Kameel Majdali's Road Ahead

The culture war - progressivism versus conservatism - is ultimately a battle for the heart and soul of western civilisation. Some progressives seek to change the West; the more radical ones want to destroy it. To leftist, the West is viewed negatively: It represents oppressive dominant dead white men, Judaism and Christianity, old fashioned values and morality, and traditional family, along with a host of other traditions. For them, ‘ progress ’ is redefining, overhauling, or rejecting these things. To the conservative, the West, represents democracy, free market capitalism, human rights, rule of law with due process, and, most importantly, Judaeo-Christianity. It delivered us from the dark and barbaric age and made an oversized contribution to civilisation. Its continued survival, and the blessings that go with it, are at stake. Conservatism seeks to retain or ‘conserve’ the good things of the West, as well as Biblical values: traditional morality, traditional marriage, and s...

Introduction Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God — Ezekiel 1:1 It is considered one of the most spiritual and prophetic of books. His visions were the most elaborate and colourful of any in Scripture. It has some memorable parts, like the ‘wheel within the wheel,’ ‘valley of dry bones,’ the invasion of ‘Gog and Magog,’ extensive description of the fourth temple, and emphasis on shekinah glory. The vessel of this timeless prophecy is Ezekiel, the son of Buzi. A contemporary of Daniel, he is a bridge between Jeremiah and Daniel, starting at the tale end of the former and overlapping with the beginning of the latter. Hebrew Name of Ezekiel Yehezke’l , meaning ‘ God strengths .’ Greek name is Iezekiel and Latin Ezechiel . His name is mentioned twice in the book (1:3; 24:24) but no where else in Scr...

Pilgrim or Tourist? Helping Define the Modern Christian Visitor to Jerusalem? In Part 01 of our series, we learned that there has been a continuous flow of Christian pilgrims from the very early days of the Church. Today, Christians visit the Jewish state more than any other group, usually above the 50% mark. In Part 02 , we learned about the ‘tourist factor’ that has helped to stimulate Christian visits. Promotion of Christian Biblical Tourism has been a constant since the Six Day 1967 War. In Part 03 , we have seen that this ‘continuous flow’ and ‘tourist promotion’ has resulted in increased visit by Christians to Jerusalem and Israel. They come from all over the world, including countries that do not have diplomatic ties to Israel (including Indonesia and Malaysia and parts of the Arab world). Concurrently, visits to Jordan dropped dramatically after the Six Day War. Jordan once controlled eastern Jerusalem but once that ended, tourist numbers dropped, too. ...

It’s name recognition is universal and, until recently, so was its appeal. Who can resist a family dinner with roast turkey, bread dressing, Christmas pudding, and all the trimmings? Or going into the living room, a warm fire roaring, hot chocolate topped with marshmallows in the mug, while gleeful children unwrap presents found under the Christmas tree? Or listening to the public singing of Christmas carols, with those time-honoured verses are still able to stir the soul? Yes, Christmas still evokes much enthusiasm throughout the world, and not just in the West. Asia goes crazy over Christmas, including places like Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Japan. Even in ‘laid-back’ Australia, where a few even refer to it as ‘Chrissie,’ Christmas is still a very popular day off. Aussies relish the big meal, the family gathering, and, if possible, a splash at the beach while throwing ‘ another shrimp on the barbie. ’ In his best-selling book, A Christmas Caro...

Recipe: Time to Talk Turkey Note: This recipe was featured 3 years ago so its time for a revisit. With Christmas around the corner, it is time to ‘talk turkey.’ Would you like to have the most moist, juicy, and flavourful turkey dinner? Then, take the simple, extra step of brining. A little bit of effort and following a few common sense points and you will have guests raving about your meal long after its complete. Brining (turkey or chicken) This procedure is designed to let your turkey or chicken soak for 24-48 hours in specially prepared liquid. Brining will prepare the bird, seal in the juices, and make for a much better, more moist, more delicious outcome. Remember these simple steps: •    Container: Use anything but aluminium. A clear clean plastic bucket can do the trick. •    Water: Start with 6 or more litres of cold water. •    Dissolve: In a litre of boiling water dissolve 100g or table salt (or 200gm coarse salt)...

Matthew 22:14 (KJV) For many are called, but few are chosen. It has to be one of the most concerning verses in the Bible. As mentioned above, Jesus simply states that many are called, and few are chosen. A similar statement is found in Matthew 7:13-14 when He exhorts people to choose the narrow way, because the wide, broad way leads to destruction and many are travelling on that road. The way that leads to life is narrow and difficult and there are few who find it. When you weigh it all up, the chosen of God are an elite minority. It goes without saying that you should do everything in your power to become part of that minority. But how? How to you go from being merely ‘called’ to becoming gloriously ‘chosen?’ The answer is relatively simple: those who are called either say ‘No’ to God,’ ‘Wait’ to God,’ or give no answer at all. Those who reject the call can change their mind but they don’t have forever to do so. Also, there is the very real danger that the ‘train ...

The American mid-term election of Tuesday, 6 November 2018, has come and gone. What happens next? First, what are the ‘mid-terms?’ They are the elections which happen in the ‘middle’ of the President’s four year term. It is where all 435 congressmen/women of the House of Representatives and one-third of the 100 senators are up for election or re-election. Also, 34 out of 50 states elect or re-electing their governors. So, there are elections every two years and the presidential election every four years. Thus one person who is not on the ballot during a mid-term election is the US President. Yet, many consider the mid-term a national referendum on the President’s performance. The ‘mid-terms of 2018’ have attracted more interest than usual. Normally, voter turn out is low in the ‘off election’ but this one is different. Early voting was high and the voter participation on the day appears to have been higher than usual. Unsurprisingly, US President Donald Trump does ...