Article

Dr.Edward Cooke

Master of Philosophy, School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics

One policy area that differentiates the UUP and DUP sitting in the NI Executive at Stormont from the TUV (sitting in ‘opposition’ in the NI Assembly) is their respective positions on the funding, monitoring and regulation of NI third-level education sector.  An examination of how the DUP and UUP administer the third-education sector, not only indicates differences between them as unionist parties sitting in government for two decades from the TUV, it also highlights (as a case study) a growing credibility problem that incrementally, year-after-year, impacts on the declining number of NI unionist voters, voting in Stormont Assembly elections.  Essentially, if a political administration and system of government loses credibility, people cannot be enticed to vote for it.  If the political representatives elected are incapable of satisfying the philosophical foundations and long-established principles of representative government, the democratic system will collapse.  This historical fact is something that all NI political parties appear to have forgotten.  Our inept NI unionist politicians ever dutiful to their party political leaders put at risk what remains of our liberal democracy.

Within GB over the last year, all the political partes have acknowledged that there are existential funding and sustainability problems in the GB university sectors.  The dilemma for all the political parties is how best to tackle historical problems given the political importance of the sector and the rising cost of third-level education.  As yet, no political party is publicly prepared to admit that the UK university sector has grown too-large and needs to be culled in order to allow for public investment in the (badly neglected) UK further education sector.  The recent UK media disclosures of ‘back-door entry routes’, (or in other words, structured discrimination) into UK universities has galvanised Westminster, but not Stormont, into action.  Stormont’s intransigence, or cowardice, to act in this policy matter, is similar to Stormont’s indecision during the 2020 Covid-19 crisis when NI lockdown policy was decided on only after Westminster had acted! (more…)

Jewish leaders demand newly-elected Green councillor who hailed election as a ‘win for Gaza’ and shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ is suspended – as party officials launch probe after he claimed Palestinians had a right to ‘fight back’ in wake of Hamas attacks

So ran the headline in a national daily newspaper today. The ugly grimace of the ‘Green Councillor’ at the centre of this controversy was pictured snarling out the Islamic catchphrase, so often used by terrorists with the intention of intimidation, ‘Allahu Akbar’. The words mean ‘god is the greatest’. The god referred to is the Islamic idol, known as ‘Allah’ and not the God of the Bible, Jehovah.

We have thus the situation developing in the nation of those who come to the United Kingdom for reasons of bettering themselves from under the privations of an Islamic state but with the real agenda of destroying what remains of the Protestant heritage which has been enjoyed for centuries in this land.

In the early days of the New Testament Church, the enemies of righteousness were compelled to disguise themselves and their intentions and this is made plain by the warning of Jude in his epistle. “‭T‭here are certain‭ men‭ crept in unawares‭‭, who‭ were before‭‭ of old‭ ordained‭‭ to‭ this‭ condemnation‭, ungodly men‭, turning‭‭ the grace‭ of our‭ God‭ into‭ lasciviousness‭, and‭ denying‭‭ the only‭ Lord‭ God‭, and‭ our‭ Lord‭ Jesus‭ Christ‭,‭”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jude 1:4.

However, those bent on destroying the remnants of gospel liberty left us in the United Kingdom, be they political or religious activists, need no disguise. They can come in with ‘trumpets blaring’, as do the Islamic councillors recently elected in England and who make no secret of their intention of imposing their perverted religious and political views on the nation.

These individuals care nothing for the culture or heritage of the land to which they have come. They are intent upon changing this nation, destroying this nation by imposing their own heathen notions upon it and reducing it to the impoverished state of the land from which they sought to escape.

What blindness and idiocy this indicates! (more…)

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SAVIOUR’S RETURN FOR THE WORLD AND FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL

Please read Psalms 46 and 47.

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Upon reading these two Psalms on May 3rd, as part of my daily devotional Bible readings, my heart rejoiced afresh to read of God’s revelation of events that will take place at the end of the age when the Saviour returns.

Many commentators have attempted to apply these two Psalms to events in Israel’s past. That is not so. C H Spurgeon, in his ‘Treasury of David’ commentary has the following comment on verse 7 of Psalm 47:

‘For God is the King of all the earth’.  The Jews of our Saviour’s time resented this truth, but had their hearts been right they would have rejoiced in it.  They would have kept their God to themselves, and not even have allowed the Gentile dogs to eat the crumbs from under his table.  Alas! how selfishness turns honey into wormwood.  Jehovah is not the God of the Jews only, all the nations of the earth are, through the Messiah, yet to own him Lord.’ (The Treasury of David). He obviously saw a reference to the ‘future’ in these Psalms.

Three verses

Three verses in particular indicate that it is future events that are spoken of here.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth,”Psalm 46:10.

“For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth,” Psalm 47:2.

“For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding,” Psalm 47:7.

These verses refer to that event set forth in Revelation 11:15.

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

It may be argued that the Lord is presently ‘King’ over all the earth. That is correct in a sense but it pleases God in His wisdom to ALLOW sinful man to live in defiance of His rule. BUT there is a day coming when the Lord will take to Himself the power and authority that are His and bring mankind UNDER His rule!

I. THE TIME OF THE EVENTS HERE REVEALED

There is a number of indications of when the events spoken of take place!

This is set down very clearly.

1. It is at a time of great and unusual terrestrial and celestial occurrences. The Psalm 46 particularly refers to most unusual occurrences in the natural world.

“Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah,” Psalm 46:2-3.

The saviour referred to such phenomena as taking place just prior to His return in glory and great power. (more…)