The Church in Britain is being doubly deceived.

Why did God allow the bomber to kill innocent children and adults in the Manchester Arena? Why did a young man born and raised in Manchester carry out such a terrible atrocity in the name of Allah, the god of Islam? These are the questions that are being asked in the wake of the violence caused by Salman Abedi.

The answer is set out clearly in the Bible. It is in Habakkuk. The Prophet Habakkuk was a contemporary of Jeremiah. They both saw the decadence, idolatry and treachery of the nation, which had turned its back upon God and the good teaching he had given for the health and security of his people.

Habakkuk asked what God was going to do about it and God’s reply was “I am raising up the Babylonians” (Hab 1:6). Habakkuk was horrified! He protested, for the Babylonians were cruel and had no respect for human life.

And so it was that God revealed his short-term strategy of sending Judah into exile, whilst working towards his long-term purpose when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14). It’s all there in the amazing little book of Habakkuk that has incredible significance for our lifetime.

This purpose could only be fulfilled through the coming of Messiah Jesus, who would not only be a light for the Gentiles, fulfilling God’s promise to send his salvation to all nations, but actually present “a new and living way” (Heb 10:20) – a way of peace and love, replacing the violence of humanity.

Why did God allow the Manchester bombing? The answer is set out in Habakkuk.

The Church’s God-Given Task

This is the amazing God-given task of the Church today, at what increasingly appears to be an incredibly significant time in world history. It feels as though we stand on the cusp of either descending into an indescribable cauldron of terrorism, violence and destruction, culminating in all-out warfare between Islam and the West; or, an amazing worldwide spiritual revival that will transform the history of the world.

God is using Muslim immigration into Europe and the West to wake up the Church to its responsibility to present the truth to the nations. We are like the church in Sardis that had a reputation for being alive, but was dead to the truth. They were perfectly content to jog along with pagan society; but the word of the Lord was “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die” (Rev 3:2).

Today God’s urgent call to his Church in the West is: Wake up! Wake up before it is too late!

We have the most astounding good news to present to the world! The Gospel Jesus has given us comes with the power to deliver it and to see the signs and wonders of God’s presence. But there is a great veil of deception over the Western Church that prevents us from perceiving the truth. It is the same veil of deception that covered the religious leaders in Jesus’ day; “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not understand” (Matt 13:13). This is the work of the father of lies who seeks to impede the work of the Lord by blinding the eyes and confusing the understanding of the servants of God.

Deception About Islam

The two great areas of deception are Islam and the decadence of the West.

I find it astonishing that so many people in Britain – Christians included - have been hoodwinked by the palpable lie that Islam is a religion of peace. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester, actually said that the bomber had nothing to do with Islam. Such statements show either unforgivable ignorance in a political leader or culpable lying.

It is astonishing that so many in Britain – Christians included - have been hoodwinked by the lie that Islam is a religion of peace.

Manchester Central Mosque. See Photo Credits.The Qur’an instructs the followers of Allah to “Kill the polytheists [Jews and Christians] wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush” (Qur’an 9:5). This was the policy pursued by Mohammed and is now followed by those we call ‘extremists’, including the fighters of so-called Islamic State.

Of course, it is true that the vast majority of Muslims are ordinary people who want to get on with their lives and live at peace with others. But a large part of the trouble is that they do not integrate – they live in separate communities – they learn the Qur’an in Arabic and we do not know what is taught in their mosques, all of which creates fear and suspicion. They are specifically told not to integrate or to make friends with non-Muslims:

O you who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them [for friendship] is of them. Verily Allah does not guide such people. (Qur’an, Sura 5:51, emphasis added)

The central teaching of the Qur’an is that Islam is at war with the rest of the world and all Muslims are required to take part in this war until the nations have been subdued and Islam rules the world.

Ayatollah Khomeini a leading scholar of Islam said “The purest joy in Islam is to kill and be killed for Allah”. He said, “If you are slain, you will go to Paradise. Even if you do the slaying, you will go to Paradise”.¹

If Christian leaders make no attempt to discuss this teaching with Islamic scholars, young men will continue to become radicalised and terrorist atrocities will increase in the Western nations. A reign of terror will eventually lead to all-out war and no doubt someone will risk a first strike with their nuclear warheads. The end result will be catastrophic.

But it need not be like this!

God is urgently calling upon his Church in the West to wake up, both to the reality of the threat to world peace and to the incredible opportunity being presented to believers to bring the Gospel to a world that is hungry for truth and fearful for the future.

God is urgently calling upon his Church in the West to wake up - to the threat to world peace and to the incredible opportunity now presented to believers.

Deception About Western Society

However, the Church has a veil of deception drawn not only over its perception of Islam, but also over its own attitude to Western society.

Ariana Grande. See Photo Credits.Why did the bomber specifically target the Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande was performing? You have only to look at her song lyrics to see the answer to this question. On that fateful night in Manchester she sang “Tonight I’m making deals with the devil…And I know it’s gonna get me in trouble…”

As her website and song lyrics make abundantly clear, Grande propagates what has been termed ‘raunch culture’,² designed to liberate young girls from all sexual inhibitions. All this is highly offensive to Muslims - and so it should be also to Christians! Though Christians do not react with acts of violence, we should be making it clear to Muslims that we deplore the sexualisation of our children.

This is where our lack of communication with Islamic leaders is utter folly. They think that decadent, immoral Western culture is approved by the Christian Church – and even flows from Christianity – not least because we allow our children to go to concerts like the one in the Manchester Arena, the benefit show scheduled to take place at Old Trafford on Sunday, and the one that took place in the Bataclan Concert Hall in Paris last year.

Of course, these concerts glorifying sexual decadence and satanic attitudes in no way justify the indescribable violence of the Muslim bombers, but they justify the teaching given in hundreds of mosques in Europe where imams try to protect their young people from corruption by Western society by instilling hatred of the West. But sadly this leads unstable young Muslim men to think they are earning a place in paradise by donning a suicide vest.

The answer to this mess does not lie in the hands of politicians, who simply strengthen the intelligence services and put more armed police on the streets. The answer lies squarely in the hands of the Church!

The answer to this mess does not lie in the hands of politicians, but in the hands of the Church!

The Church has to be much more forthright in condemning the decadence of Western society! For too long we have allowed hyper-liberal secular humanists to dominate social policy and direct social change. Muslims are perfectly justified in reacting against Western society as demonic - but they are also justified in thinking (however mistakenly) that it is condoned by Christians.

God’s Instrument of Judgment

This is why God has allowed vast numbers of Muslims to come into Britain, the EU nations and the USA. They are like the Babylonians sent to bring judgment upon Judah.

Make no mistake: God will allow Islam to be his instrument of judgment upon the West, unless the Church wakes up and recognises how far we have strayed from the truth of the word of the Lord - and unless we repent and use all the power of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts that have been given to us to evangelise the world.

It is the Gospel of Jesus that has the only answer powerful enough to transform the virulent virus of violence that is spreading across the world.

The Church has to move from trying to live alongside Muslims in peace to actively evangelising them and practically showing them the way of love. The only way into the Kingdom is through faith, not through force. The contrast between the Gospel and the teachings of Muhammad in the Qur’an could not be greater.

The Qur’an says: “Allah does not love sinners” (Qur’an 2:190) - and this is repeated 24 times for emphasis. Contrast this with the teaching of Jesus: “For God so loved the world that he gave his One and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16).

God will allow Islam to be his instrument of judgment upon the West, unless the Church wakes up to how far we have strayed from the word of the Lord.

Live the Faith We Proclaim

The word of the Lord to his Church is not only to church leaders but to every believer: it is a call to live the faith that we proclaim - to take every opportunity to share our faith with others.

The light and love and truth of Jesus must shine out through our lives and be such an attractive alternative to Islamic teachings of hatred, and to the decadence and moral corruption of Western ‘raunch culture’, that people will embrace the truth with overwhelming relief and joy – as the man who discovered the Pearl of great Price.

This is the word of the Lord to this generation!

References

1 Baar, M, 1980. The Unholy War – Oil, Islam, and Armageddon, Henry E Walter Ltd, Worthing, p78.

2 This term was coined by author Ariel Levy, and has been used by Dr Jenny Taylor to describe Grande’s style and influence – see here.

This is the day of your salvation!

Whilst we continue to challenge those in positions of leadership in Church, nation and the Islamic world to stop fudging the issue of the divide between the Bible and Qur’an, let us remember God’s high priority: this is the day of salvation!

When God revealed in the mid-1980s that he was about to bring forth a great harvest from among Muslims, there was not much evidence to back it. Yet, since then such prophecy has been verified as true, as millions of Muslims have turned to the Lord across the world. Is it any wonder that our spiritual adversary has risen up in hate, whipping up jihad and drawing up battle lines?

We must be careful not to be fully diverted into this battle and miss the opportunities on our doorstep. There are many young people who have been born into Muslim families but whose hearts are being stirred for truth. God is opening hearts to receive the Gospel message as never before in the Muslim communities on our doorsteps. It is God’s time for the Muslims!

Millions of Muslims are turning to the Lord across the world - is it any wonder that our spiritual adversary has risen up in hate, whipping up jihad?

Time for Equipping

There are a number of ways that God will send the Gospel to these people, but every Christian would do well to be equipped to be God’s mouthpiece for one-to-one evangelism. Witnessing to our Muslim neighbours could bring one or many to salvation - the angels in heaven rejoice over each and every sinner brought to faith in Jesus.

It is time for churches, especially those near Muslim communities, to ask questions of their own understanding and attitude. If God is holding out a loving hand of invitation, we must be his willing ambassadors.

Practical Preparations

It is foremost a time for prayer: prayer for understanding, prayer for wisdom, prayer for opportunity, prayer for individuals.

But there are also preparations we can make. There are resources available from existing missionary organisations to equip us to understand the Islamic mindset and to develop a right approach (scroll down for some). Here are key areas that we can consider:

• The history of Islam, its missionary zeal and its methods.
  
• The five ‘pillars’ on which Islam is founded: statement of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, pilgrimage to Mecca.
  
• The call to and nature of jihad.
  
• The structure and message of the Qur’an.
  
• Islamic teaching on sin and good works.
  
• Islamic teaching on Jesus.
  
• The role of the Mosque.
  
• The character of the Islamic god Allah.
  
• The intent of the Islamic movement in the West.
  
• The sects of Islam.
• The basics of Shariah law
• The missionary intent of the Islamic movement (House of Islam versus House of War)
• The concept of the Dhimmi (treatment of Christians and Jews under Islam)
• Women in Islam
  
• Recent evangelistic moves among Muslims, especially individual testimonies of those coming to faith in Jesus.
  
• Testimonies of Christians in fruitful evangelism among Muslims.

In studying these issues, the goal in personal evangelism is not to confront Muslims aggressively, but to be good listeners. Let’s not be seen as crusaders. There are tracts available from some Christian missions to read and have in one’s back pocket. Let’s be serious about our Bible study and prayer and not be on the defensive, or on the attack.

We must be careful not to be fully diverted into this battle and miss the opportunities on our doorstep.

If, as the evidence shows us, this is indeed the day when God is calling many Muslims to himself, some of us will be privileged to find already prepared, open-hearted Muslims ready to respond to the Gospel message. If we meet someone in the earlier stages of questioning, let us leave a good and loving testimony on which the Lord can build as time goes on.

It is one thing to face up to the spiritual battle against Islam. It is another to win Muslims to the Lord. This is the day of salvation.

Resources for Outreach to Muslims

Understanding Islam (including its history, theology and worldview)

Unveiled: A Christian Study Guide to Islam. Barnabas Fund. Suitable for individuals and groups. Available here for £3.50.

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Study Guide (8 sessions). Nabeel Qureshi, with Kevin and Sherry Harney. Suitable for individuals and groups. Available here for £7.60 (paperback), designed to accompany a DVD study.

Booklets from the Barnabas Fund (£1 each, discount available when purchasing the entire set. Click here to buy):

• What is Islam?
  
• Is the Muslim Isa the Biblical Jesus?
  
• Islam and Slavery
  
• Islam and Truth
  
• What is Sharia?

Books by Patrick Sookhdeo: Unmasking Islamic State (2015), Understanding Islamic Theology (2013), A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Islam (2013), The Challenge of Islam to the Church and its Mission (2009), Faith, Power and Territory: A Handbook of British Islam (2008), Understanding Shari’a Finance (2008), Understanding Islamist Terrorism (2004) and many more. Click here to purchase from the Barnabas Fund.

What Every Christian Needs to Know about the Qur’an (James R White, 2013, £8.99 paperback)

Books by Sam Solomon: Not the Same God (2016, £7.99 paperback), Modern Day Trojan Horse (2009, £11.95 paperback)

Articles by the team at Christian Concern – all available online. Click here to read.

Resources for Engaging with Muslims

Leading the Way (international ministry): plentiful online resources, testimonial videos, books, DVDs/CDs. Many free downloads. Click here to explore the UK site.

Say Hello (US ministry): Online resources for Christian women seeking to engage with Muslim women, including prayer resources, articles, videos. Click here to find out more.

Breaking Through the Barriers: Leading Muslims to Christ (Rosemary Sookhdeo, 2010, £6.99 paperback)

Barnabas Fund Evangelism Pack: Contains Breaking Through the Barriers and Unveiled (both above) plus a selection of tracts designed for outreach to Muslims. £10. Available here.

Mahabba The Friendship Trio courses: three courses (comprising DVDs and worksheets) aimed at equipping Christians to engage with Muslims. Available to purchase in parts or in full - click here. Plenty more resources are available on the Mahabba site.

Books about Mission/Testimonials of Conversion

A Wind in the House of Islam (David Garrison, 2014. £15.20 paperback) – read our review here.

Miraculous Movements (Jerry Trousdale, 2012. £6.99 paperback)

Books by Nabeel Qureshi: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (2016), No God but One: Allah or Jesus? (2016), Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward (2016). Click here to find out more.

Hiding in the Light: Why I Risked Everything to Leave Islam and Follow Jesus (Rifqa Bary, 2016, £13 paperback)

Face to Face with Jesus: A Former Muslim's Extraordinary Journey to Heaven and Encounter with the God of Love (Samaa Habib, with Bodie Thoene, 2014, £8.99 paperback)

The Torn Veil (Gulshan Esther, 2004, £6.99 paperback)

I Dared to Call Him Father (Bilquis Sheikh, 1978, repr. 2003, £8.99 paperback)

Mission Organisations with Which to Engage and Support

• Frontiers
• Leading the Way
• Barnabas Fund
• Mahabba Network
• Arab World Ministry
• Pioneers

If you know of any more useful resources on this topic, do comment below!

The Editor-in-Chief responds to the Manchester atrocity.

I’m torn between grief and anger. I’m grieving for the people of Manchester and all those who have suffered in any way from the terrible atrocity that has engulfed the city – the appalling loss of life and the hideous wounds inflicted upon children and young people, as well as mothers and fathers who came to meet their children from a fun night out.

But I’m angry with the hypocrisy of the media, politicians, commentators and community leaders – none of whom are willing to face up to the truth.

They all pour out platitudes and meaningless slogans about unity and standing together and not letting this tragedy make any difference – and they express amazement that a boy born and raised in Manchester could have done such a thing. ‘How did he become radicalised?’, they cry.

What utter hypocrisy! All our leaders know perfectly well that he became radicalised by learning the Qur’an!

Salman Abedi learned Arabic in the local mosque and he was encouraged to learn the Qur’an by heart. It was there he learned that all Muslims are at war with the rest of the world and they should fight against unbelievers, “strike terror into the enemy of Allah” (Qur’an 8:60) until they submit to Allah and his religion. They are not to make friends with Jews or Christians and they are to kill them by any means, whenever there is an opportunity. All this is in the Qur’an that Salman Abedi learned by heart.

What Muhammad Didn’t Learn

This is the teaching of Muhammad – but Muhammad drew heavily upon the stories he learned in his early years as a merchant listening to Jewish travellers around the campfire in the evenings. He would have undoubtedly learned stories of the Hebrew tribes – the great stories of how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt; the crossing of the Red Sea and the drowning of Pharaoh’s army. Muhammad was illiterate but he remembered these stories and re-told them later; so a version of them appears in the Qur’an.

Sadly, what Muhammad did not learn from the Bible was how biblical teaching progressed through God’s revelation to the prophets of Israel.

I’m angry with the hypocrisy of the media, politicians, commentators and community leaders – none of whom are willing to face up to the truth.

For example, Moses had to deal with a dire situation where some false prophets were trying to persuade the Israelites to worship other gods and burn their sons and daughters in the fire (Deut 12:31). He said:

If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you…and he says, “Let us follow other gods (gods you have not known) and let us worship them,” you must not listen...The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul…That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the Lord your God…Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from the Lord your God. (Deut 13:1-6)

Today we certainly would not put such false prophets to death by stoning them! But all the tribes of Israel were living in tents in the desert. Moses had nowhere to put someone in prison or send them to a re-education centre!

Also God’s people were in danger of being corrupted and led astray, which would lead to their destruction. They had to remain a distinctive and godly people following God’s laws, in order to be ready to receive God’s rescuer, their Messiah, the one who would ultimately bring salvation to all humanity as the Prince of Peace. This is why the punishment for leading Israel astray had to be severe and absolute - because the salvation of the whole world was at stake.

New Testament Times

Over the years, rabbis had made laws about stoning to make it less likely and even then, there were many conditions that could halt a stoning. And we know Jesus’ view on stoning - let him who is without sin cast the first stone (John 8:7).

The teaching of the New Testament on what to do with offenders is very clear – they are to be rebuked and restored if possible, or else expelled from the fellowship, but they are certainly not stoned or put to death. Jesus said, “You have heard it said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, but Jesus said, “I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matt 5:38).

This is very different teaching on what to do with those who do not agree with you or who have a totally different philosophy of life. It was at the climax of the ages when Jesus' sacrifice was made on the Cross, that this transformation from retribution to forgiveness was at last made possible by the power of God's Spirit released among his people.

It was at when Jesus' sacrifice was made on the Cross that the transformation from retribution to forgiveness was at last made possible by the power of God's Spirit.

God’s Love and Compassion

But you don’t have to jump straight from Moses to Jesus to see a change of emphasis in the Bible. You can stay in the Old Testament and just go some 500 years later to the time of the Prophet Hosea, and you see that his teaching and whole lifestyle is very different. Hosea’s own wife left him and went to work as a ritual prostitute in a pagan temple; but he still loved her and paid the redemption price to get her back.

This helped Hosea to understand the love and compassion of God who still loved and forgave his people even when they deserted him and worshipped other gods. Hosea expressed the word of God beautifully in chapter 11: “When Israel was a child, I loved him…But the more I called Israel, the farther they went from me…All my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man – the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.”

Sadly, Muhammad was unable to study the Bible himself and he may never have heard the Gospel from Christians. The Qur’an was not written during his lifetime, it was written by his friends from their memory of his words after his death, hence the striking difference between accounts of the same incidents in the history of Israel between the Qur’an and the Bible.

Need for Honesty About Islam

I am certainly not suggesting that Muhammad’s policy of forced conversion and violence against Christians and Jews in any way came from the Bible, I’m simply saying that Muhammad may have heard that corporal punishment was permitted under some extreme circumstances during the time the Israelite tribes were encamped in the desert.

Of course, we have great problems today in discussing these things because Muslims in the Middle East try to re-write history and pretend that the Jews never occupied the land of Israel. What is greatly needed today is honest discussions between biblical and Islamic scholars, which is the only way to change the worldview that Muslims are at war with the world and may use any acts of violence in an attempt to force their religion upon others.

Honest discussions between biblical and Islamic scholars are needed if we are to change the worldview that Muslims are at war with the world.

This is the worldview that is being taught to Muslim boys across the mosques of Britain, the USA and Europe, where they are actually taught to hate the West. We will never stop terrorism until we face the true issue that from its inception, Islam has warped and co-opted parts of the Torah to serve its own ends. Its very foundation is a misunderstanding of truth.

Muhammad desperately tried to persuade Jews to accept his teachings, but when they refused he became filled with hatred towards them and the rest is history.

On Thought for the Day today (BBC Radio 4),¹ Mona Siddiqui said that Muslims have to stop believing that they are at war with the world. She is the first Islamic scholar I’ve heard who is prepared to admit that the problem of Islamic terrorism actually comes from the Qur’an – and she will probably incur the wrath of some Muslims. We should be praying for her protection and for any Muslim imams who are prepared to face the truth about their religion.

Jesus the Stone of Judgment

We must also be careful, in considering what I’ve quoted from the teaching of Moses, to remember that the whole Torah is the unchangeable word of God and was accepted by Jesus. He commanded his followers to follow the teaching of the Pharisees who sat “in Moses’ seat” (Matt 23:2), and most certainly did not reject the Torah, although he did criticise the Pharisees’ practices and interpretations, all while upholding the veracity of the Law.

This is what Jesus was doing when he said: “You have heard that it was said, love your neighbour and hate your enemy but I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:43-44).

And yet, Jesus did not shy away from speaking about judgment. He spoke about stoning as judgment, saying that metaphorically he would be the Stone of judgment that would crush or break. He quoted Psalm 118, a psalm known to be about the Messiah, saying: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Ps 118:22). And he added: “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Death at the hands of humans is not what we should fear - but judgment at the hands of the living God, who said that "If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matt 18:6). Anyone who justifies the killing and maiming of children in the name of jihad (as in the Manchester atrocity) should remember that punishment, not paradise, awaits them.

Where was God on Monday night?

In the aftermath of the horrendous terrorist attack in Manchester, Christians might well be asked, “Where was your God?” The answer is not simple, but there has to be an answer. Indeed, where else but God will we find the bottom line answer to these escalating problems in the world?

Questions like this have been asked as long as the world has existed. At the time Jesus was on earth he needed to address contemporary tragedies like the falling of the Tower of Siloam, which killed 18 people. He made it clear that those 18 were no more sinful than others and warned Israel and Judah in the hearing of Rome that “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5).

These seem harsh words, but Jesus was not willing to compromise his message to a fallen world. This message echoed through the succeeding 2,000 years to us, coming to mind at such times as the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11, the recent Paris terrorism and indeed the Manchester atrocity of this week.

When innocent people suffer such an untimely death, we are not to deduce that they were being punished for their personal sins but we are to consider what God is saying to us all through the incident. There are signs of his presence and word all around us, and these signs are increasing in number and impact.

Where was God on Monday? The answer is not simple, but there has to be an answer.

Where is Our Protection?

When evil abounds we ask why was there no protection. The hard fact is that the protection of God is progressively disappearing from our nation.

Over the years, Prophecy Today has taken the hard path of highlighting the many tragedies that have hit the nation – allowed by God as call after call to turn back to him. This has been through an era when the priorities of our nation have been far from a close walk with him – and many law changes that are against the principles of the Bible.

From the inception of Prophecy Today magazine in the 1980s, we have warned especially about what was then the beginning of the rise of Islamic terrorism. We published articles and sent personal warnings to members of the government. Yet, generally speaking, these warnings were far from heeded. And so, the nation has not been protected as it might have been.

Yet it is not only Islamic terrorism that we are facing when God takes away his protection. We are vulnerable in every area of our society. Surely we all feel this, and despite the massive efforts to gain votes in the coming election, we are not convinced of the strength of man to overcome our vulnerabilities. It is right to increase the presence of the police and the military to increase protection on our streets in this vulnerable time following the Manchester atrocity, but this cannot be the answer alone. Without the help of God, no amount of policing our streets will take away our vulnerability.

God’s Grace and Grief

What, then, is God saying to us? Something like, I have loved you as a nation, but you have rejected my laws and rejected belief in my Son. It was my intention in withdrawing my hand of protection that you should turn to me once more, to reinstate my laws, to seek me in prayer and walk in my ways. I long to restore my protection, but cannot until you turn in repentance: how can I protect a people who do not want to know me? Protection in this transitory world is only effective for a short time. It is your eternal future with me that is of greater importance and you must think on these things. Believe me, when you suffer through the acts of terror of the age I suffer with you, but for the ultimate good I must allow these things to come to pass. Seek me while you can. Only I can protect you against the growing evil in the world.

The hard fact is that the protection of God is progressively disappearing from our nation.

We have highlighted in this magazine the central tenet of the Queen’s Coronation Oath, that to the utmost of her power she will maintain the laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel. We have written personally to the Queen and to her ministers to remind them of this at times of law change and at times when the signs of God’s displeasure are evident through the nation.

God was present in Westminster Abbey when the Queen, on all our behalves, made that Oath on 2 June 1953. We may have forgotten this but God has not and grieves to see the consequence of his removing his hand of protection. He grieves with us at what he must allow and at the consequence when 22 people die so painfully, as they did in Manchester. Yet it was we that turned from him first.

His longsuffering ensured that his grace extended to this nation beyond our deserving, even during our drift to apostasy. So when signs abound of protection removed we have sunk further than we realise.

Now: Our Great Responsibility

Christians have a great responsibility in the midst of this. There are some especially called to intercessory prayer and to the ministry of the watchman exemplified in the call of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3 and 33), but all of us are called to this ministry to a certain level in these days of crisis.

Unless the Lord God brings back his protection we will remain vulnerable whatever party wins the General Election, whatever Prime Minister handles Brexit, the NHS, social care, the nation’s finances and so on. The evil that hit Manchester is yet another sign intended to point us back to God. Out of a suffering nation it is time for prayer to rise to the throne of God as it has in past times of crisis in our nation. Perhaps our current crisis is more serious than at any other time in our history.

Frankly, we who know these things have a great responsibility. Through the laws of the Lord and true profession of the Gospel, the country can be brought back under the protection of Almighty God. It is not God who is unjust but it is our hands that are stained with blood if we, once appointed, do not fulfil the call of the intercessor and watchman.

Charles Gardner reviews ‘Not the Same God’ by Sam Solomon, with Atif Debs (2016, Wilberforce Publications).

The god of Islam is most definitely not the same as the God worshipped by Christians and Jews.

That is the no-nonsense conclusion of Sam Solomon’s recent book, Not the Same God, dedicated to tackling a thorny theological issue which has left many confused and misguided.

A number of Christian scholars are said to have suggested that ‘sufficient similarities’ exist between Islam and Christianity to warrant co-operation between the so-called ‘monotheistic faiths’, which may even prove helpful in introducing Muslims to Christ.

But the author, writing with Atif Debs (both are former Muslims), makes a convincing case that Islamic theology amounts to a complete contradiction of the Judeo-Christian faith.

The Illusion of Similarity

In essence, the Qur’an denies the divinity of Jesus, along with his crucifixion and resurrection. It even denies original sin, thus rejecting the need for salvation and the forgiveness of sins which is surely what Christianity (and Judaism for that matter) is all about.

Extensive quotations from the Qur’an, while uninspiring, clearly serve the purpose of the book by demonstrating how similarity with the Bible is an illusion.

Whereas the entire Bible points to Jesus, with the Old Testament (the Jewish Tanach) fulfilled in the New, Muslims claim that Muhammad is the ultimate ‘seal of the prophets’ and fulfilment of all God-given scriptures.

The author makes a convincing case that Islamic theology amounts to a complete contradiction of the Judeo-Christian faith.

And although they reject Christianity as worshipping ‘three gods’ while boasting that they are monotheistic, it is hard to differentiate (in terms of names given and honour ascribed) between Allah, the Muslim name for God, and Muhammad, for whom they claim no divinity.

Furthermore, in dismissing Christian belief in the Trinity as worshipping ‘many gods’, they hold that Jesus’ disciples worship the Father, Son and Mary (mother of Jesus), only adding to the confusion in their understanding of our faith.

Impossible Union

But the ‘Grand Canyon’ of the debate – which makes union between the faiths impossible – is the Islamic rejection of the uniqueness of Christ, who said: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Moreover, Allah is described in the Qur’an as the great ‘unknowable’ who does not reveal himself to mortal man. This, of course, is a complete contradiction of Christianity, which says that God became one of us and makes himself known to all who seek him (Jer 29:13).

Solomon concludes his book (for which he probably won’t be thanked by many, but it is true nonetheless) by saying that the Qur’an can best be described as a set of “arguments raised up against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor 10:5) and expresses the hope that those looking for a ‘common path’ between Islam and Christianity will in future “reflect the reality, rather than the illusion”.

Not the Same God (224 pages, first published 2015) is available from Amazon for £7.99.

How rediscovering the Hebraic roots of our faith can help protect us.

What is the word of the Lord to Britain?

What is the word of the Lord to Britain today as we grieve for the families of those who lost their lives in this latest act of terrorism that has shocked the nation?

The enemies of peace have struck a blow at the very heart of our civilisation and democracy with the indiscriminate murder of innocent civilians going about their ordinary daily lives in the tourist centre of London. It is a crime of unspeakable savagery that is hard to imagine how any human being can carry it out – to deliberately drive a car at pedestrians and to attack an unarmed policeman with a knife.

First: we can be sure that God is grieving with those who have lost loved ones and is reaching out to them in his compassion and comfort. This is where the Christian scriptures penetrate the darkness and wickedness of humanity by reminding us that “God is love; and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16).

The Apostle John also reminds us that “If anyone says, ‘I love God’, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:19-21). Although this was addressed to Christians, its teaching also means that we should reach out in love to our Muslim neighbours who are no doubt fearful of retribution falling upon them because a fellow Muslim has carried out this atrocity in the name of Allah, their god. We have to remember that not all Muslims follow the creed that has been embraced by Islamic State.

Speaking the Truth about Islamic Terror

Nevertheless, a great danger facing us is that we do not know how many radicalised Islamists there are in Britain (or any other Western nation) today, which creates fear and uncertainty. This is not helped by the problem that most Muslims have not integrated into Western society but remain a separate enclave. We do not know what they teach in mosques as much of their teaching is in Arabic. This inevitably creates suspicion.

Christian scriptures penetrate the darkness and wickedness of humanity by reminding us of God’s love.

Ik Aldama/DPA/PA ImagesThe terrorist who drove the car and killed people in Westminster was doing exactly what Islamic State has called for in a statement that has many references to the Qur’an, where Muhammad calls upon Muslims to kill Christians and Jews. A small part of the statement is quoted below:

If you are not able to find an IED¹ or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him.²

If this statement shocks us, it is because our Western leaders and the media have been brainwashing us for years with lies about Islam being a religion of peace. These lies are now coming back to haunt our leaders – both politicians and church leaders.

It is dangerous to say that terrorism has nothing to do with Islam – it has everything to do with Islam, because it is the policy that Muhammad established for the forcible propagation of the Islamic faith. But there is a conspiracy of silence in the Western media and among our political leaders to suppress the truth. The only journalist I know in Britain who tells the truth is Melanie Phillips, who published an excellent article on this subject yesterday.³

This is a Spiritual Battle

There will be no peace in the Western nations where Muslims have settled in great numbers during the past 40 years until we recognise the spiritual nature of the battle that is raging across our part of the world today. Part of this battle for truth is between the teaching and practice of Jesus and the teaching and practice of Muhammad.

Surely even secular humanists can see that it is better for humanity to follow the teaching of the man who said “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy’. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:43).

By contrast, Muhammad’s teaching was, “And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists [Christians and Jews] wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush." (Al-Tawbah 9:5).

Part of the battle for truth is between the teaching and practice of Jesus and that of Muhammad.

Alerting Us to Danger

If we return to our original question at the beginning of this article, we need to ask: Why did the Lord allow this act of terrorism to happen in Westminster? Could it be that God is using Islam to shake the nation, alerting us to the major spiritual battle that is taking place for the soul of Britain?

This battle is typified by the woolly-minded politically correct platitudes that have come from our politicians since the attack on Parliament, such as the statement by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who said:

The British people will be united in working together to defeat those who would harm our shared values. Values of democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. Values symbolised by the Houses of Parliament. Values that will never be destroyed.⁴

It is platitudes like this that have got us into the problems we face today! We can no longer go on sweeping the real issues under a secular humanist carpet. The issues we face are far too serious! It is a battle between truth and lies, between the forces of light and the forces of darkness of which Islam is a part. The liberal intelligentsia, who have been creating a climate of deception for decades, do not realise how they will suffer if Islam gains power in this land.

The Church is Responsible

Meanwhile, there has been no large-scale, co-ordinated strategy among mainline church leaders for communicating the truth of the Gospel to Muslims. It is the churches in Britain that are particularly responsible for the spiritual state of the nation!

The liberal intelligentsia do not realise how they will suffer if Islam gains power in this land.

But largely we have left Muslims to set up their own mosques, to bring in imams who do not speak a word of English and to establish separatist communities – a kind of voluntary apartheid – in Britain.

The city of Leicester is the only place I know where the churches have come together to form a united outreach to the Muslim community, though this is on a relatively small scale.

Overcoming Deception

There has been no national policy, from politicians or from the Church, of engaging with Muslim leaders to call for a critical examination of the Qur’an and the teaching and practice of Muhammad and its relevance for today, as Clifford Denton calls for in his article this week. Until this is done, the teaching of Islamic State, who claim to be followers of Muhammad, doing exactly as he did, will continue to be a thorn in the flesh of Western society.

We are suffering from a large dose of what Jesus described as spiritual deception:

Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand… For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. (Matt 13:13-15)

But how can the politicians in Westminster understand if they never hear the truth from church leaders – or even from the bishops in the Upper House of Parliament?

Surely God holds his Church responsible for the state of the nation today?

The sword of judgment fell very quickly upon David Cameron’s career when he crossed a red line, but even this message of warning was not heeded by Parliament. Is not this one of the reasons why God has now shaken the whole of Westminster?

References

1 Improvised Explosive Device.

2 Griffin, A. Isis told supporters to run French over with cars before Nice truck attack. The Independent, 15 July 2016.

3 In the midst of grief, still confusion. Melanie Phillips, 23 March 2017.

4 Home secretary: Terror will never destroy our values. ITV News update, 22 March 2017.

Clifford Denton calls for new clarity about Islamic terrorism.

Last week's Songs of Praise included 'worship' in a mosque.

I'm not usually shocked by the BBC but I watched Songs of Praise last Sunday and I was deeply offended to see them include so-called ‘worship’ in a mosque and the visit of children from a local primary school where the one Muslim boy in the village attended. The BBC's Muslim Head of Religious Programming is slowly changing all the Christian slots - now even Songs of Praise, the flagship of Christian broadcasting, is under attack.

Lord Reith’s original vision for the BBC was to broadcast TRUTH to the world. But now the Corporation has been taken over by a cabal of secular humanists who do not even know what truth is! I cannot help but feel that Trump was right to ban the BBC from the White House! They cannot be trusted to report accurately – they instead seem to be in the business of twisting the truth to achieve their own purposes.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that the BBC is dedicating itself to undermining the Judaeo-Christian foundations of the nation and that they are even prepared to use Islam as a weapon in this process. We warmly commend the article below from Voice for Justice and ask you to sign their petition.

The Perfidy and Contempt of the BBC

In November last year, following complaints of unacceptable Muslim bias and the deliberate marginalization of Christianity by its Muslim Head of Religion and Ethics, Aaqil Ahmed, the BBC announced that it was axing both the role of Head and the department of religion, bringing all religious programming and coverage under the remit of former Labour MP James Purnell, the head of radio and education.

However, on February 25, the BBC quietly announced that it had appointed another Muslim, Fatima Salaria, as its new Head of Religious Programming.

It would seem therefore that, in clear disregard of their earlier statement, the BBC has not only resurrected this role, but appears to be operating a policy of Islamic prioritization, once again ignoring the pleas of all other religious groups in the UK for proportionate and fair representation.

Ms Salaria’s most notable achievement since joining the BBC in 2015 would appear to have been to commission the TV reality show Muslims like Us, described in the press as ‘Muslim Big Brother’. It may be remembered that in this programme, among the ten Muslim housemates - chosen to reflect the diverse views of Muslims in the UK - was included Abdul Haqq, a Muslim convert, former boxing champion, convicted fraudster … and member of the inner circle of jailed radical cleric Anjem Choudary. But it gets worse, because Mr Haqq reportedly not only supported banned terror group Al-Muhajiroun, but was arrested in 2014 in Dover, and later charged with plotting to go to Syria to fight with Islamic State after spreading terrorist material online.

His inclusion, put forward without comment as merely one view among many, can only have served to ‘normalise’ extremism, and is an affront to all - including moderate Muslims honestly striving to integrate into British culture.

Do we really want someone who commissions programmes like this as head of religion for the BBC? Do we trust her to give proportionate and fair representation to all religious groups? Do we trust the BBC? Or do we share the view of Professor Anthony Glees of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, who told The Mail: “If a BBC executive makes a programme that is notorious and then the BBC promotes them, it tells me that the BBC has in that area lost its moral compass.”

Ms Salaria is on record as saying the BBC needs to give greater voice to Muslims. It is a view that seems to have been swallowed hook, line, and sinker by dementedly ‘diverse’ Auntie, who seemingly takes every opportunity to undermine and pour derision on those who espouse the traditional Christian beliefs and values upon which our nation is founded. But exactly what voice does Ms Salaria class as authentically ‘Muslim’ and wish to be heard? After all, from the example of Abdul Haqq, she appears to have no problem supporting what the rest of us call extremism,

It goes without saying that there is religious diversity in this country, and all faiths should receive proportionate coverage. But Christianity remains the established faith of the UK and, despite declining church attendance, according to the 2011 census Christians still make up 59.5% of the population: a clear majority. Given therefore that Christianity is the main faith of this country, surely the head of religious programming should be Christian - or at the very least, as advocated by Conservative MP Bill Cash, the post should be rotated between the different faiths. Which should include Judaism, Hinduism and Sikkhism … as well as Islam.

As it is, this new appointment seems deliberately insulting both to Christians and to followers of other belief systems, and part of an orchestrated attempt to Islamise the UK. Such an attitude displays not just contempt, but is a betrayal of the principles and values on which the UK is founded. For these reasons VfJUK joins those who argue that the BBC is no longer fit for purpose. We call for urgent investigation into the Corporation’s governance and purpose, and for review of the licence fee.

Please sign our new petition to the Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, calling for urgent investigation into the BBC's governance and leadership. Sign here.

The furore over Trump and Eurocrat denials of reality have the same spiritual root.

The latest media furore to erupt over President Trump concerns comments he made last weekend about Sweden. Speaking at a rally in Florida, he said “You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible.”¹

Jumping at the chance to debunk his poor choice of wording, the left-wing media were once again given a golden opportunity to make the President look like a fool. Media outlets worldwide exploded with cries of ‘fake news’.

Meanwhile, voices pointing out that there was a legitimate point buried in Trump’s bungled phrasing have largely gone unheard – in fact, in some cases, they seem to have actively been censored.²

The Truth About Sweden

It has since surfaced that Trump was referring to a report by Ami Horowitz on a surge in migrant-related gun violence and rape in Sweden in recent years. Despite attempts by the Swedish establishment and the Western media to ‘debunk’ both Trump’s comments and the Horowitz report, the [little-reported] facts speak for themselves.

Hours after Trump’s comments, violence erupted in Rinkeby, Stockholm with a mob attacking police officers with rocks and setting fire to cars.

Last year, 55 areas of Sweden were marked off as ‘no go’ zones – that is, where police admit that they have lost control.³ The Swedish National Police Commissioner has publicly called for thousands more officers to help cope with unrest in asylum centres.⁴

Voices pointing out that there was a legitimate point buried in Trump’s bungled phrasing have largely gone unheard.

Across the country, an increase in rapes has coincided with the mass influx of migrants (Sweden was named the ‘rape capital of the West’ in 2015⁵), and research shows that migrant men are overrepresented amongst the perpetrators.⁶ Most recently, live-streaming of rapes in Stockholm has been used by Tunisian men to attract others to the city via social media.⁷

Meanwhile, the Swedish political establishment has been accused of trying to hush up the rise in assaults, to avoid boosting support for the right-wing Sweden Democratic party.

Reclaiming Reality

Of course the situation is far from simple – there are also reports of counter-attacks on migrants and refugee centres, as well as violence erupting between migrant gangs.

But that said, the reality of this situation is still not being reported properly in Britain. Our liberal press is far more concerned with having another pop at Trump.⁸

Now, please don’t read me wrong. Sweden isn’t falling apart. Europe is not completely devoid of the rule of law – and nobody is pretending that the plight of genuine refugees should be ignored. However, neither should the darker underbelly of the migrant crisis be denied – for the sake of those being assaulted, and also for the sake of understanding the direction in which Europe is headed.

EU Renewal of Vows

President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. See Photo Credits.

Next month marks the 60^th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome (i.e. the EU’s 60^th birthday), and EU member leaders are being invited to Rome “to renew their wedding vows”,⁹ at a time of unprecedented crisis for the institution.

Earlier this year, President of the European Council Donald Tusk circulated an open letter to the heads of member nations, outlining key threats to the bloc’s future and calling upon members to unite in the face of crisis. On the one hand, the letter is an understandable attempt to rally morale at a difficult time. The EU is facing a number of grave threats, any one of which could cause it irreparable damage.

On the other hand, however, Tusk’s letter exemplifies the extraordinary denial still so rank amongst EU elites, and gives us a clue as to where this might lead. For instance, the rise of populism across the continent, according to Tusk, does not signal that there are genuine issues that need addressing. Instead, key populist objections to the EU are written off as “the rhetoric of demagogues” that needs to be “opposed”.

EU elites still seem to be in denial about the problems facing the institution.

Buried near the end of the letter, in a sea of platitudes about unity, faith (in ‘our achievements’), peace and prosperity, is a very telling call:

We must…take assertive and spectacular steps that would change the collective emotions and revive the aspiration to raise European integration to the next level.

Exactly what kinds of “assertive and spectacular steps” will be tabled, in this last-ditch attempt to hold on to power? And how exactly do those in power plan to “change the collective emotions” to be more in line with the European ideal?

We do not yet know the answers to these questions. However, what we do know is that here, in crystal clear terms, Tusk is suggesting that instead of responding to criticism, the EU should consolidate itself against it. Ignore the masses, keep to the original programme, keep the faith – renew the vows (!).

Common Threads, Common Battle

It is not difficult to trace some common threads here, across the USA and Europe. In both, we are witnessing a sustained reaction from the liberal establishment (in politics, business, the media, etc) against two key things.

First, the reality of the failures of the secular humanist liberal project. By this I mean the real, factual failures of this agenda to improve the lives of ordinary people, whether we are talking about the underbelly of open-door immigration, the effects of multi-faith ‘tolerance’ or the negative impacts of abortion, easy divorce and LGBT advances on family life. The liberal left will not and cannot afford to acknowledge these realities.

Secondly, and as a result of this, they are reacting against those who are calling them out and holding them to account in this – whether individual journalists, academics or politicians, or the ‘populist’ masses on the ground. Tactics here can include anything from media demonisation to the seeding of entire counter-demonstrations.

In both the USA and Europe, we are witnessing a huge backlash from the liberal left against its critics.

In worldly terms, this twofold backlash from those who have long held onto power has been precipitated by various popular rejections of the Western liberal project, including the Brexit vote and the Trump win. Even secular commentators have read events like these as mass expressions of anti-establishment feeling.

In spiritual terms, what we are witnessing is, seemingly, the enemy’s response to God’s shake-up of decades of satanic values and ideals being imposed upon largely unsuspecting populaces, lulled into a false sense of security with talk of ‘unity’, ‘freedom’ and ‘tolerance’. The downright falsity of these man-made ideals is being revealed – for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

In this magazine, we have argued that this is God’s direct intervention, shaking the nations and providing Christians with a window of opportunity for the Gospel. But what has come along with that, of course, is a very angry enemy who is writhing and thrashing about, knowing that his time is short (Rev 12:12).

Where Will This Lead?

No wonder, then, that populist movements like Brexit and the Trump victory have faced incessant attempts to derail them. No wonder that there are such common threads to be drawn between the US and Europe at the moment – it is the same spiritual battle cross-cutting the two. Make no mistake: a war is raging right now, for the heart and soul of the West.

Whether the EU survives the present crises, or collapses and is replaced by something else, its underlying vision and spirit will endure. This is because its spirit is one of human pride and self-sufficiency – in fact, it is the perennial spirit of rebellion common to all humans (save One).¹⁰ Those in power, and the purse-strings and agendas fuelling them, will not give up easily – but neither, hopefully, will we.

God has been shaking up decades of satanic values and ideals – and this has made the enemy angry.

For the vital thing to understand is that God’s key weapon in this war is us – ordinary, average Christians. We are the primary vehicle the Lord has chosen to use at this time in the battle for truth and righteousness.

As such, we are not to sit back and watch these huge events unfold on the global scene as if they were nothing to do with us – neither are we meant to become so engrossed in them that we lose perspective and get distracted from God’s call on each of our lives. Like the instruction that Mary, the mother of Jesus, gave to the servants at the wedding of Cana, we should also “do whatever he tells you!” (John 2:5).

Where Can We Start?

And there’s something we can do today! As stated in this week’s Editorial, occult networks are calling members to a worldwide, co-ordinated cursing of Trump, to begin today. This is part of a concerted, demonic effort over the next month to remove him and his team from power (nine of his cabinet of 15 are reportedly evangelical Christians – no doubt part of the reason why the administration is so hated). We urge believers to seek the Lord over this, cover yourself in the full armour of God, and pray positively for the President and his whole team.

References

1 Click here to watch the extract from Trump's speech.

2 Hasson, P. Huffington Post Removes Blog Post Saying Trump Is ‘Absolutely Right’ About Sweden. The Daily Caller, 23 February 2017.

3 Stromme, L. SWEDEN IN CHAOS: Number of ‘no-go zones’ INCREASED as police lose control over violence. The Daily Express, 22 September 2016.

4 Phillips, M. Sloppy words but the substance was true. 23 February 2017.

5 Calrqvist, I and Hedegaard, L. Sweden: Rape Capital of the West. Gatestone Institute, 14 February 2015.

6 Van der Born, V. Swedish professor confirms: "migrants fiercely overrepresented in crime". Gatestone Institute, 23 February 2017.

7 Frankehuis, D. Sweden: Arab men live stream sexual assualt on Facebook. Again. Gatestone Institute, 23 February 2017.

8 As far as I can tell from our mainstream press, and perhaps predictably, only The Telegraph and The Mail have so far dared to offer an alternative perspective on his comments.

9 Barigazzi, J, Herszenhorn, DM and de La Baume, M. Tusk calls on EU countries to renew their wedding vows. Politico, 2 January 2017.

10 That’s why the EU places such an emphasis on integration, on oneness – because it is built on a rejection of the worship of a totally separate God – it worships itself and depends upon itself instead. Power, prosperity, wealth and happiness are all to be found from inside the humanist programme.