Surprising Secrets About Flying – You Need to Know

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Surprising Secrets About Flying – You Need to Know

Yahoo Travels report – . In our travelers’ haze of in-flight movies, naps, and conversations with seat mates, we miss some intriguing (and sometimes unpleasant) parts of the flying experience.

But flight attendants and pilots see all and know all. And now, Yahoo Travel takes you behind the galleys and cockpits to reveal some of what really goes on on airplanes. How do flight attendants entertain themselves? How do they handle passengers they like and the ones they don’t? And is it really possible to join the Mile-High Club without them noticing? (Hint: No.)

 

The real reason flight attendants rush you to take your seat
During boarding, flight attendants often sound like drill instructors on an obstacle course: “Let’s go! Stow your bags! Take your seats! Buckle up! MOVE IT, PEOPLE!!!” (But flight attendants are a lot nicer and more subtle about it.) Turns out there’s a reason for that urgency, and it’s not just about preserving the airline’s on-time departure rate.

“We don’t get paid until the doors close and the plane gets moving,” former flight attendant Shawn Kathleen, creator ofPassenger Shaming, tells Yahoo Travel. She says many flight attendants are paid by the flight hour, and that clock doesn’t start running until the doors close and the flight is underway. “We’re just as motivated to get going as the passengers,” Shawn Kathleen says.

….Read More

 

Source : Yahoo! Lifestyle

 

As Part of Strengthening Ties, United Methodist Clergy Presided over Communion at Episcopal Church Cathedral

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As Part of Strengthening Ties, United Methodist Clergy Presided over Communion at Episcopal Church Cathedral

Christian Post report- For the first time in its history, Washington D.C.’s National Cathedral had a United Methodist minister oversee the sacrament of Communion for an Episcopal service.

The Rev. Canon Gina Gilland Campbell of the UMC presided over the Eurcharist, alongside Episcopal clergy at a service on Sunday.

Although the Episcopal Church and the UMC have had an interim Eucharistic agreement since 2006, the Rev. Campbell’s action represents the most notable example of this sharing.

Richard Mammana, Ecumenical and Interreligious Associate with The Episcopal Church’s Mission Department and an attendee of the service, described the event as “an event full of joy and hope.” Mammana explained to CP that the Interim Eucharistic Sharing guidelines had been approved in 2006 and were part of still ongoing dialogue between the two denominations regarding their relationship.

“The guidelines provide for the liturgical expression of our shared faith in Christ and our growing mission together. They allow for flexibility in tradition as we move forward gradually and carefully in our theological discussions with the goal of full communion,” said Mammana.

“Our dialogue with the United Methodist Church is active at the same time as we continue dialogue with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Episcopal Church also participates in the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the U.S.A.”

Celebrated Sunday, the National Cathedral featured Campbell overseeing the sacrament of Holy Eucharist. According to the Cathedral’s website, Campbell was not the only UMC clergy present for the event.

“The Rev. Dr. Kim Cape, general secretary of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church, offers the sermon,” noted the site.

“The Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church are taking steps to deepen their expression and practice of Christian Unity. The Interim Eucharistic Sharing agreement marks an important move toward full communion.”

Mammana told CP that there were other efforts beyond North America wherein Methodist churches and the Anglican Communion were working towards closer relationships regarding sacraments and worship.

“The Methodist Church in Britain and the Church of England signed an important Covenant on November 1, 2003,” said Mammana.

“Since 2009, Anglicans and Methodists in New Zealand have also had a similar covenant relationship. Since 2002, the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland have had a similar relationship.”

Mammana added that regarding the Irish churches, last weekend when a new Irish Anglican Bishop was consecrated, at the service “Methodist leaders participated for the first time.”

In addition to the agreement on Communion, The Episcopal Church and the UMC also recognize each other’s baptisms.

Source: Christian Post

Christians Safety Increasing in Egypt, says Catholic leader

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Christians Safety Increasing in Egypt, says Catholic leader

Christian Today report- Egyptian Christians are enjoying greater freedoms under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a spokesman for the country’s Catholic Church, has said.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Father Rafic Greiche said the government is committed to speeding up the application process for the construction of new churches; something that has been made difficult for decades.

“A permit has already been granted for the construction of a church in New Cairo and two in Upper Egypt,” he said.

“These applications date back to 8-10 years ago. Others go back 15 years ago and have not received any answer.”

The current law in Egypt states that churches cannot be built near schools, villages, railways, residential areas, government offices and canals, among other stipulations. “Entire cities and villages in the countryside and in Upper Egypt don’t have a single church,” Safwat al-Bayadi, the head of the Evangelical Church in Egypt, told Al-Monitor last year.

Al-Sisi has pledged to change this, however, and church representatives were asked to draft a more inclusive bill.

“The project is almost ready. In the new constitution there is a paragraph that requires the new parliament – which will sit after elections in March – to pass the law within a year,” Fr Greiche said.

“This means that by March 2016, we will have a law on new church construction without the current hassles.”

Fr Greiche also said that the government wants to “value the Christian marriage and recognise it civilly”. In the past, the spokesman has insisted that “life is much better than the year when the Muslim Brotherhood was in power…the country is becoming more confident and, in a sense, one can say that the ‘Egypt’ has found itself.

“Christians feel a lot safer. They are going to church without feeling threatened as they did under President Morsi…The problems that exist are only one tenth of those that we Christians experienced under Morsi.”

Al-Sisi ousted former President Mohamed Morsi in June 2013, and has expressed a desire to end religious intolerance throughout Egypt; calling for a “religious revolution” to tackle extremism. As part of this commitment, he became the first of the country’s leaders ever to attend a Coptic Christian Mass on Christmas Eve.

According to local news reports, Al-Sisi told the congregation: “It was necessary for me to come here to wish you a Merry Christmas, and I hope I haven’t disturbed your prayers.

“Throughout the years, Egypt taught the world civilization and humanity, and the world expects a lot from Egypt during the current circumstances.

“It’s important for the world to see this scene, which reflects true Egyptian unity, and to confirm that we’re all Egyptians, first and foremost. We truly love each other without discrimination, because this is the Egyptian truth.”

Source: Christian Today

Church of England investigates Rev Stephen Sizer over 9/11 Israel post

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Church of England investigates Rev Stephen Sizer over 9/11 Israel post

Christian Today report- The Church of England is investigating one of its clergy after he posted a link on Facebook post to an article entitled “9-11/Israel did it”.

In the week in which Prince Charles led commemorations at Holocaust Memorial Day marking 70 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Rev Stephen Sizer’s link was condemned by the Church as “unacceptable” and a matter of “deep sorrow and shame”.

The Diocese of Guilford, where Sizer is licensed, has begun an investigation. The Church said: “The diocese is aware of the seriousness of the matter and are also in touch with the Board of Deputies of British Jews.”

The Board of Deputies of British Jews is also planning new action against him.

Last October, the Board condemned his participation at an antisemitic conference sponsored by the Iranian government. Iran does not recognise Israel’s right to exist.

Jonathan Arkush, vice-president of the board, said at the time: “I am appalled that Rev Sizer participated in a conference of antisemites in Tehran, sponsored by the Iranian government, which ranks among the most vicious persecutors of Christians and others, and is sworn to the destruction of the State of Israel.

“Sizer’s attendance and active role at such a hate-filled event is irreconcilable with his position as a minister in the Church of England. The board is currently considering all the information reaching it concerning the conference and is keeping all its options open regarding any future action. Meanwhile, the board anticipates that the Church of England will wish to conduct its own investigation into the matter.”

When Jewish News contacted Sizer about the 9/11 link, he asked the weekly newspaper to show him articles refuting such claims.

The article he linked to attempted to make connections between wealthy American Jews and the 9/11 attacks. Sizer asked online: “Is this anti-Semitic?.. It raises so many questions.”

Arkush, responding to this latest episode, called on Sizer to remove the link, which he did. Arkush said: “Posting, and giving approval to, an article which in effect accuses Jews of responsibility for the 9/11 atrocity is unquestionably anti-Semitic, just as it is beyond absurd.”

In an email to the Jewish News, Sizer said: “I would welcome articles you can recommend refuting the allegations.” Noting that many Americans feel 9/11 was “an inside job,” Sizer added: “It is essential the public become convinced of what happened before and after 9/11. Inevitably the truth will upset many people if it is shown by further investigation that the official explanations are shown to be deficient.”

He added: “Encouraging research and debate on all aspects of [9/11] is not anti-Semitic… Suppressing discussion on such grounds will fuel suspicion, not remove it.” Arkush said he was “extremely concerned that a Church of England minister could possibly have considered it appropriate or becoming to his position to advertise such racist nonsense”.

Sizer is vicar of Christ Church, Virginia Water. In 2013, the board made a formal complaint against him under Church disciplinary rules. Sizer has always maintained he is not antisemitic but he is challenging Israeli policy towards Palestinians. The complaint was settled by conciliation, which included a code of conduct and independent checking.

Arkush told Jewish News his language was “very, very strongly offensive to Jews” and regarded as “anti-Semitic” by the community.

On his linked article, Jane Cledment, director of the Council of Christians and Jews, said: “We are appalled that these malicious conspiracy theories are still in circulation, and hope those in a position to do so take appropriate action.”

Regarding the Facebook link, Arkush told Christian Today: “I am extremely concerned that a minister of the Church of England could possibly have considered it appropriate or becoming to his position to advertise such racist nonsense. I regard Mr Sizer as having breached the terms of his undertakings given to the Board of Deputies as a result of the disciplinary complaint against him. This is a very serious matter and the Board will be taking further action.”

Source: Christian Today

Is God’s Spirit in Everyone, Including Atheist Richard Dawkins?

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Is God’s Spirit in Everyone, Including Atheist Richard Dawkins?

Christian Post report- A survey examining Americans’ views on Christian theology revealed that, among even self-identified Christians, there is confusion or disagreement about the Holy Spirit. Is the spirit a force or a personal being? Is the spirit present in only Pentecostal Christians, or in all believers? According to one theologian, the spirit is both a force and a being — and is present in everyone, not just Christians.

The overall findings of the survey, conducted by LifeWay Research and commissioned by Ligonier Ministries, might not be that earth-shattering to some — because, well, Christians and Americans in general believe differently about the Bible on many points. But what “The State of Theology” survey reveals about Evangelical Christians’ beliefs about the historical doctrine of the Trinity might be surprising.

While 71 percent of Americans believe in the Trinity, the concept that God exists as three persons (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), 64 percent of them think the Holy Spirit is a force. Among those identified as Evangelical: 59 percent of them say the Holy Spirit is a force; 31 percent say the Holy Spirit is a person; and 10 percent just aren’t sure either way (LifeWay).

John (Jack) Levison, the William Joseph Ambrose Power professor of Biblical Hebrew and Old Testament Interpretation at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, has written extensively in the area of pneumatology. He was actually encouraged by the survey’s findings.

“As I read the survey, I think it’s a silver lining. Because if we had the spirit either as a force or as a person or something else, we’d be misunderstanding the spirit. The spirit is all of that,” Levison said during a CP Newsroom discussion. “So I think the uncertainty is a positive thing, because we can begin to move from the uncertainty into the mystery of the spirit, which is more than one and all of those things.”

Levison makes the case in Inspired: The Holy Spirit and the Mind of Faith, Fresh Air: The Holy Spirit for an Inspired Life, and other spirit-focused titles, that everyone is born with the spirit of God in them. He points readers to the “beginning of the Bible,” in this case the book of Genesis.

“If you just start with the book of Genesis, the very first book in the Bible. In chapter 41, you have the story of Joseph, and the pharaoh notices there’s something about Joseph, his abilities, his ability to interpret dreams. And he says, ‘One in whom is the spirit of God, or a spirit of God,” explained Levison.

He went on to list other examples, and commented on the Hebrew use of the term “ruach.”

“In the book of Isaiah, it talks about God gives breath, spirit to all people. In English, we tend to distinguish between ‘breath’ and ‘spirit.’ But in Hebrew, you can’t. It can be the same word, ‘ruach,'” said Levison.

He added, “If you start in the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament, you very much have a theology that begins with the spirit of God in all people.”

But is the spirit of God really in all people, including atheists like Richard Dawkins, the British evolutionary biologist who authored the best-selling book, The God Delusion?

“If we look at it this way: God’s spirit is God’s breath, right? We can all agree with that. God breathes the spirit into people,” Levison responded. “Well, if God breathes life into human beings, is that some sort of profane, secular life that God breathes into them? And what God breathes into Christians is some sacred, spiritual thing? I don’t think you can draw that kind of a dichotomy …”

Source: Christian Post

Religious extremists believed to be the brain behind theft of Celtic sea god statue

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Religious extremists believed to be the brain behind theft of Celtic sea god statue

Christian Today report- Police in Northern Ireland believe that the theft of a fibreglass-and-steel statue of Celtic god of the sea Manannan Mac Lir in County Derry, Ireland, may have involved religious motivations.

According to the New York Times police believe the statue was removed from the remote Gortmore viewing point on Binevenagh Mountain around January 21, allegedly by religious extremists “offended by idolatry.”

A five-foot wooden cross with the inscription “Thou Shalt Not Have False Gods Before Me” replaced the statue.

The cross is now in police custody as evidence.

The statue of Manannan Mac Lir is one of the many sculptures in the walking trail in Binevenagh Mountain and overlooked the Lough Foyle. It was only installed last year but had quickly become popular, the Times reported.

In the meantime, the Irish police filed a humourous Missing Persons report to seek the assistance of the public in locating the Celtic god’s statue. In the report, Manannan Mac Lir is described as a “well-known, six-foot-tall striking local male with an athletic build.”

“He has shoulder-length hair held back with a headband and has a beard … We have concerns for his health in this weather, as he is bare-chested with only a thin shawl held at the neck with a decorative clasp to keep his top half warm. Evidence at the scene suggests he has injuries to his feet,” the report said.

“He is a very striking (fellow) so if you have seen him please let us know,” the report concluded.

The statue was sculpted by John Darren Sutton, who told the BBC that the statue was a “labour of love” and the materials used in making it held no profit for the thieves.

“I don’t think whoever did this is interested in selling it on, because you can’t melt it down,” Mr. Sutton told the Derry Journal in a separate interview. “I hope it can be found and it’s not too badly damaged,” the sculptor said.

Source: Christian Today

Oldest Facebook User’s Message to Everyone

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Oldest Facebook User’s Message to Everyone

Christian Today report-

The oldest living alumni of the University of Chicago who is also Facebook’s oldest user has a message for everyone, and it’s worth thinking about.

Edythe Kirchmaier, 107, gives these words of wisdom to the young generation: “Think about others before yourself.”

Edythe is no stranger to public service. According to FOX News, at 10 years old, she knit belts that help soldiers avoid being infested with lice in the trenches of the First World War. These belts served to attract lice, and they infest the belts instead of the soldiers’ skin.

Before that, she was learned to engage in public service through her mother. Her mother would provide the poor people with food, and they would work for her in exchange.

Edythe’s whole life is marked by volunteer work. She worked for 40 years in the volunteer organisation Direct Relief International, and has visited several places with her husband as part of their volunteer efforts. Edythe and Joe, her husband, worked as teachers in Taiwan.

Direct Relief International said that the couple provided assistance to humanitarian efforts in the wake of major earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, as well as in the relief efforts following Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina.

Today, Edith enjoys creating photo collages in her iPad and posting them to her Facebook page, Fox reports, which now has more than 50,000 followers. Direct Relief International also honoured her with a Facebook app that allows Facebook users to “light a candle on her virtual birthday cake” for the occasion.

When asked what the secret for her long life is, her children told Fox News that it is Edythe’s “endless optimism.”

“She has a very positive outlook on life, she’s very religious and she doesn’t let herself get down,” her son Ray said. Ray also noted that Edith always sets goals even as she enters her 108th year.

“Her goal at the moment is to be with my granddaughter for her graduation in May,” Ray shared with Fox News.

Source: Christian Today

Vatican will offer Rome’s homeless Haircuts and Shaves in St Peter’s Square

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Vatican will offer Rome’s homeless Haircuts and Shaves in St Peter’s Square

Christian Today report- The Vatican will offer homeless people in Rome not only showers but also haircuts and shaves when new facilities open next month, the head of Pope Francis’ charity office said.

The Vatican announced last year that it would provide shower facilities in St Peter’s Square for homeless people.

Bishop Konrad Krajewski told the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire on Thursday that it would also offer haircuts and shaves when the services start on February 16 in an area under the colonnade of the square.

Krajewski, whose official title is the pope’s almoner, said barbers and hairdressers would volunteer their services on Mondays, the day their shops are traditionally closed in Italy.

They had already donated chairs, hair-cutting instruments, and mirrors, the newspaper’s website said.

Krajewski came up with the idea of building showers in St Peter’s Square last year after a homeless person told him that while it was relatively easy to find places to eat at Rome charities, it was difficult to find places to wash.

He immediately received the Pope’s backing for the shower project and then expanded it to include haircuts and shaves.

Source: Christian Today

Old Fashioned – The Movie

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Old Fashioned – The Movie

A former frat boy and a free-spirited woman together attempt the impossible: an “old-fashioned” courtship in contemporary America.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p0ozDjAQco[/youtube]

– Credit : Film Festival & Indie Films

Christian  News     |   Videos     |     The Christian Mail

5 people battle legally for custody of children of the christian couple burned alive by Muslim radicals in Pakistan

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5 people battle legally for custody of children of the christian couple burned alive by Muslim radicals in Pakistan

Christian Post report- A legal battle is underway in Pakistan for the three young children of Shama and Shahzad Masih, the Christian couple who were burned alive by Muslim radicals in November.

Fides News Agency identified the children as 6–year-old Saman, 4-year-old Sania, and 18-month-old Poonam. While the children are living with their maternal grandfather, there are five different applications that have been lodged at the Court of Lahore demanding custody.

Those applying to take the children are Mukhtar Masih, the grandfather; maternal uncle Yasin Masih; paternal uncle Iqbal Masih; the Legal Evangelical Association Development organization led by Christian lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill; as well as the nonprofit Child Protection and Welfare Bureau.

The children’s parents were attacked by a violent mob in November allegedly for burning a copy of the Islamic holy book and throwing it away. Accused of committing blasphemy, Shama and Shahzad Masih were murdered, and their bodies were cremated.

Although the Muslim Pakistan government punishes people for blasphemy offenses, it has spoken out against mob attacks, and condemned citizens taking justice into their own hands. At least 44 people were arrested in the aftermath of the murder, though the police chief from Kot Radha Koshan in Punjab province argued that no sectarian group or religious outfit in particular was responsible for the attack.

Several persecution watchdog groups spoke out against the attack, with International Christian Concern Regional Manager Todd Daniels stating at the time: “The brutal killing of Shahzad and Shama once again highlights the extreme danger of religious fanaticism that Christians in Pakistan face on a regular basis. The accusation of blasphemy can be used for any dispute and can often prove deadly as it did today, inciting a mob to brutally murder this young couple.”

Christians experienced several attacks over blasphemy charges in Pakistan in 2014. Another famous case concerns Christian mother-of-five Asia Bibi, whose death sentence for blasphemy was upheld by the senior court in October.

The Prime Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, has promised to take care of the orphaned children, providing them with free healthcare and education. The family has also received compensation of 10 acres of land and 5 million rupees, or close to $50,000.

Gill has argued that the children need to be raised in a Christian home.

“If the three were assigned to LEAD the children would be brought up in a Christian environment, as is their right,” the lawyer said.

The hearing in the custody case is scheduled for Feb. 6.

Source: Christian Post

 

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