text:
Brian Houston: compulsive liar
Posted by Nailed Truth in News Headlines
Bible Society, bobbie houston, Brian Houston, bullock, EIC, Evangelical Industrial Complex, Frank Houston, houston, John Sandeman, liar, prosperity gospel
BRIAN HOUSTON PUBLICLY LIES… AGAIN
This is an important news article worth revisiting to understand how Hillsong has NOT changed or evolved from its cult-like status nor has Brian Houston repented of his lying tongue.
Prosperity heretics preach Christ teach Jesus Christ is rich, Christ died to make you rich, that you must tithe and demands that you are to "bless to be a blessing".
We wish to remind our readers how the EIC and propaganda-driven "Bible" Society tried to give the impression that Brian Houston was not a Prosperity heretic and cult leader. In an article titled, 'Brian Houston: There's a huge difference to living rich and living blessed', John Sandeman, reported in 2014,
"Brian Houston has never believed in a "prosperity gospel", he told Eternity at a press conference marking the start of this year's Hillsong Conference…
"The prosperity gospel is… not a term I've ever heard used in our church in any context whatsoever," he says referring to Hillsong Church, suggesting the term has been invented by critics.
"There's really only one gospel: it's the gospel of Jesus, the gospel of grace.
[…] And so, when it comes to personal blessing, I see it the same way. God blesses you to be a blessing… that's the essence of what we are all about." [Source] (Emphasis ours)
However, in this 2006 article below, the reporter accurately summarised the Prosperity Gospel:
"The message of Hillsong's prosperity gospel is: the richer you are, the more you can help others."
It's getting tiring having to expose the continual lies of Brian Houston. Why the BibleSociety, John Sandeman and other Christians keep putting up with this compulsive liar and blasphemer would escape anyone's reason.
HILLSONG EX-LEADER: GEOFF BULLOCK
We think it is important to publish Geoff Bullock's response to the piece below, correcting some of the errors that were reported about him and to also reveal insights into the inner workings of the Hillsong cult (name of recipient withheld):
Hi _________,
I was surprised at how gentle the article was, considering all the things that we all spoke of. A few things to correct, my income comes from CCLI not APRA. CCLI is a worldwide copyright lisence to make sure that copyright law is being adhered to but in a very fair and cost effective way. Brian does not wear Valentino suits as far as I know. He does however have expensive tastes, which of course is his perogative. The issue is simply about being honest about the "blessings" he has recieved from the properity doctrine he preaches. Why preach it, then hide it?
Now to your questions:
I just read the article in the 'Weekend Australian' . It is revealing (and I would not be surprised if the author had picked up on some of the information on this site!).
We had several interviews, face to face and over the phone during the last seven months.
The place is obviously strongly controlled, the evidence might suggest (Lance do you like my wording!) that it is a money laundering cult.
No, i truly believe that in their heart of hearts they are doing what they perceive to be the "work" of God. They would se the "blessings" as from God, and the "cursings", as in the artice, this website, myself and others, as from the Devil.
Thanks for your conviction and courage to speak out. I pray that you will find peace and strength.
Me too. Nervous about the statements they will make and it's affects on my family. I thought Janine was incredibly brave. She deserves a medal.
I have some questions:
1. Are you attending a Church now?
Are you kidding? No. Jesus finds me wherever I am, and I am learning to recieve him wherever I am. Personally,I find more spirituality outside the church than I found within it. Please, no one take offence. I am endeavouring to be responsible to my cynicism.
2. Can you elaborate on what you meant that they stole your soul' ?
I was continually challenged to be "the man that God called you to be", rather than to be "the man that God forgave". I was forced into a mould that never ever fitted me. In the last year or two,(94-95) I was pounced on almost daily for any diversion from the strict regiman of cold and callous vision driven leadership. It broke my heart to have to be a bastard to maintain the church vision. After I left I sought out many of my 'victims" and sought forgiveness.
3. When you wrote songs like 'Power of Your Love' – where did the muse come from…God? Yourself? or were they just manufactured melodies?
I felt so flawed and I just wanted to crawl into the arms of God and feel accepted, loved and ok. It was a very honest song… it still is, I now wouldf see my perspective on it as being somewhere between the first version and the second. Both are relevant.
4. You obviously had a 'worldy' life style, reading occult books etc. before you joined Hills. What do you think is worse/more dangerous to your soul…Your pre HS lifestyle, Your Christian Lifestyle within HS?
Hillsong without a doubt. But only because I was not given the permission to have doubts, to question, to wrestle with my spirituality. God was defined by them and therefore anything outside their teaching was frownes upon, shunned or totally rejected. Part of this has to be seen in the context of my desperate desire to be approved. I was a very willing student.
5. In the midst of the commercialisation – are people truly finding the Gospel within HS?
The Gospel finds us through the work of the Holy Spirit. I wrote one of most successful songs on the toilet… the message of the life of Jesus is not the property of the church. It is the image and nature of God. I believe God can make himself known to us without our grandiose efforts.
I am very keen to hear HS's reply. I am a little nervous…
Source: Geoff Bullock, Geoff Bullock article take two, Signposts.org, http://web.archive.org/web/20080726145830/http://www.signposts.org.au/2006/04/27/geoff-bullock-article-take-two/comment-page-1/#comment-135646, Published 10:05am 30/04/2006. (Accessed 03/08/2015.)
News Limited reports,
The High Cost of Faith
As crowds – and their cash – flood into Hillsong Church, former members tell Jennifer Sexton about the heavy price they paid for leaving the flock.
Whoa! I wanna know you, I wanna know you today." With that catchy lyric, the lead singer rips into a punky-pop riff on his electric guitar as the band and side-stage choir spring to life. Over a sea of raised arms, five cameras capture the action as the audience, in time with the lanky, tousle-haired lead singer, belts out a thundering chorus: "You're the best thing that has happened to me."
No, this isn't MTV live. It's Hillsong Church, part religious service, part rock concert, part multi-media conglomerate. Every weekend at Hillsong churches in Sydney 19,000 people sing, clap and jump through a two-hour tribute to a God who rocks. As traditional religious congregations shrink, Hillsong attendance expanded more than 13 per cent in 2004.
There are no images of Jesus being tortured on the cross at Hillsong headquarters in Sydney's Baulkham Hills, no vaulted ceilings. The audience sits not on wooden pews but on 3500 cushioned theatre seats. Under each one is an envelope and credit card form for believers to donate their pre-tax 10 per cent salary tithe. Ushers flood the aisles and pass black buckets down each row. The buckets have holes in the bottom, presumably to discourage parish-ioners from giving coins. And the rivers of cash keep flowing: donations and salary tithes to Hillsong were $15.3 million in 2004; merchandise, CDs, books and DVDs, returned a further $6.93 million, while total church revenue has now passed the $50 million mark – all tax-free thanks to Hillsong's charitable status. And then there are the donations – it's anybody's guess how much – from the owners of the $40 million Gloria Jean's coffee empire, Nabi Saleh and Peter Irvine, who are both senior members of Hillsong, the former as treasurer. The message of Hillsong's prosperity gospel is: the richer you are, the more you can help others.
But along with the expanding congregation and profit margins have come the ugly rumours that won't go away – of underhanded treatment of disaffected church members, of attempts to silence critics, of profiteering from the faithful. Only last month, the Labor Mayor of Blacktown in Sydney's west, Leo Kelly, accused Hillsong of attempting to pressure him, via an ALP state official, to dampen his criticism of their use of public funds.
Hillsong's main benevolent arm, Hillsong Emerge Ltd, has been accused in federal and NSW parliament of misappropriating commonwealth grants worth millions of dollars. And a former member, Robert John Orehek, was charged with fraud after allegedly fleecing believers of up to $20 million, which he sank into failed and fraudulent property investments.
The king of Hillsong evangelism, Brian Houston, bounds onto the stage, clad in a dapper suit. "The faithful are in church tonight," he declares, surveying the auditorium. "Awesome!" The background music fades away and the house lights brighten. People reach into their bags for Bibles and notebooks. Houston savours a silent pause. He's been thinking about the seven deadly sins. "What would be my deadly sins, destructive in the lives of people?" Avarice, gluttony and wrath are apparently old hat. Houston instead says the sins are negativity, regret, complacency. Just a few weeks later, Hillsong's formidable marketing arm has swung into action, releasing a four-CD set of Houston's teaching on the sins that undermine potential in people, retailing for $35 in the church shop.
Houston has become the most influential pastor in the Pentecostal movement, and is a household name to born-again Australians. He also has political pulling power: Prime Minister John Howard, Treasurer Peter Costello and former NSW premier Bob Carr have all addressed the Hillsong congregation in recent years. In the last federal election, Hillsong member Liberal Louise Markus narrowly snatched from Labor the seat of Greenway, next to Hillsong's Baulkham Hills church.
After the service – there are 30 every week in the two main Sydney venues, Baulkham Hills and Waterloo – people pour into the Hillsong shop. Half of the back display is devoted to the CDs and books by Houston and his perky wife of 28 years, Bobbie. Their bright white teeth and perfect hair seem to shine down from dozens of book and CD covers. In Bobbie's CD set She Loves and Values her Sexuality she proclaims, "You might be happy with your weight but is your husband happy with your weight? … How are you going to do anything that might surprise your man when you need a hydraulic crane just to turn over in bed?" Boob jobs and face lifts get the thumbs up, as do good sex and a husband who says sorry with an impromptu spending spree at the jewellers. It's a feel-good message, and when it doesn't feel good, money makes it better.
Geoff Bullock knows all about Hillsong's brand power and merchandising. He helped build it, even coming up with the name Hillsong more than 17 years ago. He launched the church on the international Christian music scene when he wrote most of the original songs, such as Power of Your Love, Refresh My Heart and Have Faith in God. For the church's first decade he was Brian Houston's best friend. For eight years, until a messy split in 1995, he ran the music department, nerve centre of "the brand". Although his songs are now rarely played at Hillsong, they are popular on the international Christian music scene and Bullock lives off composition royalties paid through APRA (the Australasian Performing Rights Association).
When I meet Bullock at a sunny, beachside terrace cafe he is edgy and constantly apologises – for knocking the table as he crosses his legs, for being unable to eat much of his salad. A short, tidy man with intense blue eyes, he is approaching his 50th birthday. He hasn't slept much in anticipation of revealing the backstage story behind the "miles of smiles" at Hillsong. "It was very nice being at the top of the tree but it just … " He pauses, swallows. "This is going to sound dramatic. They stole my soul."
Bullock's moment of religious revelation struck in 1978 at Sydney's Koala Motor Inn, where Houston's father, Frank, was preaching. Bullock was 23 and had been touring the east coast in a rock'n'roll band, smoking dope and reading Carlos Castaneda's stories of magic and sorcery. "It was wild," he recalls of that November night. They sang hymns to a funked-up polka tune played with live piano, drums and bass. In the latest fashion blue safari suit, at the centre of the throng was the bespectacled 56-year-old preacher, Frank Houston, who declared that he used to smoke cigarettes before Jesus saved him. "People were trying to put cigarettes in his mouth," says Bullock. "He lay down and he spat them out. It was a show of great confidence and charisma."
Bullock was a needy, naive Sydney North Shore lad, schooled at the Presbyterian Knox Grammar. He believed in a higher being and was willing to try anything to reach Him, including cannabis. "I was absolutely ready for brainwashing. I was absolutely ripe for 'love bombing'." So, just two hours after walking into his first evangelical experience, Bullock answered God's call, and his 21-year-old Anglican girlfriend from Lithgow in country NSW, Janine, followed. Individually, in back rooms, they were counselled. They had been born again and were now committed to Jesus. Satan would fight to get them back, they were warned. "I went in with a confident world view and I came out quite rattled. My whole belief structure had been turned on its head."
He said goodbye to his rock'n'roll band, Arnhem, and to smoking, drinking and playing the occasional gig in topless bars in Sydney. A church leader came to his house and threw out his extensive collection of music – Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, The Beatles. "I had this wonderful group of friends, a great lifestyle, going listening to bands. All of that was viewed as being 'of the devil' … I didn't lose some friends, I lost all my friends."
Five years later, when 29-year-old Brian Houston set up his own church, Hills Christian Life Centre, in the newly suburban northern hills of outer Sydney, Bullock was a founding member. Young Houston was inspired by Tony Packard, who established a high–profile Holden car dealership in the area at Baulkham Hills with the catchcry "Let me do it right for you."
Bullock was among the 70 believers at Pastor Brian Houston's first service on Sunday, August 14, 1983, at Baulkham Hills Public School. From here a Pentecostal phenomenon called Hillsong was born. Bullock sang, played piano and was music frontman on stage for at least three services every Sunday. He recorded the church's first six albums, three of which went gold, one platinum. He also ran the Bible college curriculum. For this he earned no more than $45,000 a year from the church and gave back a pre-tax tithe of 10 per cent, even when he couldn't pay his growing family's bills. Now he is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder after being expunged from the church he helped build.
Bullock and Janine married in 1980 and had five children within a decade. At the height of his Christian stardom in the late 1980s to mid-1990s, Bullock toured the United States, Britain, Asia and New Zealand with an expanding repertoire of songs. For Sydney Sunday services they rose at 6am to set up the band and audio equipment and then rehearse ahead of morning, afternoon and evening church services. He was too busy to notice he was failing as a husband and father. "We had to put our parenting on hold," he says.
Bullock began to feel like a real estate agent selling a manufactured ideal of God rather than one he really believed in. "I think Hillsong's still got it, this feeling that God smiles a bit more when we're singing our songs, and we've got good hairdressers, dentists, cosmetic surgeons. I came to think that the patron saint of Hillsong was Gianni Versace."
Christmas Eve 1994 was the end for Bullock. He had rehearsed the choir and band to play the standard church repertoire for three Christmas services. Just hours before the first service, Houston discovered Bullock had not rehearsed traditional Christmas carols. "He just tore me to shreds and then left me to do three services," Bullock says. Houston got his Christmas carols that night, but it finished his partnership with Bullock.
Once Bullock departed, a campaign of whispering about his morality and sexuality filtered throughout the church. When he broke up with Janine a few months later, his subsequent relationship with a married woman (whom he later married) was, he says, twisted to become the reason he had been forced out. At the same time, Houston preached about dark forces intent on undermining the church. "They ran a huge campaign to discredit me," fumes Bullock.
Janine says she changed her phone number to stop friends from the church calling to tell her Bullock's departure and their marriage break-up was against God's will. She once hid in the wardrobe when a woman visited her house a second time. "I couldn't bear her preaching at me again, telling me that this wasn't of God."
Janine still goes to Hillsong once a month, but says she can't help but be cynical about the facade of spirituality compared with the lack of compassion and understanding she experienced. But, she adds, "there's some beautiful Christian people who attend there".
Geoff Bullock isn't the only founding member of Hillsong to question its methods and ethics. For a decade until 1991, Stephen Grant was paid $100 a week to preach at Hillsong and was dean of the church's Bible college. He admits that, as an eccentric, he was a strange fit for a fundamentalist church.
Still, Grant came from a wealthy family – he now runs a successful art gallery in Sydney's Redfern – and had pledged (but never paid) $150,000 to the church's building fund. He had a beautiful wife and was entertaining at the pulpit. He wore loud, colourful suits and sometimes a red leotard. When he blew on the congregation, the entire room of people would fall over.
But he realised his views diverged from Houston's when they travelled together to the US in 1988. "In the US, I saw the wholesale commercialisation of born-again Christianity. I went, 'Nah, truth is becoming a commodity here. It's not a question of internal search, it's a question of external commodification.'" But Houston liked what he saw and soon Hillsong's fundraising became increasingly glitzy.
"I started to question what the bloody hell I was doing," Grant, 46, reflects. "I was preaching all over the world. But I was getting really depressed." He had lost both his parents and his marriage was under pressure. Grant subsequently discovered that, in the inner sanctum of the church, his wife was being encouraged to recognise that he did not belong.
His clinical depression was seen by the church as a sign of faltering faith. "I knew there was nothing wrong with my faith, and yet I was told: 'You are not believing in Jesus enough.'" The Hillsong website backs up Grant's claim. "Depression," it declares, "is a supernatural spirit straight from the devil."
When Grant broke up with his wife and left the church, like Bullock, he had to start life all over again, outside the Hillsong fortress. "People find a lot of healing in the church. I don't have a problem with that. But … if you are kicked out, you are f—ed."
The Christian message of the shepherd seeking lambs lost from the flock doesn't apply at Hillsong, says Grant. "It was forbidden for me to be visited by the members of the church. Damn the lost lambs." His recovery took five years.
The sentiment is echoed by theology student Penny Davis, who took years to rebuild her self-esteem after a shattering experience at Hillsong, which began in 1995 when she was just 20. Women who don't fit Bobbie Houston's mould at Hillsong, or those brave enough to challenge the male hierarchy, are swiftly brought into line, she says. With ambitions to become a pastor, Davis quickly realised she needed to change her wardrobe. "To get anywhere, you had to become a clone," she quips. "I grew my hair, started wearing make-up and doing all the nice girly things."
Life became very full, and it was all about church. She moved into a share house with four other young women from Hillsong, volunteered two days a week at church and did paid work with the Hillsong community youth centre three days a week, earning a weekly income of $600, less the 10 per cent salary tithe. "The pressure at Hills to be glamorous and have everything as well – it's quite difficult on a low income."
Just months after joining, she slept with a woman from the church – one who later confided about the liaison to a youth leader. Davis was immediately counselled that homosexuality was a sin. "I was just so vulnerable," Davis says simply. She was assigned a mentor, who claimed she had successfully corrected her own "dysfunctional" sexuality. They spoke at least once a week, when Davis had to confess any lesbian fantasies. The mentor also read Davis's diaries. After the "problem" persisted, she was put into an 18-week "ex-gay" program called Living Waters, then conducted at Hillsong. Once a week she attended the Living Waters group sessions, where she was told to focus on problems in her past which may have triggered her sexual "dysfunction". "I was committed to getting these things fixed," Davis says.
Three years of counselling, sessions with a psychiatrist and group therapies failed, however. Davis resorted to grabbing joyful glances at a video of Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras while her flatmates were out, she laughs. "I started to subconsciously realise that this was not going to change … the shame and guilt were eating me up inside."
Davis decided her sexuality and spirituality could never be reconciled at Hillsong and made the momentous decision to leave. In response, her Hillsong friends sent a barrage of text messages quoting the Bible on the "sin" of homosexuality. She was kicked out of her house and then her friends froze her out, ignoring her emails and phone calls. "She's gone, we have restructured, there's no need to continue communicating with her" was the message sent to her Hillsong friends by church leaders, claims Davis.
Social worker Tanya Levin, who spent her teenage years at Hillsong, says that those who question church policy are first shouted down and later ostracised if they persist. Levin has been commissioned to write a book about growing up in an evangelical church. For research, Levin attended the annual Hillsong women's conference Colour Your World last March and took offence when poor children in Africa were being marketed for sponsors in the audience on the basis of being cute. "They are actually for life, not just for Christmas," Levin shouted before walking out of the auditorium.
When she wrote an email the next month to the Houstons asking to meet them on a regular basis in order to gather material for her book, she got this curt response from the general manager, George Aghajanian: "We are aware that during your attendance at our recent Colour Your World Women's Conference you caused a significant disruption. It is for this reason that we ask you to refrain from attending any future Hillsong church services or events; including accessing Hillsong's land and premises at any time." Aghajanian closed by saying the church's leadership and staff were unable to provide assistance for the book.
When Levin subsequently attended a Sunday evening service, a pastor asked to speak to her outside. When she attempted to get back in to retrieve her bag, two security guards blocked her path, picked her up by the elbows and escorted her off the premises.
Brian Houston refused numerous opportunities to comment for this story, except to say: "More than 19,000 people come to Hillsong Church every weekend and I know that the overwhelming majority of them would testify to a healthy experience for both themselves and their families. They would also speak of the constant positive impact they see on others who are being helped through Hillsong Church and its many community programs."
There is no doubt that Hillsong – or, closer to the mark, its loyal parishioners – perform many good deeds. The church has a number of charitable arms, including Mercy Ministries, a residence for girls dealing with unplanned pregnancies and eating disorders established five years ago by Hillsong's Darlene Zschech, the country's most popular and successful Christian singer. Although recently mired in controversy, the church's main benevolent arm, Hillsong Emerge, has helped people find jobs and recover from addictions. Hillsong attendees sponsor about 2600 children in Uganda, and generously gave $500,000 to victims of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
But the criticism seems likely to persist as long as Hillsong makes $50 million in revenue, pays no tax and yet spends just $2.67 million on "welfare services". It is not clear how much Mercy Ministries gets from Hillsong, but its total donations were just $304,840 in 2004. And Hillsong Emerge's 2004 accounts show it got only $646,666 from the Hillsong Foundation Trust and about that again in government grants.
And Houston has been less than transparent about his own income. Until last year he had failed to declare that he and Bobbie had sold their own personal property holdings to a Hillsong-related entity of which he is a director, Leadership Ministries Incorporated. Bobbie sold a Bondi beachfront apartment on the same block as Jamie Packer's pad to the not-for-profit LMI for $650,000 in February 2002. The couple also sold a waterfront property on the Hawkesbury River in October 2004 to LMI for $780,000, making $535,000 on their 1998 purchase price. They continue to use both these properties.
LMI is the tax-free entity Hillsong set up as a vehicle to pay the couple's income. In breach of Office of Fair Trading reporting rules, no financial statements had been lodged since its inception in October 2001. Only after the property deals were uncovered by The Australian were the accounts filed in August last year. When the numbers came in they revealed the golden couple got a measly net income, after donations, of just $21,658 in the year to December 2002, $12,739 in 2003 and $69,041 in 2004.
If this is all there is, then how do the couple and two of their three children pull off a property buying spree worth $1.738 million over 12 months in exclusive beachside Bondi? On August 26, 2003, son Joel, who is a lead singer in the Hillsong band and earns song-writing royalties, bought a $676,000 apartment a few minutes' walk from the LMI-owned apartment, paying $276,000 up front. That same day Brian and Bobbie paid $650,000 with a collateral mortgage for the apartment next door to Joel's. Exactly a year later, son Ben borrowed just $90,000 to buy a $412,000 apartment a few streets from the other family holdings.
And questions persist about why it took 30 years for Brian Houston's father, Frank, to be exposed over a complaint of sexual abuse of a boy in his homeland of New Zealand. Houston says his father was banned from preaching in 2000, when he confessed. But Frank continued to live on the Hillsong account, in church digs, until his death in November 2004.
Houston has hiring and firing rights over the board, and has appointed some influential and rich men to control the church's empire (there are no women, he says, because one of the board members won't allow it). The general manager of Hillsong – psychologist George Aghajanian – now oversees a $100 million property portfolio. And Hillsong has its sights on lucrative new markets in Europe – it opened a church in Paris last year and already has churches in London and Kiev.
Geoff Bullock says he can't help but admire Houston. "He works hard and is gifted. He deserves to be a wealthy man." But when told how little Houston is claiming as net income Bullock is incredulous – especially knowing the charismatic pastor's fondness for Valentino suits and first-class plane tickets. And then there are the thousands of dollars in "love offerings" Houston regularly personally pockets for every talk he gives on the international Pentecostal speaking circuit. "Why not just be open about it?" Bullock asks.
As Bullock watches the church lurch from one controversy to the next, he has a sense of foreboding. He muses there is a valid expectation that the church should pour more money into helping others and less into promoting itself and amassing wealth. "In the end, it's just sad," he says, looking into his coffee cup. "It does look like it's approaching a train wreck."
Source: By Jennifer Sexton (Senior writer of 'The Australian'), The High Cost of Faith, News Limited, Published 29/04/2006.
17 thoughts on "Brian Houston: compulsive liar"
ray e jones said:
This family's lifestyle is astounding. And these persons are reputedly ministers of the Gospel for Jesus Christ? Valentino suits? And Brian Houston claims he knows nothing about the Prosperity Gospel? Paul the Apostle would have plenty to say about this greedy idolatrous mess.
1 Peter 5:2 — Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for FILTHY LUCRE, but of a ready mind;
1 Timothy 3:8 — Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of FILTHY LUCRE;
Titus 1:7 — For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to FILTHY LUCRE;
Q: what did Jesus say about how we should view money, wealth, property, prosperity etc.in this life?
A: From Sermon on Mount:
Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Hillsong devotees: how well does Houston and Co. follow the above commandment of Jesus?
writtenbymyself said:
have you seen the 2 press statements from hillsong yesterday.
Yes. We are working tirelessly on exposing Houston yet again on his latest lies and trickery.
http://hil.so/i46g
Do I Love Gay People?
Brian Houston
I love and care about people – from all walks of life; people with various beliefs, ethics, perspectives and lifestyles. I care that humanity and some within the Christian church can be so quick to alienate and ostracise others who are different than them; those who live differently, think differently, speak differently.
I also live by my own convictions, and hold to traditional Christian thought on gay lifestyles and gay marriage. I do believe God's word is clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. The writings of the apostle Paul in scripture on the subject of homosexuality are also clear, as I have mentioned in previous public statements.
Hillsong Church welcomes ALL people but does not affirm all lifestyles. Put clearly, we do not affirm a gay lifestyle and because of this we do not knowingly have actively gay people in positions of leadership, either paid or unpaid. I recognise this one statement alone is upsetting to people on both sides of this discussion, which points to the complexity of the issue for churches all over the world.
I love and accept people on a personal level and if I lived next to a gay couple I would treat them with the same embrace I would any other neighbour because – surprise, surprise – not all my neighbours think like me. Everyone has the right to pursue happiness. I may totally disagree with you on what will bring people true happiness, and I will always teach and preach according to my personal convictions and the teachings of scripture, but I cannot make other people's choices for them – and quite frankly, I don't want to. That's not my job. Even God created humanity with a free will.
The western world is seemingly moving quickly toward gay marriage being universally legalised, so how does that affect us as a church, and how does it affect the various individual members of Hillsong Church? I believe we can quite comfortably continue to function within that environment, presuming we are not forced through legislation to compromise our own convictions. Gay marriage is already legalised in many places where Hillsong Church exists, and we are functioning well and without impediment.
Everyone is welcome at Hillsong church except for known predators, those who are disruptive, or those who have adversarial agendas.
So if you are gay, are you welcome at Hillsong Church? Of course! You are welcome to attend, worship with us, and participate as a congregation member with the assurance that you are personally included and accepted within our community. But (this is where it gets vexing), can you take an active leadership role? No.
This won't make everyone happy and to some, this stance may even be seen as hypocritical. We are a gay welcoming church but we are not a church that affirms a gay lifestyle.
I began this conversation with, "I love and care about people – from all walks of life; people with various beliefs, ethics, perspectives and lifestyles. I care that humanity and some within the Christian church can be so quick to alienate and ostracise others who are different than them; those who live differently, think differently, speak differently." Bobbie and I were in an elevator today with a Saudi Arabian woman dressed in Muslim attire. We had a conversation in those few moments and her face lit up with the biggest, warmest smile. As she left we said to each other, 'what a lovely lady'. Does that mean I now endorse her religion? No it doesn't, but if she was my neighbour I would definitely invite her over for a cup of tea, or be there for her if she was in need.
I care about people and yes, I do have gay friends. Jesus had many friends that angered the religious and brought him condemnation from many. He endorsed a humble sinner and condemned a self-righteous Pharisee. He would be the same if His time on earth as a man was in our generation, confronted with the social issues we face and are forced to address today.
If God had wanted to condemn the world He would have sent a condemner. But He didn't, He wanted to save the world so He sent a Saviour. John 3:17.
here are the links
http://t.co/ovJHc6u5GB
jonathan said:
Weird. Brian Houston says….
"Bobbie and I were in an elevator today with a Saudi Arabian woman dressed in Muslim attire. We had a conversation in those few moments and her face lit up with the biggest, warmest smile. As she left we said to each other, 'what a lovely lady'. Does that mean I now endorse her religion?"
Wow what a misleading anecdote. Of course we know THAT conversation doesn't mean he endorses her religion, but he ALREADY endorsed her religion, when he gave his teaching that "Muslims and Christians serve the same God."
Why would he need to endorse it again? He's already endorsed it. How quickly he forgets.
JERRY Z said:
Not according to the Bible, Brian. Has Brian Houston ever read the Bible?
GAL 1:8…
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
2 COR 11:4…
"For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."
Brian Houston contradicts the Holy Scriptures again. This seems to be a frequent occurrence with Brian Houston. It is likely he doesn't believe anything the Bible says, so he doesn't bother reading it. He might feel his time would be better spent writing books about Success and Money and Happiness.
newtaste said:
" Geoff Bullock @GeofBullock
#hillsong 30th anniversary last night. I was privileged to be honoured and appreciated. Thank you for the wonderful memories.
8:45 p.m. – 3 Nov 2013
https://twitter.com/GeofBullock/status/397222931253583873 "
" THE ISSUE: NEW CHURCH FOR A POSTMODERN ERA?
by John Cleary
As institutional Christianity crumbles in much of the West, battered by waves of external unbelief and internal failures, what is left of the message of Jesus? Does the church need a radical makeover?
In this discussion, we turn out atttention to the future of faith, and the emergence of a spirituality that is at home in the 21st century, yet recognisably part of a continuing commitment to the way of Jesus.
Peter Rollins writer, philosopher and theologian
Rev Dr Steven Ogden Principal of St Francis Theological College in Brisbane
Penny Davis pastor at the Solace Emerging Church community in Melbourne
http://www.abc.net.au/sundaynights/stories/s3883473.htm "
Beautiful:
Apollo said:
Dear, Oh dear, @Newtaste – I see that you've been hanging around the "goat's pen" again. Well, maybe it's time we saw the 'insides' of the pen, eh matey…?
…and of course, those lovely ladies on stage with the grand Pooh-bah aren't in any way connected to heretical 'movements' posing as modern "churches", are they @Newtaste…?
http://s772.photobucket.com/user/revivalinbrisbane/media/Goats%20pen%20cartoon%2012-09-2015_zpsjcoxhpsl.png.html
ollie said:
Hahaha. Nice picture.
Now I know what a "newtaste" looks like. He looks at home on his masonic checkerboard too.
Tam said:
Given the above factual information, it's very strange that Joel Houston had these things to say a few months ago……
"Hillsong UNITED's New Album 'Empires' Will Inspire Christians to 'Live for the Unseen Aspects of God's Kingdom'"
"Further, Houston said that Empires encourages listeners to look beyond this world to the kingdom of God."
If that were true, why don't they all sell those rich properties and gives some of the money to the poor? Why do they appear to be living for this world? It doesn't wash.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/joel-houston-says-hillsong-uniteds-new-album-empires-will-inspire-christians-to-live-for-the-unseen-aspects-of-gods-kingdom-interview-139581/
Acquitted said:
Hi @Tam – I'm just wondering if that's where the 'proceeds' of some of these albums go? Converting CD's and Music DVDs into ca$h for hot beach side properties is probably a fine art for some of these "holy scammers" by now…
In case you've forgotten what a "mansion" looks like, here's a link to some pics of Brian's' opulent house:
https://donaldelley.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/the-sins-of-brian-houston-brian-houston-is-guilty-of-stealing-the-treasures-from-the-holy-of-holies-the-greatest-sin-after-blasphemy/
Hi Acquitted I knew it must be big house but I did not know it is that big.
Makes you wonder what other Houston treasures there are yet to be discovered??
Royalty scams, tithe scams, instant bestseller book scams. Layperson does not have access to such money making vehicles. Only greedy cult leaders. How people can defend this craps is beyond anyone comprehension.
Brian Houston denies that he is into the 'prosperity gospel' but every time I look at his ministry 'tree' I see the fruit of that gospel overgrowing it. He is into property, fine things, fancy bikes, and they are all status symbols that say "I am prosperous" without him actually having to say it. But then, he's got a long way to go to catch up with more "successful" false prophets, like the ones on this list:
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/tele-evangelist_lifestyles.html
But of course, all of that is just "the blessing of the Lord," isn't it? Or maybe it's just the proceeds of "tithes" from the pockets of millions of gullible church goers, feeding billions of dollars into the coffers of "False Prophet Central" in the vain hope that 'giving' will result in 'getting'. But that's just another ponzi scheme, isn't it…?
"And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath nowhere to lay his head." Matthew 8:20
Kenneth Copeland told a story, based on the crippled man being lowered down through the roof of a great house (Mark 2:4) so that Jesus could heal him. The emphasis of the story, was not the miraculous healing of that man though. From Copeland's vain imagination came the story of how Jesus owned that house, so that he could justify the house (palatial mansion) that he owns outside of Fort /worth, Texas:
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/tele-evangelist_lifestyles.html#Tele-Copeland
He's on that list I posted up above, but Jesus directly contradicts this false prophet with his own words, in Matthew 8:20…
So you can see how many lies you have to tell, in order to get yourself more and more material possessions. The bigger the lies, the bigger the ca$h and fixed assets… So Brian's 'prosperity symbols', could be the results of a lot of lying, and a lot of 'prosperity gospel' preaching at Hillsong, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were…
This prosperity gospel is such a lie. I wish ignorant people would stop falling for all these deceiver who's selling it.
Tam – it's been said here before; if only people inside Hill$ong and other mega churches would stop tithing for 3 to 6 months, the whole corrupt money making system would collapse. Of course, hundreds of thousands of people there have been duped into believing that their 'investment' will bring a "100 fold" return.
Here's an interesting link to Cultwatch in New Zealand on "How 'pastors' get rich:
http://www.cultwatch.com/howpastorsgetrich.html
It makes very interesting reading… and there's another article on the same website about "How Cults Work" :
http://www.cultwatch.com/howcultswork.html
These two articles are an education in themselves. Then there's Tithing Truth, if you missed that one:
http://www.tithingtruth.com
The first two articles were produced by your average Christian over in New Zealand, who had enough care and concern to alert the body of Christ about the dangers and the scams that are perpetrated on unwitting believers, which are designed to milk every last penny from your wallet or purse, in the name of God.
You can 'honour the pastor' (with extra wads of money, but no real reason) or you can 'gain the blessing' by sending your tithe 'into the local storehouse' at the annual "First Fruits" celebration, and buy the pastor a new car (while you can drive around in your old bomb car,) or help subsidize a new motorbike, or another beachside unit or mansion… or overseas travel, or whatever…


At some point in your life, you're going to run into the home improvement conundrum. Basically, what's going to happen is that you know you want to improve something, but whenever you imagine what you want to do, you end up thinking of the same old things.
So, to modernize your next home improvement project, here are five tips to get you thinking outside of your normal box – look for inspiration in new places outside of your typical comfort zone, think backwards from detail work instead of waiting until the end, choose modular ideas instead of concrete ones, add a touch of nature to your thinking patterns, and start with a quality item, and expand from there.
If you're always looking for inspiration in the same places, you're never going to expand your horizons. Look at architecture magazines you've never glanced through before. Go to websites that have always looked boring, out of your league, too expensive, or not what you're looking for culturally. You may find just the right piece of inspiration you're looking for.
Usually you're going to think of details after the major home improvement work has been done. But what about working backwards? Start with some beautiful detail work in your mind, like professionally installed railing, and then design outward from that staircase or that balcony. You might be surprised what kind of interesting things you come up with.
And even if you know for sure that whatever you're improving is going to be there for the next 30 years, consider that someone may change his or her mind. This means to pay special attention to the possibility of modular designs instead of ones that install and stay put through the next four earthquakes and a zombie apocalypse. Go light and modifiable, and you can't go wrong.
Think of your best home improvement idea, and then add nature to the mix. What would a porch look like if it had a tree for a stabilizing post? When you see beautiful natural designs like that, you may be inspired to do something similar. Mixing nature with anything typically makes it much more peaceful as an overall design concept in the end.
If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, buy some great quality kitchen appliances. And then work outward from those, stylistically, to other parts of the kitchen, and other parts of the house. That way, your passion will flow from one room to the next, and it will all be based on some of your favorite activities.


text:
Q: Хочу написать кнопку на картинке чтобы перенаправлять на сайт Я использую:
<button onclick="GG"> </button>

<script type="text/javascript">

    function GG() {window.location = 'Dino.html';}
</script>

A: В JS есть такая штука как window.location.href. Он указывает на адрес страницы. Если написать в тело функции "GG" строчку window.location.href, то он выполнит то, что вам нужно.

<button onclick="GG()">Кнопка</button>
<script>
  function GG() {
    window.location.href = 'Dino.html'
  }
</script>

А насчёт кнопки на картинке, вот сайт, читайте здесь

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Video and all photos by Patricia Santos.
One hundred years ago, when the Canadian National Institute for the Blind was founded, blind citizens in this country were not allowed to vote. This basic right was only achieved in 1930.
Today, Carla Qualtrough, a federal cabinet minister with visual impairments since birth, congratulated CNIB on its centennial celebration from the stage at the Canadian War Museum.
A remembrance of the past and a vision for the future were the prevailing themes at this week's 100th anniversary celebration. Hosted by media legend Craig Oliver, the evening also featured remarks from the Kirsty Duncan, the federal minister of science and the minister of sport and persons with disabilities, along with several senior CNIB executives.
Many volunteers, donors and employees were honoured for their achievements. The event that reminded more than 500 attendees just how far CNIB has come since it was founded shortly after the First World War, back in a time when for many blindness meant poverty and discrimination.
"An organization like ours will never forget our past," said CNIB president and CEO John Rafferty, who is spearheading dozens of similar events across Canada this year to commemorate the 100th year.
In other words, the work is far from over for the hundreds of thousands of Canadians living with blindness or visual impairment.
Moving forward, he identifies the two top priorities for CNIB: boosting employment for blind and visually impaired Canadians, and getting new technologies in their hands to improve quality of life.
Jim Sanders, 71, is one of those individuals whose life has been changed by technology.
Born in Fort William, Ont., in 1947, he remembers working with CNIB from the very beginning. He was born with just 10 per cent eyesight capacity at birth, and then became completely blind about 35 years ago.
Text-reading software for smartphones, wearable devices that offer text-to-speech in one's ear and a belt clip that uses ultrasound to detect obstacles in the user's path are just some of the new technologies that allow the blind to live a better life.
Armed with new technology, CNIB has never felt more optimistic about the future. Rafferty said these innovations and improved social integration of Canada's blind and visually impaired will go hand-in-hand as CNIB works toward its next centennial.


text:
UK PM Boris Johnson Discourages Trump From Interfering In British Election: 'We Don't Get Involved in Each Other's Election Campaigns'
By Jason Lemon On 11/29/19 at 9:15 AM EST
World Boris Johnson Donald Trump United Kingdom UK
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson discouraged President Donald Trump from interfering in the upcoming election in the United Kingdom, despite the president having previously voiced praise and support for Johnson, as well as Brexit party leader Nigel Farage.
"What we don't do traditionally, as loving allies and friends, what we don't do traditionally is we don't get involved in each other's election campaign," Johnson said in an interview with British radio station LBC. The interviewer, Nick Ferrari, pushed back, saying: "yes, but he [Trump] did."
Johnson then reiterated: "We don't traditionally get involved in each other's elections."
The Conservative prime minister then pointed out, critically, that former President Barack Obama had weighed into the contentious Brexit debate ahead of the vote in June 2016, voicing support for the UK remaining in the European Union. Johnson said this happened "in a way that was not entirely conducive to that cause."
Boris Johnson Follows Trump's Lead On Immigration, Promising Crackdown
Boris Johnson Rally Revealed to Be Much Smaller With New Photos
U.S. Companies Turn to Brexit Britain for Increased Trade, Surveys Show
Trump 'Prays' for the Breakup of the EU, Council President Says
Earlier this month, Trump shared his perspective on the British election, voicing his support for Johnson as well as Farage.
"I like them both," the president told reporters at the time. "So I think Boris will get it right. They're both friends of mine. What I'd like to see is for Nigel and Boris to come together. I think that's a possibility."
"Boris is the right man for the time. He's really for the times. He's a great gentleman. He's a wonderful guy. He's tough, he's smart, and I think he's going to do something," Trump added.
Farage is not running in the election, but his Brexit party is fielding candidates. Although the Brexit leader suggested – like Trump – that he and Johnson should coordinate in the election, the Conservative prime minister has rejected the idea of working directly with Farage.
The British election will take place on December 12, less than six months after Johnson first took over as prime minister following the resignation of fellow Conservative leader Theresa May. Like his predecessor, Johnson failed to secure a Brexit deal with the European Union that satisfied Parliament. He even faced significant opposition from within his own party. Due to the deadlock, and after repeatedly losing significant parliamentary battles, Johnson convinced Parliament to call for new elections in hopes of shoring up a clear majority to move forward with his agenda.
President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hold a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York on September 24 during the United Nations General Assembly SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty
Although the left-wing Labour Party, headed by Jeremy Corbyn, had appeared to be making gains, with some suggesting Corbyn could oust Johnson, recent polling suggests otherwise. A survey released by YouGov earlier this week showed the Conservatives winning an estimated 359 seats, with Labour only taking 211. Farage's Brexit party was predicted to take zero seats.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


That doesn't seem like a big problem. Unless ... Sauron hasn't risen in the East, has he?
You've used up all your MP and are now engaged in melee combat?
Aggressive children keep mocking you and stepping on the fringe of your robe.
Would you like it if I just told you?
You've finally run out of Halloween candy?
I'm just going to tell you.
I'm the headmaster of a wizard school, and my students are now rebelling against me.
Hmm. Are your students particularly magically gifted, or just regular laypersons?
Well, that's actually great news.
How is that great news?
It implies that magical ability is a teachable skill! If magic was an inherited trait, distributed by luck or genetics, that would create a brutally cruel world of haves and have-nots. The Harry Potter series was essentially Gattaca told from a different perspective.
Harry, Ron, Hermione. Yup, they're all there.
Well, you'll love this next bit, then. Because it's actually a fake wizard college.
I don't want to be a subhuman servant of the magic-fueled ruling class.
That's not the real problem here.
It's not? Oh, because of the children menacing you, angry at your broken promise to turn them into wizards?
It's actually kind of a mix of children and sad adults.
Sadults. Yeah, I get those all the time. OK, that's a little more dangerous, because the kind of person willing to spend $1,800 on a wizard school is also the kind of person willing to keep an entire sword in the lining of their cape. So what's the tactical sitch, then, man? You locked in a bathroom with them pounding on the door?
It's my headmaster's office, but yes.
Your headmaster's office is in the bathroom?
"Brandon, come on in and have a seat. Well, then sit on the edge of the desk.
Don't make this weird, Brandon."
And I'm assuming this is kind of a decrepit, low-rise office park, and not a spindly castle in the mountains?
Is there some reason you don't want to or cannot give the money back to your students?
I cannot give it back because I don't want to.
Totally reasonable. OK then, we'll just lay down a basic Ward of Fraudulence then. First, take the lid off the toilet tank and find the ball float switch. Snap that off. It is now your wand.
You look it. Now then. How do you feel about striking sadults with a stick?
And striking children with a stick?
How about kicking them in the thro- ... no, that's basically the same issue. Hmm.
Could I just not hit them?
No, the branch of the advice chain I'm about to lead you down involves a lot of indiscriminate swinging and the making of unbreakable oaths. Scores a 0.89 on the Bucholz-Kawasaki Juvenile-Injury Probability Index.
The sharp uptick on the right there was when I tried to teach myself the motorcycle.
I've prescribed worse, but yeah, it's bad. OK, we'll just have to use deceit instead.
So what we're going to do is convince them you are actually a real magician. That will buy you enough time to escape in your car or airboat or whatever.
You'd be cooler if it was an airboat.
Although there are yet cooler options.
How do I trick them that I'm a magician?
See, the thing is, in a way we're already surrounded by magic. We can summon light with the sound of clapping hands. We can pause and rewind live TV. Omega-3 oils can extend our lives by ... days.
That doesn't really sound like magic to me.
We can summon water with the twist of a wrist.
You think they'll be impressed if I flush a toilet?
No. But they will be impressed if you first clog the drain of the sink, turn on the faucet, wave your hands in the air, and say something stupid like "Summono Agua" and water starts to seep out from under the bathroom door.
No, they are. These people are either children or adults with the minds of children. They desperately want to believe they live in a world of magic and will gobble up anything that even hints it's possible. So get out there and cause some reckless property damage.
for insulting the honor of his awful daughter.
Not really, no. My feet are wet. I guess that's something.
But they're not buying it?
No. The sadults kind of seem impressed. But Lewis and Daryl and Milicent are looking at me suspiciously.
They're a group of plucky preteens, correct?
OK, here's what you do. In the next seven seconds, you're going to need to come up with a mystery for them to solve over the course of an incredible adventure.
Yes. Ideally it will involve all the skills they've learned so far, a forgotten device you introduced earlier in the day, and lead to the defeat of the ultimate evil.
What skills have you taught these guys already?
They can chant gibberish words and wave their sticks in the air while I turn the lights on and off.
Did you by chance earlier in the day talk at length about the Pendant of the Amulet and its incredible magical ability and power against ultimate evil?
Pretty basic thing to offhandedly mention on the first day of wizard school.
OK. Who's the least popular adult student you have?
It's usually a Gary. OK, to buy a little more time, you're going to tell the others to attack him.
We're just going to cast a basic treachery hex here. Everyone will have noticed how awful and stinky Gary is, so when you reveal to them that he's actually the Night Lord Malaktor, they'll instantly believe it, because we all desperately want our gut-judgments to be true.
Who's the Night Lord Malaktor?
He's the ultimate evil, your long lost son or brother or dog, he murdered your sensei, he lives in a flaming tower in the distant East, and he stole the Amulet of the Pendant.
He is the worst. Anyway, he's now conveniently taken the form of the saddest, least popular adult in your school, so you're going to teach the students a new spell to subdue him.
You basically hit a guy in the head until he forgets things.
Let's do it, then. OK guys. Uh. There's a new ... thing. GARY DID IT! He's the Dread Night Mukkkalak and he stole all your money and wants to eat your hair!
It's good. All the sadults are wailing on Gary.
the tiny hint of a food blister he proudly displays.
So you can escape now?
Not yet. Lewis and Daryl and Milicent are blocking the door. They say that there's nothing that looks like an amulet on Gary's shattered corpse.
It's a large round pendant that's surprisingly light to the touch. It shimmers as if wet. Its chain is wrought from a curious magic that renders it completely stiff and stick-like in the hands of a powerful magician.
Wow. This is great. They're totally eating it up.
They say I'm holding the Amulet of the Pendant in my hands.
It looks a lot like a toilet ball float, doesn't it?
No, you were clearly Malaktor all along.
Congratulations! You're no longer being attacked by the disgruntled students of your fake wizarding school! You're being attacked by the gruntled but misguided students of your fake wizarding school! Should you require any further assistance, please consult our guide So You're Being Prosecuted for Soliciting Children to Commit Assault.
For more from Bucholz, check out 4 Fake Buildings You Didn't Know Hide Stuff From You and 6 Things Smartphones Should Be Able to Do by Now.


SAVE wishes to make it clear that the full protection of listed building law still applies to Mitchell's Brewery and that the Brewery cannot be demolished without a new application for permission to demolish which is unlikely to be granted in view of the new evidence which prompted the Secretary of State to list it as a building of special historic interest.
The recent Court judgement against SAVE concerns a seperate issue which became of secondary importance once the Brewery had been listed in February. The issue before the Court concerned SAVE's claim, made against Lancaster City Council and defended by the Secretary of State, that demolition would also contravene European legislation intended to assess the environmental impact of development. Under European law, any development project which is deemed to have significant effects on the environment are subject to this process known as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and would in turn require planning permission.
The Secretary of State argued that in this case demolition did not constitute a development project and was therefore not subject to EIA. The bizarre implication of this (bizarre in the view of SAVE, its legal advisers and many Lancaster objectors to the demolition) is that although part demolition or new construction would need EIA, complete demolition does not.
At the Court hearing SAVE's lawyers argued that it is wrong that the demolition of a large historic building, such as Mitchell's Brewery, in a sensitive urban site, should fall outside this directive.
Marcus Binney President of SAVE says 'It is a nonsense that substantial redevelopment requires an EIA but substantial demolition does not. Clearly, large scale demolition and clearance has as much impact as subsequent redevelopment. This is yet another case where property and development interests threaten to override the legitimate concerns of local people. SAVE has stopped this happening in the Canal Quarter and will continue to press for a conservation led scheme."
If the judge had ruled in SAVE's favour, demolition of many buildings which currently fall outside the planning process would henceforth have the potential to attract this EIA and therefore require planning permission.
Following the judge's rejection of SAVE's case SAVE is now considering taking this case to the Appeal Court.


Check out my Atlantic interview with political scientist Suzanne Mettler, who is doing some of the best thinking on exploding college tuition, student debt, and for-profit colleges.
Should we pay attention to those studies about how little money liberal arts grads earn in their first year out of college?
With the liberal arts, there's long-term payoff. By the time you are 40, you are doing much better. As a college professor, I could ruminate on that. There's been a reframing of higher education in the media in the last few years. The media looks at higher unemployment among college grads and says, 'Maybe a college degree is not worth it.' That's wrong. You're always better off to try and get more four-year college degree recipients. But then of course, we have to look at what sector of education are people attending? Is it a valuable degree?
Your book suggests that in many cases, people are better off not going to college at all than attending a for-profit college. 13 percent of college students are now enrolled at for-profits, yet they make up nearly 50 percent of student loan defaults. The industry says this is because they take a risk on less well-prepared students. They blame the students themselves when they drop out or fail to get decent jobs. What did your research turn up?
No. That's an inadequate explanation. To the contrary, there are various scholars who've looked at this. As I show in my book, students who grow up high income and have low test scores are about as likely as students who are low income with high test scores to graduate college. What I'm trying to emphasize is the financial part of it. The major reason why students drop out and don't complete college has to do with finances and with their varied ability to stay enrolled and afford it. That's true across the board, whatever kind of institution the student is attending.
At the for-profits, the graduation rates are 22 percent. We know schools with more low-income students are going to have lower graduation rates. Studies control for that factor and still find particularly low graduation rates at the for-profits. They don't have student support services and they don't emphasize learning. They charge very high tuition. You could get the same kind of degree at a community college or four-year public for a much lower cost.
This entry was posted in Business & Economics, Class, Education, Media on April 14, 2014 by Dana Goldstein.


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The following provisions of this section will apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and will not limit or exclude our liability in respect of any matter which it would be unlawful or illegal for us to limit or to exclude our liability. In no event will we be liable for any direct or indirect damages (including any damages for loss of profits or revenue, loss or corruption of data, software or database, or loss of or harm to property or data) incurred by you or any third party, arising from your access to, or use of, our website.
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Access to the website from territories or countries where the Content or purchase of the products or Services sold on the website is illegal is prohibited. You may not use this website in violation of export laws and regulations of Ireland.
You may not assign, transfer or sub-contract any of your rights and/or obligations under these Terms and conditions, in whole or in part, to any third party without our prior written consent. Any purported assignment in violation of this Section will be null and void.
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Without prejudice to our other rights under these Terms and Conditions, if you breach these Terms and Conditions in any way, we may take such action as we deem appropriate to deal with the breach, including temporarily or permanently suspending your access to the website, contacting your internet service provider to request that they block your access to the website, and/or commence legal action against you.
You agree to indemnify, defend and hold us harmless, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses and expenses, relating to your violation of these Terms and conditions, and applicable laws, including intellectual property rights and privacy rights. You will promptly reimburse us for our damages, losses, costs and expenses relating to or arising out of such claims.
Failure to enforce any of the provisions set out in these Terms and Conditions and any Agreement, or failure to exercise any option to terminate, shall not be construed as waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the validity of these Terms and Conditions or of any Agreement or any part thereof, or the right thereafter to enforce each and every provision.
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We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. It is your obligation to periodically check these Terms and Conditions for changes or updates. The date provided at the beginning of these Terms and Conditions is the latest revision date. Changes to these Terms and Conditions will become effective upon such changes being posted to this website. Your continued use of this website following the posting of changes or updates will be considered notice of your acceptance to abide by and be bound by these Terms and Conditions.
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You may contact us regarding these Terms and Conditions through our contact page.
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text:
Doddridge, AR
New and exciting events are happening every day.
Find engaging activities around you.
Sort by: Date Distance AARP Events Only
Sort by Date:
Displays the list by date and time, showing the next upcoming event first.
Sort by Distance:
Displays the list by events nearest to the center of Doddridge.
AARP Events Only:
Displays upcomming AARP Events.
Please call before attending any community events to make sure they aren't postponed or canceled as a result of the coronavirus. You can find CDC coronavirus information at cdc.gov/coronavirus; AARP has additional resources at aarp.org/coronavirus.
NOW600 National Series
Friday, Feb 24, 2023
Saturday, Feb 25, 2023
Show More Dates - Hide Dates
Ark-La-Tex Speedway
Vivian, LA
Inaugural Shamrock Showdown
Friday, Mar 24, 2023
Saturday, Mar 25, 2023
Gateway Farmers Market
Tuesday, Apr 4, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Thursday, Apr 6, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Saturday, Apr 8, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Tuesday, Apr 11, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Thursday, Apr 13, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Saturday, Apr 15, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
Texarkana, AR
Images provided by AmericanTowns.com, Ticketmaster
Is there an event that we should know about? Share it with us so your neighbors can learn about it too!
More from AARP in Doddridge
Doddridge Happenings | Upcoming AARP Events | About AARP
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Select a date to display events for that day.
Baking Class: A Valentine's Day Treat
Monday, Feb 13, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Understanding Orchids
Wednesday, Feb 22, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Movies for Grownups: 'Dreamgirls'
The Healing Art of Qigong
Friday, Jan 27, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time
Movies for Grownups: 'Three Minutes: A Lengthening'
Friday, Jan 27, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
A 'Moving With Milly' Workout
Monday, Jan 30, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Doddridge Happenings
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text:
I feel so much more secure ...
... now that the Feds are busily reclassifying unclassified documents that had been publically available on the shelves of the National Archives. According to the New York Times (registration required):
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 — In a seven-year-old secret program at the National Archives, intelligence agencies have been removing from public access thousands of historical documents that were available for years, including some already published by the State Department and others photocopied years ago by private historians.
But because the reclassification program is itself shrouded in secrecy — governed by a still-classified memorandum that prohibits the National Archives even from saying which agencies are involved — it continued virtually without outside notice until December. That was when an intelligence historian, Matthew M. Aid, noticed that dozens of documents he had copied years ago had been withdrawn from the archives' open shelves.
Mr. Aid was struck by what seemed to him the innocuous contents of the documents — mostly decades-old State Department reports from the Korean War and the early cold war. He found that eight reclassified documents had been previously published in the State Department's history series, "Foreign Relations of the United States."
"The stuff they pulled should never have been removed," he said. "Some of it is mundane, and some of it is outright ridiculous."
After Mr. Aid and other historians complained, the archives' Information Security Oversight Office, which oversees government classification, began an audit of the reclassification program, said J. William Leonard, director of the office.
Mr. Leonard said he ordered the audit after reviewing 16 withdrawn documents and concluding that none should be secret.
Further, the folks pulling the documents aren't bothering to tell the oversight office:
The document removals have not been reported to the Information Security Oversight Office, as the law has required for formal reclassifications since 2003.
The explanation, said Mr. Leonard, the head of the office, is a bureaucratic quirk. The intelligence agencies take the position that the reclassified documents were never properly declassified, even though they were reviewed, stamped "declassified," freely given to researchers and even published, he said.
Thus, the agencies argue, the documents remain classified — and pulling them from public access is not really reclassification.
Mr. Leonard said he believed that while that logic might seem strained, the agencies were technically correct. But he said the complaints about the secret program, which prompted his decision to conduct an audit, showed that the government's system for deciding what should be secret is deeply flawed.
There's a lot more information available at the website of the National Security Archive (http://www.nsarchive.org, which redirects you to http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/), a project at George Washington University not related to the National Archives or the National Security Agency.
Current Mood: grumpy