Beauty for Ashes

This week we look at the wonderful Julie Bindel podcast 'Pride and Predator';  Country of the Week - Iran;  Banning X; Lyle Shelton;  Death of Bob Weir and the Deadheads; Eco-Terrorism in Germany; Net Zero to cost 4.5 Trillion in the UK;  Making Money from Climate Change in Academia;  Snow in the UK;  The Minnesota Shooting; MAry McAleese says infant baptism is against human rights;  Death of Peter Meadows; Hypocrisy of Philip Yancey; Bible sales in the UK rise; the Final Word - 1 Timothy 6:5with music from Marvin Gaye, Shahkar Bineshpajooh,  Hayedah,  Bob Marley,  The Grateful Dead, Dean Martin, Genesis, Dan Smith, and Darya

This week we take a look at the year ahead and make some predictions - including immigration, foreign doctors in the NHS; Islamisation - Mamdani, cancelling New Year celebrations, Brigitte Bardot;  Wars - Ukraine, Gaza, Venezuela, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan, China, India, Pakistan, Sudan; Euthanasia - in the UK and Canada;  Iran; Keir Starmer and Albo;  Social Media - Djokovic; The AI bubble;  Woke - Trans police in WA, Gabriel Jesus; Christian Growth;  the Final Word with music from Robert Plant, Deep Purple, Steely Dan, Blue Oyster Cult, and P.O.D

This week we look at a significant event in each month of 2025 including President Trump; the Death of Woke;  the election of Mark Carney as Premier of Canada; Censorship in the UK; The EU and Free Speech; the Iran-Israel war; Massacre of Christians in Nigeria; Cambodia/Thailand war; Immigration in the UK; the Assassination of Charlie Kirk; US attempts to end the war in Ukraine; the Intifada is globalised in Australia; the death of Brigitte Bardot; the Final Word - Romans 8.with music from Tom Macdonald, Taylor Swift, Metallica, Oasis,  Village People, Neil Young, The Sex Pistols, and the Gettys. 

As this weeks podcast goes out on Christmas Day we take a break from the news - and look at some Christmas songs, films and culture.   Including Justin Biebers rules for life;  It's a Wonderful Life; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Die Hard; Pride and Prejudice; Joyeux Noel; Lord of the Rings; Country of the Week - Australia; and the Last Word - Matthew 2. with music fromSlade; John Williamson; Justin Bieber; Theocracy; Enya; Steeleye Span;  and Boney M.

This week we look at the Bondi massacres and the rise of anti-semitism in Australia and the Western world;  Amsterdam; Belgium; Germany; France; England;  Country of the Week - Bulgaria; Chile turns Conservative; The unelected EU President argues for elected democracies;  Tommy Robinson's Carol Service;  with music from Annie Lennox; Joshua Aaron; Mystery of Bulgaria Voices;  Booker T and the MGs;  The Ramones;  and Dave Henderson 

This week we look at Christmas, clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan; attempted coup in Benin; Country of the week - Northern Ireland;  Males banned from Girl Guides; Rob Smith - The Body God Gives; The end of trial by jury?;  Climate Change - Deforestation in Indonesia; the humility of Mitchell Starc; The Queens Gambit and Nona Gaprindashvili; Radiohead and Gaelic Psalm 9; Rainn Wilson and Alex O'Connor;  Conversations with Geoff Bullock; Suffering with Steve Laws; and the Final Word.with music from Bob Dylan, Colin Buchanan,  Stiff Little Fingers, Anonymous Ulster, Radiohead, Back Gaelic Psalm Singers; Geoff Bullock;  and the Gettys.

This is a fascinating interview with Geoff Bullock, one of the founders of Hillsong - and a great musician/songwriter in his own right.  We talk about his life, the beginning of Hillsong, what went wrong....why he left....and how he is recovering now....includes the songs - The Power of Your Love; I am Carried; and the Great Southland

This week we look at the rising tides in our cultures - from climate protesters and trans ideology,  to AI and Islamists and war....including protest at Newcastle port;  Bjorn Lomberg; blackouts in Eastern Australia; Felling trees in Scotland;  China and Coal; the Maldives; the Great Barrier Reef; 2001 - a Space Odyssesy; the power needed by AI;  Islamic St Andrews Day; Immigration in the UK; Jakarta becomes largest city in the world;  Country of the week - Ukraine; the end of the Russia/Ukraine war?  North Korea and Russia;  Australia's sex discrimination minister doesn't know what a woman is; Your Party launches;  the new Archbishop of Melbourne; the intelligent pupils of Belmont Christian College; Feedback; and the Final Wordwith music from Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Richard Strauss, Ukrainian Orthodox music;  the Red Flag; Yothu Yindi and Hillsong.

I had the great privilege of having a discussion with several pupils from Belmont Christian College....I hope you find it as encouraging as I did....

Thanks to Hamilton, Faith, Meleluca, Liam, Josh, Kayden. And Alex Cameron

The questions were What is the best advice you have received?

How do you cope with people being bad to you?

Are mission trips exploitative?

If we keep sinning how can we be Christian?  What is repentance? 

What about those we are lost? 

Mental disorders…

This week we look at the controversial subject of Christian Nationalism...including Scotland qualifying for the World Cup; the Ashes; Tommy Robinson and Christianity;  What is Christian Nationalism;  Nick Fuentes; Putin and the Orthodox Church; The Covid Report; Piers Morgan apologises to Novak Djovic; Country of the Week - Papua New Guinea;  Steve Chalke on Christian Nationalism; James Watson and DNA';  Greg Sheridan; The Last Word Psalm 33. with music from the Proclaimers, Prelude,  West Papua Gospel; Coldplay; Choir of the Srentsky monastry.