is exaggerated in news about concentration camps” from the Holocaust. That figure was 41 percent among Turks and 35 among Arabs.
Asked to react to the statement that “Jews control international commerce,” 39 percent of non-Muslims concurred. The figures were 63 and 64 percent among the Turkish and Arab groups.
European governments rarely commission such aggregated surveys, which some perceive as discriminatory and which are illegal in some European states.
Karoline Edtstadler, state secretary in the Ministry of the Interior, said in a statement about the report:
“We will focus anti-racism efforts on immigrant children,”
the TRT Turkish news agency reported Tuesday.
On the 26th of March 2014 we presented our first posting on this site “From Guestwriters” with Guestwriters for you and Welcome to “From guestwriters” expressing our hope to find more people interested in working together to spread the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God but also to aim for a better world trying to get all sorts of borders out of the way.
My hope for starting this site was to present a sort of Readers Digest and to present some of the many articles published on WordPress which I thought would be worthwhile to be read. My idea was also to present articles with at the end of them links to some related articles. Soon I came to learn that not everyone was pleased to find themselves linked to. Several times we got requests to take away the link to their article, because they did not want to be associated with our community. It took already a lot of time to select articles to link to them and when requested to take those links away that involved once more some extra work. We hoped to help the readers but also the writers with such links, because those links could bring more readers to their article. But because not favoured by many, from this year onwards you shall be finding less links to articles from non-associated people.
Our intention was also to present articles from non-christadelphians and sometimes even from non-religious people. The matter to select the writings was their importance for the community and their relevance for adding to the peace process.
In the first year of this publishing platform we presented 234 posts, catching 3124 views. the year later we got 4333 views for an added 296 articles. In 2016 358 articles got published whilst the site received 7782 views. In 2017 395 articles were added but not so many views gained (6888). Last year we got 366 articles added, fetching 8260 views bringing the total of views to 30 437 for 1646 articles. The most popular day seemingly to be the Sunday with 18% of the views.
We do not have many followers but are pleased with the 304 followers on Word Press of which the Opinionated Man, C Washington, michelledipaola and The Mystic SandBox are subscribed from the first month and from the first hours. Our thanks goes to them and to those who followed. On Facebook we may reach 275 followers, whilst Twitter might catch 274 followers and Tumblr 121.
Thanks also for those who did not mind sharing our articles on social media. As such we got 670 times a share for those five years. (Not so magnificent, but something.)
We are also pleased to find some readers who regularly mention they “Liked” our writing. Some of those regulars supporters are a.o. 
At this site we wanted to show people that the world is not just Black and White and that the political system is not linear. But also we wanted to point out that people can and should do much more than they think. Much more people should be aware of their possible power which has to come from them selves. The inner being by connecting to many others can present a greater power and be a rebuttal against the standard political parties. This site wanted to bring such possibilities more into the light. Therefore I had hoped to find many more writers willing to join us to write about positive elements in our life. There are already enough sites writing about the bad things in this world. As counter balance we could use some positive news. though that seems to be very scarce and hard to find.
Our offer for receiving voices who want to speak up and willing to bring some positive thoughts is till going.
We still miss a psychologist who can write about making a marriage life work of how to cope with one self and with others. We also could do with some historian who would like to compare what is happening now with what happened in the past, or who can shed a light on political situations in this world.
Wanting to be a lifestyle magazine we still can use some fashion freak or people who want to write about fashion, architecture and art.
In case you have already a blog on WordPress, do know that an extra writing platform can also help you to generate more readers to your main blog. At this site we do not mind, better … we also prefer you link also to other articles concerning the topic discussed, and as such you may also link to other articles written by you on your own or on other sites.
If you are a writer without a high opinion of yourself, able to write not very complex articles, not having too many hidden meanings or twists and turns, you could be the one we need. In case you are a logical, rational thinker who tries to write that way as well, you too perhaps could be the one we are looking for. If you can play with words and can create poems for sure such poetry should not stay in your own cupboard but could be shared on this platform.
All those who have much time to read, why do you not want to give those who have not so much time, a glimpse of what the written word has to offer? Why not telling others about what is interesting and a “should read”?
If you feel called, do not hesitate to contact me or to offer your services here. We love to find more writers willing to share positive news and lifestyle matters.
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Filed under Announcement, Being and Feeling, History, Introduction, Lifestyle, Social affairs
Once again a year has gone by. Everywhere we heard about fake and other bad news. sometimes we forgot that there could be something like “Good News”. Though we do hope we could give some light in a certain darkness.
Our ecclesia in Heverlee received very bad news in June. We had to leave the place for Starbucks and Burger King taking away our facility to meet and to have our Breaking of Bread at those premises. At the moment we use brother Marcus his living room in Leefdaal and the bar at the Warande in Tervuren, but that public space is not ideal or practical. It would be nice if we could find a better solution.
For Nivelles and Mons nothing changes and for baptised members there is still our internet meeting Sunday morning, though now one hour earlier than last religious year.
Financially the red ciphers grew. Brother Marcus and Steve paying already a lot from their private funds, but next to rent, publishing, internet, copyrights we also have mounting portocosts. In Belgium there seem not to be many people interested to help us in our preaching work. Several people three-monthly receive our paperwork magazine “Met Open Bijbel” and receive the books they request for. But none ever thought or thinks about contributing something to cover the costs.
In case you want to help our preaching work, this shall be very much appreciated. Any gift is welcome, at BE37 9730 6618 2528, with notice “Ecclesial help”.
Remarkable things are happening around us and as we circulate our English printed newsletter today we see France troubled with rioting on the streets, the UK Government hamstrung by its perplexing Brexit challenges, a White House which lurches from crisis to crisis, New Zealand having to apologise for the murder of a backpacker – and in many other places suffering, hunger, displacement and fear. Even the hardest heart cannot be unmoved by these things. Whatever the remaining days of 2018 may bring, let us hold fast to the promise of Christ’s return and be encouraged by the bright prospect of his glorious reign. Mankind’s many insoluble problems will then, finally, be at an end. For “all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord”.
We wish you a lovely end of the year and a good new start for 2019.
2016 was already a year of great dissonance, 2017 was not so much better. It did turn its back unto us, but left a big stamp on what we might expect for this year. The world looked with astonishment to the one who managed to become the 45th president of the United States of America. What most people in the West thought would not ever happen did happen. It shows how mistaken we can be.
Like their leader,who thinks he can decide which place has to be the capital of a certain country, several of the citizens of that so called ‘united’ States think they may decide which word people have to use to speak about their god or how to call God. On many internet platforms and chat-groups or Facebook Groups, those Americans want to forbid people in whose languages already thousands of years before the U.S.A. was founded, the word Allah was used to denote “God” to call the Most High Maker “Allah”. They forgetting that this title’s origin can be traced back to the earliest Semitic writings in which the word for “god” was il or el, the latter being used in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Allāh is the standard Arabic word for God and is used by Arab speaking people as well as in many other languages by Christians as well as by Muslims .
Those English speaking Americans having the pretentious to decide which word other language speaking people may use for speaking about their God. Worse is that several of those stubborn Americans do not want to see that they commit blasphemy against the Divine Creator. One can wonder if it is because of their education of lack of education that those Americans go so much against the word “Allah” they even do not come to see or understand that it is a common title for “God” in many languages and in many countries outside the United States of America and in many religious groups.
Just to few some active bloggers, we can find a person living in in Troutdale, Oregon USA, who loves cats and perhaps likes to crawl like one. Though she writes to be a lover of Christ we can not see that expressed in her writings which are a continuous attack on a group of people as well on those who dare to use “Allah” to speak about their “God”. Strange that an “average man who tries to do his best at being the kind of person the Bible tells us we are all suppose to be” likes to follow and duplicate her writings doing just the opposite the Bible tells and also bringing blasphemy to the Divine Creator. Though both have a writing where they quote (Exodus 20:3 KJV) they both, like many other Americans love an other god, are even not afraid to draw pictures of their god and worship in front of graven images (though that is against the commandments of the Only One True God). In the cartoons they publish they also say umbilical things and want their readers to believe “Jesus is the only one god”, instead of recognising that Jesus is the son of God. Naturally the Old Poet and Kristi Ann are free to take whatever god they want, but they should not forbid others to use the title “Allah” for the Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah. If they do not want to see that Jesus is the way to the Only One True God, that is their problem and their right, but they should not hinder those who want to love Christ Jesus and take the God of Jesus as their “Allah“.
Though the
people make the statement that all ‘these religions’ pray to the same God, they just call Him/Her by a different name, so why can’t they all just get along? {Do All 3 Abrahamic Religions Pray To The Same God? That Answer Is Simple: No!}
In a certain way he is right because Jews, real Christians and Muslims worship the Only One True God, Whose Name is Jehovah, whilst the majority of those who call themselves Christian do not worship the same God as Jesus but have made Jesus into their god, and in fact are ‘hidden’ polytheists, having a three-headed god with different qualities as the main god.
But the Old Poet has an other view on that and see other reasons for not believing that they worship the same god. He writes
This statement would be nice, if it were true, but it isn’t at all correct. Mostly the people I have heard say this nonsense have been the Hollywood types or talking heads from the NYC area. People who make this assumption tend to be people who have no knowledge of what the different religions teach and usually have no knowledge of even the teachings of one religion. {Do All 3 Abrahamic Religions Pray To The Same God? That Answer Is Simple: No!}
The Old poet recognises that there are different divisions in the Christian communities, of which he claims that they
have no knowledge of what the different religions teach and usually have no knowledge of even the teachings of one religion. {Do All 3 Abrahamic Religions Pray To The Same God? That Answer Is Simple: No!}
Strange enough he says himself
“Yet I am not going to stone any believers in Jesus Christ whether they are Protestant or Catholic.” {Do All 3 Abrahamic Religions Pray To The Same God? That Answer Is Simple: No!}
Though he condemns all those Catholics and Protestants who use the word “Allah” and condemns all the Bibles and Christian teaching books where the writers use “Allah” when they speak about their God, be it a Trinity or a Binary or Unitarian God. Very strange it becomes, when he continues
One of the many things I have never understood in life is how groups that believe that Jesus Christ is our Saviour and King can raise their weapons against another person who believes the same thing, in the name of Religion, in the name of Christ! This confusion isn’t just among Christian Churches, let God be the Judge, we are not qualified. {Do All 3 Abrahamic Religions Pray To The Same God? That Answer Is Simple: No!}
But he himself and his favourite female writer do throw stones to all those Christians who worship Allah and have Jesus Christ as their saviour. He asks God to be the judge, but he himself judges all those people who do not speak English and use the words of their language to speak about God and not his English title he likes so much. By his writings he also condemns the books which got an imprimatur from the Roman Catholic Church and have the title of God written as “Allah”. By her writings Kristi Ann indicates than that that Roman Catholic Church is the instrument of “Satan”.
Kristi Ann further writes on her website
Only Devout Judaism and Christianity is Right {He is (Yahweh-Jehovah) God!!}
though seems to overlook that no Jew or no real Christian would ever believe in her three gods: a God the Father, god the son and a god the Holy Spirit. For real lovers of the Jewish Nazarene rabbi there is only One and the same God, The God of the Jews and Muslims, namely the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jeshua (Christ Jesus) and his disciples, the God of Israel, the El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh.
In her article He is (Yahweh-Jehovah) God!! she brings a lot of quotes from the Holy Scriptures, which she herself does not seem to belief, because she has made herself an other god than the God of the Bible. She may do that, but then she may not throw stones to those who prefer to believe those verses which declare that there is Only One True God.
When she then also attacks those people who use their own language and not English, it becomes to much to bare or to let it circulate the internet without any reaction. It is not up to her, or any other person who calls himself or herself Christian, to dictate that the words to describe the Most High Divine Creator of all things should be their English word “God”. We and all those for which “Allah” is the word to describe the title of the Most High God should not be dictated by American nationalists and/or Neo-Nazis which title to use, or should not be dictated by them to have such or such city as their capital. They may have freedom of speech but should also have others to have the same freedom of speech and the freedom of language.
Several American Christian magazines try also to bring confusion and have those who use the word “Allah” to denounce that God or those using that title
“The key condition behind calling the Christian God Allah is that Allah must refer to the same God as the one in the Bible. However, this requirement presents “a huge problem for both Muslims and Christians….” From its very starting point Islam denies what Christianity takes as its central truth claim – the fact that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father. If Allah has no Son by definition, Allah is not the God who revealed himself in the Son. How then can the use of Allah by Christians lead to anything but confusion …and worse?” {passage from the ‘Christian Post’, U.S. (Is Calling the Christian God ‘Allah’ Wrong? – August 23, 2007) Ustaz Azahar A Pluralist?}
That writer like many Muslims seems to forget that lots of Muslims may be confused by the son part, though they still also call Abraham their patriarch and themselves children of Abraham.
From Muslim site there is also a grudge against all those who use the word “Allah” as if they have the sole right to use that word.
“Allah” in the Bible – Two copies of the Bible in Malay (L) and the Iban dialect are seen in this picture illustration taken in Kuala Lumpur January 2, 2014. REUTERS/Samsul Said
In this country, Allah has been used to refer to God, whereas Tuhan, which the ruling party wants Catholics/Christians to use, is a generic term which is non specific, hence the refusal by the Malay/indigenous language speaking Catholics and Christians to budge. {Malaysia: Muslims confiscate Bibles, police threaten arrests if non-Muslims use word “allah”}
To the West and East it is clear the U.S.A. would not love more to have an American take-over. Their president like a little child boasts about having a bigger button than the North Koreans have, and by always shouting about having better and bigger weapons he and his Alt-Right friends and those who call themselves Christian but fight against all who have an other idea or use other words than they, are a danger for world peace.
As we can see what happened in certain Muslim countries wanting to have the sole use for the word of “god” them claiming they alone should be allowed to use “Allah” we now find the opposite by fundamentalist Christians (mainly North American U.S.A. citizens) who claim that everybody should use their word and nobody alse should use the title “god” for any other god, though they forget that the bible itself calls angels, Moses, Pharao, Baal, Apollo; Zeus, “god” (notice the small letter), even when they (according to us) are not their god Jesus , nor the Real Divine Creator God above all gods, the Host of hosts, which has in certain languages also the title “God” (with capital) or “Allah”, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, the Only One True God.
The smear of certain Christians, their strong reactions against users of the title “Allah” and their strong reactions against those who prefer the Islamic Faith, doing as if all Muslims are Islamic terrorists and haters of God, makes it that we see it coming closer to the times the Bible mentions that religion shall come up against religion.
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Preceding
Crisis man needed in this world
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Kristi Ann falsely claiming that the Quran would say “Allah” or “The God”, Whom we take to be Jehovah, is the “Best of deceivers” and Satan
The blasphemous postings: by Kristi Ann “Muslims bow and worship allah / satan Everyday!!” + “allah is NOT a god!!” and the reposting by Old Poet’s ‘Truth troubles’: allah is NOT a god!! are just one of the disturbing postings on the net we encountered the last few months.
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Lifestyle and Readers Digest Magazine founded by Marcus Ampe on the 26th of March 2014
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Belgian Biblestudents - Belgische Bijbelstudenten
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Bijbelvorsers
Christadelphians
Guestspeaker
Immanuel Verbondskind
jeshuaist
Vragensteller - Inquirer
heartprints
Marcus Ampe
Success Inspirers' World
obligingworldviewer
Fan of Pequeña Sudamérica
Relating to God
We belong to the Bloggers for Peace and you can join them too. (Click on the picture to know more and to connect.)
What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world? Looking at the world, being sad, noticing that so many people are misled by big institutions that claim to be the only right church, whilst they do not follow at all the Bible teachings, nor Christ his teachings and do […]
Bible prophecies do not deal only with the ancient past. They also accurately foretell events that are taking place in our day. But at the moment we focus at numerous prophecies preserved in the Hebrew Scriptures (commonly called the Old Testament) which long before the man was born told about events which would happen in his time and around him, his betrayal, humiliation, torture, execution, death, and burial. From those writings of the Old and New Testament nobody should have doubts who that man is who is called Immanuel, the son of man and Messiah, born out of the root of Jess in the tribe of king David.
In Scripture, all things are directed towards a man who was a servant of servants, in whom people should come to have faith. First we saw the connection with Eve and her seed, and in this article you may see the connection with Abraham.
Already in the Old Testament we find the focus on a son of man who is called the son of God, who shall be the most pure set apart (holy) servant of God who was been told about in the Garden of Eden, to be the one bruised.
Many Old Testament writers wrote about the prophet to come, about whom is spoke in the book of Moses and who shall be the special “Seed of a woman” given by God and who will bruise Satan’s head whilst his heel would be bruised with nails on the wooden stake.
Iyar 5 Israëls “Onafhankelijkheidsdagwet” uit 1949 stelde de datum voor Onafhankelijkheidsdag vast op de 5e van de Hebreeuwse maand Iyar[ (op dag 5 van Iyar, in het Hebreeuwse jaar 5709 (1949)], maar stond ook toe dat de feestdag vervroegd of uitgesteld zou worden als de 5e op een sabbat zou vallen. Bovendien geeft de wet […]
Dierbare God, Tot u richten we onze stem terwijl de klanken van de sjofar weerklinken. Wij zijn U dankbaar voor Uw schepping, welke uw wonderwerken openbaart. U gaf de voorouders voor de hele mensheid zo veel mogelijkheden, maar toch waren zij daar niet tevreden mee. Hun nakomelingen kregen van U prachtige landschappen en […]
Bij de Parasja Nitsawiem 5782 kijken wij uit naar een sjana tova oemetoeka voor ons allen.
Dit jaar zijn er nog 2 sjabbatot tot Soekot en is er voor elke sjabbat een parasja en de sjabbat voorafgaande aan Rosj Hasjana lezen wij nu de de parasja Nitsawiem.
Verwonderlijk kreeg ik vandaag het bericht van WordPress dat ik tegen een jubileum mag aankijken. Gefeliciteerd met je jubileum bij WordPress.com! Je hebt je 5 jaar geleden geregistreerd op WordPress.com.Bedankt voor het gebruiken van onze service! Ga zo door met bloggen. Wat zijn die vijf jaren voorbij gevlogen. Voordat mijn pen al mijn gedachten kon […]
Ten years ago: Former Witnesses come together to mark Watchtower Victims Memorial Day A small number of innovative former Witnesses recently decided to organize a special day of mourning for those affected by the harmful doctrines and policies of the Watchtower religion. The first annual “Watchtower Victims Memorial Day” was held on July 26th and […]
What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world? In Christendom there are lots of denominations but oh such a few, keep really to the biblical teachings. A lot of churches claim they are the only right church. In case they would follow all the teachings of Christ Jesus, […]
The apostle Paul wrote about the dispersion, the dispersed House of Israel. They had been “without covenant“, but Paul was sent out to recover them. So they were “grafted in again“ (Romans 11/23). Or, Grafted back in“. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been […]
Rob Mac wonders when the door to door will return? He wrote this a while back, and went sharing it again. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses hate the door to door ministry, although they won’t readily admit it. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses have developed ‘creative’ ways of counting their time doing this work, and many strategies for avoiding actually […]
Constantine wanted unity in his realm, and his call in 325 C.E. for a council of his bishops at Nicaea, located in the Eastern, Greek-speaking domain of his empire, across the Bosporus from the new city of Constantinople was in a certain way his goal to achieve some agreement by which many could live. Constantine […]
From guestwriters 