Chaplaincy: When the news is not new at all

News this week comes from Washington DC and from Melbourne. And both carry stories about chaplains on active duty. In DC it is a military story, and historic, and in Victoria it’s about schools and conversions. But they are both relevant.

The DC story is actually a revelation of 13 Jewish chaplains who served with other chaplains and with military units over the decades and who died on active service. The story from CNN Religion Blogger Eric Marrapodi, tells about 4 chaplains who died together, giving their lives so their charges could live.

The sentiment is thick as thieves in this section of Marrapodi’s article. “On February 2, 1943, the USS Dorchester was transporting 902 U.S. servicemen to war. Only one torpedo hit, but it struck a deathblow - killing scores instantly and resetting the ship's course to the bottom of the ocean.

Amid the chaos four U.S. Army chaplains fought to bring calm and comfort, praying for the dead and encouraging the living to fight for survival. They helped frightened servicemen find life jackets and head to rescue craft. Each of the four chaplains gave up his life jacket to save the life of another.

All four stayed on the ship's new course to the bottom of the ocean and gave their lives so others might live. The last thing survivors saw of the four chaplains, they were huddled together praying.”

One of those was a Jewish rabbi, Lt. Alexander D. Goode. He has not been ceremonially honored as yet. The others were given burial in Arlington National Cemetery, in either the Catholic or the Protestant sections. There is (as yet) no Jewish section there. Some folks are trying to make that happen. Hence the story.

The other story comes from the Melbourne Age today. Seems the authorities have discovered something at the bottom of their piles. It’s not really news, and is more historic than the sinking of the Dorchester. It’s about Christianity.

The Age reported about chaplains considering their work a mission. Yes, that’s the word: mission. Like missionary. Like the Blues Brothers “on a mission.” On 24 April Michael Bachelard reported “The Christian organisation that provides chaplains and religious instruction teachers in state schools has advertised its services as a ''mission'' in an area of Melbourne with a large Muslim population.

An Access Ministries advertising feature shows a Christian chaplain at multicultural Glenroy Primary School talking to two Muslim children wearing hijabs. The headline is: ''Your Community Our Mission''.

In the accompanying article, published last year, Access Ministries' chief executive Evonne Paddison wrote that: ''My prayer is that each child in Victoria, with your help will experience the transforming love of God and his son Jesus.''
More of this story in Age on Mission

Then today Jewel Topsfield reported in The Age, that there are some who want the schools chaplaincy program, begun under the (John) Howard government, scrapped. [“Australian Education Union president Angelo Gavrielatos said the comments highlighted the dangers of the program, which should be scrapped.”]
Why? Seems a 2008 audio recording of Ms Paddison, demonstrated the chief executive telling a conference: ''We need to go and make disciples.''

The remarks appear to breach guidelines governing school religious programs, which ban trying to convert students to any one religion.

This story is here in today’s Age

Here’s my surprise. Did the government just now find out that the Christian church has a mission? Did the words of Jesus quoted by Ms Paddison in 2008, “Go and make disciples” just come up on Google for the Age reporters? Or for the government? The church has always been about going and always about helping and always about making disciples. That’s a natural and supernatural result of the real discipleship of believers in Jesus.

After all, He was on a mission. The Bible says “God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3.16). The Apostle Paul, a rabbi named Saul of Tarsus said this of the mission of Jesus, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” (recorded in Paul’s first letter to Timothy, chapter 1, verse 15)

No hidden agenda. No surprise revelation after the fact. The angel Gabriel told the stepfather Joseph to “call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” Yes, He taught. Yes, He did miracles. And yet, the reason He came was to restore us to relationship with the Father, to whom we had turned our back. That’s what sin does. And how was Jesus going to restore us? By dying for us, and thus saving us from our sins.

The Church has for 2 millenia been about doing good, healing, helping, and proclaiming this Good News message.

How fitting that this should come into the news as Billy Graham, the 92-year-old American evangelist, is fighting for his life suffering pneumonia. It was when Rev Graham came to Australia that the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw its largest crowd ever. This from Wikipedia, “Until the 1970s, more than 120,000 people sometimes crammed into the venue – the record crowd standing at around 130,000 for a Billy Graham evangelistic crusade in 1959, followed by 121,696 for the 1970 VFL Grand Final. Redevelopments have now limited the maximum seating capacity to just over 100,000. This makes it the tenth largest stadium in the world.”

If anything is clear from Rev Graham both in 1959 and to this day, he is on a mission. He wants everyone everywhere to believe in Jesus. And the Melbourne crowds were well aware of that. No one should be surprised at that.

And an evangelical Protestant mission like Access Ministries or Billy Graham Evangelistic Association or the Anglican church or the Hillsong folks…everyone wants people to find the joy and peace and life and eternal life that’s found in Jesus. This is not new news, but it is Good News.

Even for Peter Garrett. Even for Julia Gillard. And even for you.

Baby it's cold outside

The top temperature today in Sydney didn't even reach 20 C (68F). It was chilly to the bone. The wind was up, the clouds were thick, the sky grey. It really felt wintry, even though we're only barely into autumn. I wore a jumper, hat and jacket. And still felt the chill.

Chill is in the air after last night's Budget 2011 was announced by Treasurer Wayne Swan of the Labor Party. The Liberal/ Coalition opposition was quick to deride the programs nixed by Labor and to label as wrong so many of the benefits extended, mostly to rural Australia. The cold reception by Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey and others was not a surprise, however.

Also in the air is the chilly revelation that another Qantas aircraft was forced to turn back after being struck by lightning near Auckland today. The incident comes less than 48 hours after one of the airline's Boeing 747s experienced engine problems in the air near Singapore.

Trouble in the air, and no one to bring relief.

Pictured is the famous painting by Thomas Blackshear who also designed illustrations for numerous postage stamps issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS), including four in the Black Heritage stamp series. Blackshear is an African-American. The painting is named 'Forgiven' and depicts a man, caught in trouble, caught by regret, and full of doubt and pain. It shows Y'shua, behind and strong, able and powerful. The title says it all. It's in being forgiven that we find grace and help in time of need. It's being forgiven that allows us to face the results of our sins and face the music. Chill might be in the air, but Y'shua brings us the warmth of his grace and love.

When I read online the many many many views on the painting, I'm struck by how many are struck by the painting. The impact is great. People, as with all good art, see different things in the characters. They see different results and different situations. But everyone who writes sees something. And that's something to be sure, to commend Blackshear.

And maybe you will have a perspective as well. Maybe you are in the kind of pain that this man in the purple shirt is in. Maybe you have done some damage with the hammer like he did. Maybe you are guilty, racked with the reality of that guilt. Maybe you see the holes in the hands of Y'shua and imagine that you were the one who nailed him to the cross. After all, someone did that. And what would be this man's response? What is your response to the awareness that you have, that you are responsible for the death of Y'shua?

After all, the crowd was agitated.
Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Messiah?” They all said, “Let Him be crucified!” And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” (Matthew 27.22-23)

The Roman soldiers after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they kneeled down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. And after they had mocked Him, they took His robe off and put His garments on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him (Matt. 27.29-31)

It was a chilly reality when the sky overhead turned dark for 3 hours. "Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour."(Matthew 27.45)
A Nisan day, and yet chill in the air. Distrust, mistrust, pain, suffering, anxiety. It was like a day at the Kentucky Derby races, with everything on the line. But it was a real day, like no other. Everything was on the line.

And just before Y'shua gave up his spirit (B'yado afkid ruchi), we read in Luke 23.34 Y'shua was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Wow, forgiveness. The missing ingredient in our lives. The reality most required. That which the purple shirt man needed. That which you and I need. Forgiveness. It's found in one place, and extended by One Person-- Y'shua.

Warms your heart, doesn't it? Gives you strength and courage, you know?

Swimwear and Multiculturalism. A study

This is an age of multiculturalism and sensitivity. It’s not always so easy. That’s what Lisa Burke found out over the last few days. She is an Aussie, living in Byron Bay. She is also a swimsuit designer. She is not on Project Runway.

Seems Ms Burke is the focus of protests by both the Indian government and people. Why? She designed a swimming costume with the likeness of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, which was shown at Australian Fashion Week last week.

Georgina Robinson wrote the article in today’s (Melbourne) Age: “Demonstrators in Amritsar burned the Australian flag and waved placards on Sunday in protest at a skimpy swimsuit... shows Lakshmi - the goddess of wealth and beauty - on the front and back of the cutaway design.”

Australia already had a weakened relationship with India after the cricket World Cup last summer where the sub-continent eventual winners India, took out the formerly unbeaten Aussie side with relative ease.

Ms Burke issued an apology on Facebook and Twitter, even mentioning the people, "We apologize to the Hindu community and take this matter very seriously."

Now the latest news may only aggravate the relationship. We may need our PM, Julia Gillard to help. Seems during the weekend the Bharatiya Janata Partya party called for an apology from the Australian government, according to London's Telegraph newspaper.

Sensitivity. Relationships. Not easy in this multi-cultural world and especially with commercialism and marketing to various other cultures within each country. Globalization makes us want to get our goods to others, but being sensitive is required.

The wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William had us all over the world watching the ceremony, the pomp, and the dress. Yes, clothing can be multi-national to be sure. Consider the Nike swoosh and the impact of Michael Jordan’s Air Nike label.

And Ms Burke was hoping to make her label available and visible to the Hindu market. I guess making a Hindu goddess available may not have made the swimsuit marketable. Let’s hope Ms Gillard can weigh in and help.

Read more: The Age

Taxes and charities

The Brisbane Times reported today that the new Federal Budget to be reported by Wayne Swan on Tuesday night this week will feature a change in the taxation of churches and specifically of charities. I read the report about this after seeing a tweat by Pastor Brian Houston from Hillsong Church in Sydney.

He wrote in three tweats on Twitter today, "I hope a charities commission protects Hillsong from agenda driven journalism, such as on page 4 of Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald! All activities of Hillsong Church contribute to our non profit objectives. The Sydney Morning Herald HAVE all the info needed to know that! Phillip Coorey & Peter Hartcher know or should know that the only link between Hillsong & Gloria Jeans, is the owners belong to the church!"

Authors Phillip Coorey and Peter Hartcher reported, "The federal budget will put a lid on the practice of so-called charities using their tax-free status to generate business income for no charitable purpose whatsoever. In changes to be announced in the federal budget on Tuesday, not-for-profit organisations will have to pay tax on profits that are kept for commercial purposes and not redirected towards the organisation's altruistic purpose.

The government and the charity sector have grown concerned at the proliferation of groups which qualify as a not-for-profit entity and then launch profitable businesses."

Did Coorey and Hartcher ring Hillsong to verify the relationship with Gloria Jeans? Did they ring Gloria Jeans owners Nabi Saleh and Peter Irvine? Yes, they are members of Hillsong church. Wikipedia says "in mid-2009, Gloria Jean's Coffees International formed a charity, the GJCI "With Heart" Foundation, to support various international charities, including Compassion and Opportunity International."

This new report from Brisbane combined with Swan's budget will have little impact on groups like Jews for Jesus. Here in Australia we operate a book shop in Bondi Junction, the recognized centre of the Jewish community. The report says, "The changes will not affect simple activities such as cake stalls or lamington drives, nor such ventures as op-shops or church hall hire, where the profits are put back into the charity. But not-for-profit entities will have to pay income tax on profits that are not directed towards their altruistic purpose and they will not be able to use input tax concessions, such as fringe benefits tax and GST, for the unrelated commercial activities."

All profits from our book shop go back into the ministry/ organization. So we will not be hampered from our use of profits back into the organization, at least this year.

Feel free to buy things from our catalog (or not), but the products are all useful to understand more about Y'shua, more about the Jewish people, more about the love of God. Catalog

We hope that all churches, all organizations, live within the laws of our country, and that all courts and tax departments live within their requirements and laws as well. No witch-hunting, no 'agenda-driven journalism' as Pastor Brian said. Large churches are often targets of some 'tall poppy' haters. May our Labor Government not be party to such. Let's live honestly and fairly. That's what God would want. Don't you agree?

Holy man or fraud. Whom can we trust?

Reported in the UK Telegraph by Bonnie Malkin, Sydney

A self-styled Greek Orthodox "holy man" was jailed in Australia for 15 years after he was found guilty of tricking two women into having sex with him by claiming it would lift black magic curses placed on their families. Tony Golossian went to trial last year in Sydney. The court heard that he used his respected position in the Greek community to "brainwash" two women, repeatedly raping them during "prayer sessions" over the course of seven years and telling them that if they resisted one of their family members would fall ill or die.

During the rapes, which his co-accused Arthur Psichogios also took part, he would blindfold the women and tell them that they were dreaming.

Despite maintaining his innocence throughout the trial, Golossian, 63, was found guilty of 24 charges relating to rape of the two women in December and was yesterday sentenced to a minimum of 15 years. Psichogios, 41, was jailed for at least 12 years and his wife Frances Psichogios, 38, who was convicted over the drugging and assault of one victim, was sent to prison for five years.

Judge Penelope Hock said the men had carried out a calculated plan to take advantage of the women's vulnerability, causing them both "substantial" harm, the Australian Associated Press reported.

VICTIMS reported: "I am continually haunted by what has happened and what seems like a never-ending nightmare," one of the women said in her victim impact statement.
Another said: "Bit by bit, day by day, month by month, year by year, they chipped away at my soul and broke me down."

Wow, shame upon shame. Shame because of the hoax. Shame because it was done in the name of religion and an alleged Christian situation. You have to look back at the original version, at the Founder of the religion, to see how it was done.

This from the Apostle Paul, a Turkish born Jew, from Tarsus, who studied under a famous rabbi Gamaliel, and became a follower of Y’shua: “Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” in order that in Y’shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (in his letter to the Galatians chapter 3, verses 13 and 14)

This matches the activities of the Messiah in his public ministry. “A woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I shall get well.” But Y’shua turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” And at once the woman was made well.” (recorded by the biographer Matthew, a former tax collector, and follower of Y’shua, in his book, chapter 9, verses 20-22)

This sounds like Y’shua cares about people, wants to break the curse for them and didn’t need drugs to coax them into a brainwash, no need for false prayers, no need for trickery and lies.

Whom can we trust? A phony holy man (Golossian) and his accomplices or a former carpenter (Y’shua) turned preacher who ended up dying for our sins and rising from the dead. The choice is ever yours.

Philadelphia freedom

A Jewish mate here in Sydney sent me a link to this report from Philadelphia Pennsylvania in the USA. David Rusin wrote this amazing article (titled "May Christians Preach Outside a Philadelphia Mosque?") about an event from 2010 and the commensurate trial. "Yes, the First Amendment still protects Christians preaching to Muslims. But as the Philadelphia case and recent controversies prove, exercising free speech rights amid hypersensitivity toward Islam does not come without costs."

Rusin is director of Islamist Watch, a part of Middle East forum

The case and another one [a month earlier in 2010] in Dearborn, Michigan, highlight the dangers of practicing free speech in relation to Muslims. At least in the changing United States. Where various forms of Christianity are still the state religion in many states, the new state religion may be multiculturalism. Or more specifically a variant form of it.

I enjoy good choral music. Part of what I like is the combination of melody, harmony, countermelodies-- the drama of who is singing what at any particular time. When multiculturalism goes mad, and the courts and police want peace at any cost, then choral music goes thin...it becomes unison singing. Don't get me wrong; I like unison singing, too, but it's not as good, not as thick, not as meaningful to me. I think the world of music improved when Gregorian Chants gave way to Bach and Mozart.

What I mean, if you missed it, is this. If we are really going to practice multiculturalism, then that must include your culture and my culture. It must include the Christians and it must include the Jews and it must include the Muslim, etc. Harmony is the word for it in music, and unison is not what we need.

Governments have to allow Christians to preach in a civil manner in public fora. Offense is not chargeable. Being stupid is not chargeable. No one should prevent someone else from believing what he wants or trying to spread that message to others. Conversations between people on university campuses should not be monitored by the Thought Police to see if the speech is acceptable. Or offensive.

I hope you are not offended by this commentary.

Ding, dong the wicked witch is dead

I knew how to respond when Dorothy threw the water onto the Wicked Witch, and she melted. After all, she was pure evil. She was green, and Hollywood has told us that if someone is green, they are evil. Life was simpler then. No Kermit. No Incredible Hulk. Just the evil, wicked witch of the west. And now Oz would be a happy place. And Dorothy and Toto, too would make it back to Kansas.

I don't know how to react today. The wicked man, Osama bin Laden, of the axis of evil, master of Al Qaeda, is dead. That's what CNN and President Barack Obama said from The White House today. It must be true. And now the US will be a happy place. And all the military munchkins will rejoice.

Joel Pollak, a blogger and Facebook 'friend' said, "In Israel, it was Holocaust Memorial Day as Osama bin Laden was prevented from perpetrating another one." That's significant. I remember 10 years ago when those young high school boys in Columbine, Colorado, killed so many of their fellow students. The date? 20 April. Why do I remember? It was Hitler's birthday and Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold wanted to 'honor' him in some wicked way.

So today is Yom Hashoah, the day when many remember the Holocaust, the wicked 'final solution' of Adolph Hitler, and his scheme to rid the world of all Jewish people. He failed, thankfully, or I couldn't be writing this blog, Pollak couldn't be updating his status, and Holocaust survivor Simha Applebaum could not be lighting one of the six torches at the ceremony at Yad Vashem in Israel today, 2 May.

I know how to react when it's Holocaust Memorial Day, Yom Hashoah. I ache for my mishpochah who were killed by Nazis. I bemoan the reality of hatred without a cause. I wish along with all other Jewish people that the world would live in peace and harmony.

I know how to react when my football team loses or my candidate doesn't win in an election. I know how to react in so many circumstances.

But how do I react when I hear that Osama bin Laden is dead?

He was wicked, to be sure. He valued evil and longed for terrorism to prevail. That's clear. His nature was tarnished, and his purposes were not civil.

But God does not delight in the death of anyone, does he? On Passover we are taught to diminish our 2nd cup, before we drink, to remember the suffering, even of our enemies. We are cautioned to limit our rejoicing in light of Egyptian pain and death.

So here we see Osama. We know he is gone. There is jubilation on the streets of many cities.

But in my heart, I'm sad. Sad at the loss of another life. He could have done so much better. He could have repented and found eternity and eternal life in Jesus. He needed to be born again and find hope for himself and for Israel and for all people.

But he didn't. As far as we know, he didn't find Jesus as his Savior and thus I'm even a bit sadder. His eternity is going to be worse than his earthly life.

How shall we react when someone passes or is killed? Look, I don't mean to demean the deaths of those thousands bin Laden killed or ordered murdered. In August 1996 Bin Laden issued a fatwa, or religious decree, that U.S. military personnel should be killed. I don't know what the families of those who have died are saying just now.

But for me, terrorism is not going to be destroyed by killing a person. No wonder the US State department is warning US citizens outside the country to be on super-guard. US citizens are “strongly urged” to limit travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations in areas of known unrest.

American diplomatic facilities around the world are on high alert, with the potential for violence expected to last for many months.
Travel Warning


This isn't Hollywood, and Osama isn't the wicked witch. But he is dead and the wars continue. Maybe we will see peace soon. Even in our lifetime. For that I'm praying. Even on Yom Hashoah. Amen.