When I was a child, I read and read the Arabian Nights, and loved the storiesabout Scheherezade, Ali Baba, Al-Ahdin, the Djinn in the bottle and others equally fantastic more than anything else which I read; yet, strange to tell, I never once embraced Islam orwas even tempted so to do. That's what...

Check this out: http://arts.independent.co.uk/film/news/article3201577.ece After 500 years, the strategy remains the same: boycott a cultural product to make it the most popular thing since sliced bread. And now we have another example: with the release of Pullman's Golden Compass , the Catholic...

Check this out: http://arts.independent.co.uk/film/news/article3201577.ece After 500 years, the strategy remains the same: boycott a cultural product to make it the most popular thing since sliced bread. And now we have another example: with the release of Pullman's Golden Compass , the Catholic...

Interesting article in the British Independent . Of course, Protestantism has its own charlatans, from pedlars of prosperity doctrine to those who fly first-class round the world and stop at the best hotels to lecture the rest of us on -- ahem -- world poverty and exploitation; but we do try to...

No, Derek, I would never criticise the Welsh in a sermon. My mum taught me never to mock those born in less fortunate circumstances than myself. I assume, Del, you missed my Luther talks because, like all let-bygones-be-bygones Welshmen, you were rooting in good British style for the English in...

No, Derek, I would never criticise the Welsh in a sermon. My mum taught me never to mock those born in less fortunate circumstances than myself. I assume, Del, you missed my Luther talks because, like all let-bygones-be-bygones Welshmen, you were rooting in good British style for the English in...

Two excellent articles on the impact of pornography on the ministry (and, by extension, on Christian lives in general): William Shishko, `The Perils of Pornography on the Internet' in Ordained Servant 15 (2006); the journal is available via www.opc.org . Like the last chapter of John Armstrong's...

Ho hum. Rick's post indicates that the `quantity versus quality' distinction between America and Europe is alive and well. Never mind the quality, feel the width. On baseball, the English equivalent would seem to me to be `rounders.' Same bat, same ball, same bases as the American pastime; but,...

Ho hum. Rick's post indicates that the `quantity versus quality' distinction between America and Europe is alive and well. Never mind the quality, feel the width. On baseball, the English equivalent would seem to me to be `rounders.' Same bat, same ball, same bases as the American pastime; but,...

I agree with Phil re. pornography but think the problem must also be seen not simply in terms of the categories of lust and exploitation of women. These are surely only part of the story. The need for constant change and variety (nobody ever gets busted with 5 pornographic pictures on their...

Despite a previously poor cultural track record which includes such low-points of Western civilisation as Derek Thomas, Swansea, and Shakin' Stevens (Excuse me, boyo , but his album `Whole Lotta Shakey' was much underestimated, wasn't it? -- ed.), Wales has upped its game recently in the person of...

Despite a previously poor cultural track record which includes such low-points of Western civilisation as Derek Thomas, Swansea, and Shakin' Stevens (Excuse me, boyo , but his album `Whole Lotta Shakey' was much underestimated, wasn't it? -- ed.), Wales has upped its game recently in the person of...

It's no secret that I don't like much classic hymnody and even less many of the contemporary Christian praise songs. One reason: too sentimental by half. In that light, I was struck by the following comments made by the late Dutch theologian, Klaas Schilder, on medieval attempts to make Jesus'...

I've been inundated all day with emails pointing to the fact that the BBC have confirmed that the three surviving members of LZ are reuniting for a one-off concert in London in November (though I was a little disturbed that it was described as the latest in a series of high-profile reunions which...

I've been inundated all day with emails pointing to the fact that the BBC have confirmed that the three surviving members of LZ are reuniting for a one-off concert in London in November (though I was a little disturbed that it was described as the latest in a series of high-profile reunions which...

In light of recent posts, need I say more? Anyone got Lindsay Lohan's email? I want to sponsor that remake of Gone with the Wind . http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6986727.stm

This morning, my PA (knowing my love of Westerns) told me that a `new' Western is about to come out, starring Russell Crowe (is that how you spell it?) and some guy of whom I have never heard. The title? 3-10 to Yuma. 3-10 TO YUMA!!!!!!! I almost choked -- this was, of course, a classic Western of...

This morning, my PA (knowing my love of Westerns) told me that a `new' Western is about to come out, starring Russell Crowe (is that how you spell it?) and some guy of whom I have never heard. The title? 3-10 to Yuma. 3-10 TO YUMA!!!!!!! I almost choked -- this was, of course, a classic Western of...

CJ Mahaney is a pal, but I've always had two problems with his ministry:

OK. The temptation to emerge from my lair proves too great. I must say, helping Delboy out is insufficient reason (haven't the English spent the last 600 years selflessly protecting the Welsh from harm at great expense to the English taxpayer? And are they grateful????), but any man south of the...

OK. The temptation to emerge from my lair proves too great. I must say, helping Delboy out is insufficient reason (haven't the English spent the last 600 years selflessly protecting the Welsh from harm at great expense to the English taxpayer? And are they grateful????), but any man south of the...

In Britain, the History A-level (for non-UK people, that's the specialised exam in history which you can opt to take at age 18) is to be scrapped. The subject is, apparently, too difficult and too irrelevant. http://education.independent.co.uk/news/article2838652.ece A shame -- history is the one...

I know from the deluge of emails I received in the spring how much our Welsh readers appreciate my immediate response to England-Wales rugby fixtures. What can I say, boys? Normal service has been resumed .

I know from the deluge of emails I received in the spring how much our Welsh readers appreciate my immediate response to England-Wales rugby fixtures. What can I say, boys? Normal service has been resumed .