The daughter of a British World War I veteran says a bullet-scarred pocket Bible saved her father’s life.

Ena Thompson, 87, described during a recent speech at the Royal British Legion’s 2018 Poppy Appeal how her father’s life was spared. 

Her father, 23-year-old Private Leslie Friston, was recovering in a hospital bed from a gas attack when a German plane flew overhead in 1917 and machine-gunned the building, Sky News reported. The Bible was on his bedside table. Without the Bible, the bullets could have ricocheted and killed Friston.  

“He said the Bible saved his life as it took the brunt of the attack,” Thompson said.

She added, “If the bullets had landed just a few inches further towards him, he would not have survived — and I wouldn’t be here today.”

Thompson now owns the Bible. 

“It still has his name and his service number in it which he wrote,” she said. 

“When I hold the Bible I just get a special feeling. It might sound a bit strange but it makes me feel comfortable and happy. It’s a nice feeling that it saved his life. It makes me feel close to him.”

Like many veterans, Friston did not want to talk about the war, Thompson said. His younger brother died during it but his older brother survived, Sky News reported. He died in 1958.

“I used to ask him ‘Would you tell me about the war…?’ and he would say ‘No, I don’t want to…

Fantasy sports gambling is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States — but should Christians participate? Theologian John Piper recently shared seven reasons why he believes the answer is “no.”

Piper, founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary, weighed in on the issue in response to a reader, who revealed he spends $20–$50 a week gambling on fantasy football.

“Is modest online sports gambling sinful?” the reader asked.

Online gambling in general, little or big, is sinful — whether you call it modest or exorbitant, Piper began.

“I’ve got seven reasons, at least, that I would encourage this young man to consider in order to rethink the way he spends his time and his money as a Christian,” he said.

First, Piper reminded the reader that he has one single life to live on this earth. Every day, he said, should be lived for the glory of God and is either “invested well” or “lost forever.”

“Our friend calls himself a big sports fan. He says he absolutely loves fantasy football. He speaks of multiple avenues of playing. He talks about putting money on the line. I would say all this time, all this intensity, all this money shows things are…

The Auburn Tigers will not be appealing for divine aid to improve upon their 5-3 season if the Freedom from Religion Foundation has any say in the matter.

The FFRF sent a letter last week to Auburn University President Steven Leath detailing their complaints about “proselytizing” in the university’s football program. The letter came in response to a post on al.com which featured a video of the football team’s chaplain leading players in a prayer before their September 29^thwin over Southern Mississippi. 

In the video, longtime team Chaplain Chette Williams gathered in a circle, locked arm in arm with the players, who were still wearing jackets and ties from the team’s walk to the stadium. Then Williams led the team in what the FFRF called “an unmistakably Christian prayer.” 

Williams prayed, “Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you so much again for this opportunity that we have every Saturday to circle up and hook up with each other, but more importantly, to hook up with you. We pray for each family represented in this circle, Father. We pray for those who are traveling to the game, but most of all Father, we pray that your power and presence be with this team today…We would just have a call, and each one of these players would recognize that call today as they go out on this field. And not only that, but to recognize the call in our lives…

On Saturday, October 27, Robert Gregory Bowers entered the Tree of Life Synagogue just outside of Pittsburg and gunned down 11 people. 

ABC News reports that Bowers, opened fire with an AR-15 rifle and several other concealed weapons during a worship services, killing eleven people ranging from 54 to 97 years in age.  According to authorities, Bowers voiced anti-sematic remarks after being obtained telling S.W.A.T. team members that “all these Jews need to die.”

One survivor of the attack told the Associated Press that he was hiding in a supply closet with several other people when the gunman walked in. They worshippers hiding in the closet feared for their lives as the gunman “stepped over the body of a man he had just shot and killed, entered their darkened hiding spot and looked around.”

“I can’t say anything, and I’m barely breathing,” recalled Barry Werber, 76, in an interview with AP. Werber then expressed relief when saying, “He didn’t see us, thank God.”

According to ABC News, Tree of Life Synagogue houses three congregations and is a central hub for the Jewish community near Pittsburg. 

At a vigil Sunday night, Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers noted that about 12 people had gathered in the synagogue’s main sanctuary for Shabbat services when Bowers walked in and opened fire. Myers said, he lost seven congregants in attack.

“My…

HYDERABAD, India, October 28, 2018 (Morning Star News) – Police officers rushed into a praise service at a house in Tamil Nadu state and began hitting worshippers in another violent month for Christians, sources said.

 

A female police inspector identified only as Jeyalakshmi and five police officers on Oct. 6 entered the house where Christians were spending the evening in praise and worship in Aralvaimozhi, Kanyakumari District, the pastor said.

 

“Inspector Jeyalakshmi and five policemen rushed inside the house church and started abusing me in filthy language,” Pastor P. Yesudas told Morning Star News. “My wife and the believers asked her, ‘What is our fault? Why are you abusing us?’ But she came after them, and the constables who were accompanying her also started punching with their fists.”

 

Jeyalakshmi held Pastor Yesudas by the neck and struck him in his stomach and back, he said.

 

“My wife and the believers tried to protect me, but they were also injured,” he said. “We did not know what to do and tried to phone call pastors from neighboring areas.”

 

Pastor Satyaseelan, who goes by a single name, told Morning Star News he hurried over to Aralvaimozhi from Anjugramam in 10 minutes after receiving a call from Pastor Yesudas.

 

“Pastor and his wife were injured and howling in pain,” Pastor Satyaseelan said. “Chairs and Bibles…