Kameel Majdali's Road Ahead

  From the 2022 Understanding the Times Australia Wide Tour: ‘Turning the Corner: Bringing Clarity in Confusing Times’ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation   — 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 It was perhaps the most difficult period of our collective lives. Beginning with the Covid-19 pandemic, then the mandates and lockdowns that became all too common around the world. It was like a mighty earthquake that had repeated and unwelcome aftershocks. When was all this going to end? People of Biblical faith need to see that God has not forsaken them in the midst of the madness. Furthermore, He takes that which is evil and turns it for our good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). During lockdown, there were some invaluable lessons that we learned -...

As we assess what’s happening in 2022, we need some understanding of today and good news for tomorrow. Let’s face it: the years 2020 and 2021 were unprecedented, intense, and for many people, miserable. Lives and nations were turned upside down. The ‘old normal’ of 2019 seems like a distant memory. Yet before we examine the good news - in our final instalment, let’s see what we need to watch for in 2022 so that we might fulfil the Biblical injunction to ‘watch and pray’ (Matthew 26:41; Ephesians 6:18). ELECTIONS IN 2022 The following countries have scheduled elections: The United States: The eagerly anticipated mid-terms (meaning the president is not running for office but the Congress is seeking election or re-election) is scheduled for 8 November. The Republicans, known as the GOP (the red party), are predicted to win big in Congress. The House of Representatives will probably turn ‘red’ and the Senate, which is held by the Democrats (the blue party) by the slimmest majority, may fli...

So far we have looked at the heavy-handed approach by Australia’s state and territory governments in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. Their tactics have gained international attention and censure. Melbourne has been singled out for the most onerous (snap) lockdowns in the world. ‘Quarantine camps’ have sprung up in Northern Territory and Queensland, with more planned elsewhere. The visa cancellation of world tennis champion Novak Djokovic in Melbourne also brought renewed attention to the land ‘down under.’ Vaccine mandates have divided family, society, and even churches. It is no exaggeration to say that normal checks and balances of a parliamentary democracy have been challenged during this crisis. In Part 02 we looked at some of the reasons for Australia’s Covid-response, including progressivism, hunger for power by some, isolationism, culture war fallout, apathy, media, and irrationality, which has been shown elsewhere. In this third and final part, we ask a simple question: What ca...

  In Part 01, we learned that the world is alarmed by Australia’s response to Covid-19. Is this warranted? In Part 02, we will look at some of the reasons for the Covid-19 response, mostly in Australia, but also the greater world scene. While ‘lockdowns’ and ‘vaccine mandates’ are not unique to Australia, it is the seeming overreaction and strong-armed tactics that have the world gasping. Such actions were once reserved for totalitarian regimes run by illiberal despots. Now they are happening in a parliamentary democracy, once part of the free world, serving and representing the people. However, the latest reports out of Australia are sobering: the rise quarantine camps. One camp at Howard Springs, Northern Territory, is currently housing people, including those who do not have Covid-19, but were exposed to someone who does. Queensland does not want to be left behind. It is building two ‘Wellcamps,’ with an undisclosed amount of taxpayer money, that will house up to 1,500 people. T...

  Under normal circumstances, Australia’s international reputation is very positive, though often not in the news. While the world knows little about the ‘land down under,’ what they do know includes iconic kangaroos, koalas, the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House, a coveted migrant destination with enviable lifestyle, prosperity, peace … and freedom.   That was, until Covid -19 hit in 2020. Australia Reacts to Covid;   The World Reacts to Australia Look at these international headlines: ‘Australia Has Locked Their People Up, Built Detention Camps, and Now They’re Taking Booze’ — townhall.com ‘ Australia Traded Away Too Much Liberty: How long can a democracy maintain emergency restrictions and still call itself a free country? — The Atlantic ‘How long can Australia go on like this?’ — The Guardian   ‘Prison Island: Australia’s Covid fortress has become a jail’ — The Spectator ‘Australians Are Suffering from Excessive Covid Lockdowns’ — National Review ‘Joe Roga...

  What’s Happening in Canada? Part 02 Churches on Fire - Literally In a time where we are seeking the Lord for revival and reformation, there are literal fires happening in churches of Canada - ones that burn down buildings and threaten life. First, there was the jailing of pastors in the province of Alberta: Artur Pawlowski, Tim Stephens, and James Coates (Pawlowski has been subject to ‘contempt of court’ charges and vigilante harassment). Their crime: holding church services during Covid restrictions, even though essential businesses stayed open and were crowded. Following this, came a spate of church fires. As of this writing, around 50 churches in Canada have been vandalised and ten completely torched. Most disheartening are the arson fires of migrant churches. St. George Coptic Church in Surrey, British Columbia, and Calgary Vietnamese Alliance Church, Alberta, were burned. St. George serves 500 families and feeds the homeless. There was a failed attempt to burn it a few d...

  Be Strong in the Lord As this service has declared repeatedly, the year 2020 has been the most unusual, eventful, and downright crazy year in living memory (for most of us, at least). It will be hard to forget. Multiple challenges, like waves crashing against the rocks, have buffeted the world as a whole. Take Australia for example: it has had crippling drought, wide spread bush fires, Covid-19 lockdown, reprieve, and then Melbourne was hit with another major lockdown, with curfews and police knocking on the door. The United States has been hit with Covid-19, with the world’s highest death rate. Then there was lockdown, in various degrees according to which political party runs the state. Then there’s the ‘George Floyd riots,’ meant to protest police brutality. Yet, how does burning Bibles in Portland Oregon have anything to do with George Floyd, a struggling but professing Christian, or police brutality? The protests, much which emanate from the Left, have reproduced the...

Society faces many weighty issues, especially in the moral realm. They are looking for leadership and the church is uniquely placed to offer it - on the natural and spiritual levels. One of those contentions issues is abortion: should we have a blanket ‘pro-life’ stance or does a woman have a ‘right to choose’ whether to continue her pregnancy or not? Even if they have such a right, should there be limitations on timing and reasons (e.g. sex selection abortion, late term abortions)? In Part 01 , this author spoke about how his progressivist, millennial niece in the United States asked for his opinion on abortion. He could say anything he wanted for as long as he wanted. Parts 01, 02, and 03, are his answers. For a long time, abortion was illegal because it was considered murder. It was occurring anyway illegally and dangerously. In the United States, like in Australia, abortion is a state issue, not federal. On 22 January 1973, the US Supreme Court give its ‘Roe versus Wad...

As we enter into a new year, and a new decade, there is great concern, anxiety, yet excitement, at what lies ahead. What should we watch for? What should we expect in the year 2020? The United States & Iran: Please look for our separate blog on this topic, which is also part of the Issachar Teaching eLetter. Israel: Before we focus on the US Presidential Election of 3 November, let us keep our eyes on Israel. The Jewish State is scheduled to go to the polls on 2 March 2020, for the third time in a year. This unprecedented situation occurred because no major political party has been able to form a coalition from the April 2019 and September 2019 elections. The other thing to watch what happens to Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving Prime Minister, now in a care-taker role. He was indicted in November 2019 by Israel’s attorney general for bribery, corruption, and breach of trust in three separate cases. Netanyahu denies all charges. Will he go on trial in 20...