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Seeing the panoply of ‘Faiths in the Community’ on the South Wilts Community Web Site, tempted me to seek for the inspiration for them through the Google experience. It is good that the search for truth goes on, and that its diversity brings consolation to many.
There was a list of five specified denominations on that website
The Salisbury Assemblies of God seemingly a Pentecostal Church.
Barnard Street Gospel Hall, a scion of the Plymouth Brethren
Salisbury Vineyard Church, not a Religion so much as a life style.
Salisbury Baptist Church.
Elim Christian Centre plus Trussel Trust and Food Bank.
Then elsewhere were other Christian Churches, including
Salisbury Cathedral.
ONE IS LEFT WONDERING ‘WHY SO MANY?’
Good news about the Café and the Food centre and the Fellowship and the Big Welcome. That ‘Sermon on the Mount’ clearly still has a lot to answer for, but is not that Sermon a part of the one Gospel shared by all the Christian Churches? Wherefore the competitiveness?
A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand
(Matthew 12:25). 'And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand'.
Somewhere over the years the Messengers have become more important than the Message.
Elsewhere there was the reprint of a Sermon on Salvation. I hope its perpetrator will excuse that I reprint a section of it, and that one has done so without attribution. ‘Recently I was in our kitchen when I discovered our two black cats at either side of the fridge, their tails flicking vigorously. Yes, a dear little harvest mouse lay terrified underneath expecting the worst. My arrival was its salvation as the cats were banished to the garden and the mouse was rescued from the jaws of death.’
My cat and I are very fond of Harvest Mice too, but for different reasons. It would be difficult to explain to him the subtleties between a Harvest Mouse, and an intelligent looking House Mouse and a Rat, or indeed the cuddly looking Bunny Rabbits which he also brings home. These are his natural prey, and catching them is what cats do. It might be a good thing were I to explain that Salvation for some is too often Deprivation for others. Obviously a good Sermon needs to be light hearted and doubtlessly the tale went down well.
Our Cat says he never swallows tails’
However is my cats apparent confusion akin to the profusion of The Christian Churches today. Possibly it is again time to build a large metaphorical Ark so that all might find a welcome therein. There is a tsunami at hand which will quite overwhelm and sink so many small ships.

By the way what of the Islamic Faith on this website? House Divided Speech Springfield, Illinois June 16, 1858 On June 16, 1858, more than 1,000 Republican delegates met in the Springfield, Illinois, statehouse for the Republican State Convention. At 5 p.m. they chose Abraham Lincoln as their candidate for the U.S. Senate, running against Democrat Stephen A. Douglas. At 8 p.m. Lincoln delivered this address to his Republican colleagues in the Hall of Representatives. The title comes a sentence from the speech's introduction, "A house divided against itself cannot stand," which paraphrases a statement by Jesus in the New Testament. contact : John B. Pope Email : pionono@tiscali.co.uk

contact : John B. Pope
Email : pionon@tiscali.co.uk


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