The CoE really should stick to the spiritual

[Snoopy]

Yes ~ we've mentioned this fella before. The original dodgy vicar much beloved of reporters on the News Of The World in days of yore

[Just One More]

How about God? does He talk with a lisp?

I can't say that he has ever spoken within my hearing.

You were too busy burning bushes I suppose?

No ~ I just refuse to listen to those who claim to speak for Him ~ I am however certain that when the time comes He will say something.

Did you accidentally take two "Serious" pills this morning, or is it the tyre saga still getting to you?

Not really but yes on this I am serious. I do believe that when God wishes to speak to me He will. I cannot accept that a bunch of lisping jessies in purple frocks have a direct line anymore than I will ever believe that some elected Pole/Kraut/Italian dressed all in white robes and wearing handmade red shoes hears directly from Him either.
Personally I would rather face Him myself than have any of them speak on my behalf.

You know he's right Snoopy

[Grumpmeister]

Getting back on topic just for a moment (thats all it will most likely be)  it would seem that their tirade has just bitten them on the arse.

The Church of England has admitted it may have profited from the controversial practice of short selling on the stock market just a day after it was condemned by The Archbishop of York.
 
Managers of the Church's £5 billion investment portfolio have lent shares for a fee. It is possible they were used by traders to make profits by betting that the value of the stocks will fall.

Such trading in the shares of financial companies has been temporarily banned by the Financial Services Authority after it was blamed for driving down the share price of Halifax Bank of Scotland, which came close to collapse before it was taken over by Lloyds TSB last week.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, described short sellers as "bank robbers and asset strippers" earlier this week, while the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, condemned the "basic unreality" of the global trade in debts.

But it has emerged that "a small number of foreign stocks" belonging to the Church have been lent.

Short-sellers borrow shares, sell them to a third party, then wait for the price to drop so they can buy the shares at a lower price and return them to the lender. The difference in the two prices is the trader's profit.

The Church's fund managers have achieved an impressive 9.5 per cent average annual return on their assets over the past decade.

Jonathan Bartley, co-director of the social and religious policy group Ekklesia, said: "The archbishops should be extremely careful when attacking city 'bank robbers'.

"Amongst the billions of pounds that the Church currently invests in property and shares are hundreds of millions invested in oil and mining companies.

"The Church has benefited significantly from the speculation that has underpinned rising oil and commodity prices such as gold and copper.

"The Church has substantial share holdings in banks and a stated aim of making an excess profit of 5% each year over and above the rate of inflation, on its investments."

Mr Bartley suggested that the Church of England should invest its money in institutions such as co-operatives, friendly societies and housing associations, and to work for the good of society in return for a slightly lower profit margin.

"The £5 billion in investments that the Church currently holds provides a valuable opportunity for the Church to put its money where its mouth is, and use its wealth for good," he said. "It has substantial financial leverage which it could utilise through alternative investment strategies."

Andrew Brown, Secretary to the Church Commissioners, said: "The Commissioners do, through their custodians (JP Morgan), have a small stock lending programme.

"Stock lending is used for a variety of purposes, not simply to cover shorting by hedge funds. We can assure you that the Commissioners' stocks have not been used to facilitate the shorting of financially vulnerable institutions in the US and UK, including HBOS. Nor will this happen."

The Church also set up a currency hedging programme last year designed to protect the sterling value of assets held by the Commissioners in foreign currency.

The Church denied this amounted to short selling.

[Snoopy]

Pity they don't read their own operating manual 

It was the Passover, and both Jewish and non-Jewish pilgrims alike from all over the world would come to Jerusalem to seek after God at the Temple. They would come marching through the hills singing and rejoicing of the great things that God has done. It was a wonderful time of joy and festivity. Once they arrived, the foreigners would come to the Court of the Gentiles (or in its porch), and they would be confronted with the "moneychangers." When Jesus saw them He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the Temple and said "Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"

The large outer court was called "the Court of the Gentiles" because it was devoted to the foreigners who had come to worship God at the Temple and they could proceed no further. It is interesting that Jesus chose to stop at this place to show forth His anger toward the moneychangers, the Court of the "Gentiles," and this was not the first time that He came to the aid of non-Jews.

The profanity and abuse of the moneychangers was no small thing. They treated the foreign guests with much contempt and even the Jewish authorities constantly scorned this place and abused the pilgrims who came to worship.

The Money Changers

The word "moneychanger" means money-banker or money-broker. They would make large profits at the expense of the pilgrims. Every Israelite, rich or poor, who had reached the age of twenty was obligated to pay a half shekel as an offering to Jehovah into the sacred treasury. This tribute was in every case to be paid in the exact Hebrew half shekel. At Passover everyone in the world who was an adult male and wished to worship at the Temple would bring his "offering" or purchase a sacrificial animal at the Temple. Since there was no acceptance of foreign money with any foreign image the money changers would sell "Temple coinage" at a very high rate of exchange and assess a fixed charge for their services.

[Grumpmeister]

I thought you would know better than that hound, since when has a men EVER looked at the instruction manual.

[Snoopy]

Men in frocks might 

[Darwins Selection]

Pity they don't read their own operating manual 

It was the Passover, and both Jewish and non-Jewish pilgrims alike from all over the world would come to Jerusalem to seek after God at the Temple. They would come marching through the hills singing and rejoicing of the great things that God has done. It was a wonderful time of joy and festivity. Once they arrived, the foreigners would come to the Court of the Gentiles (or in its porch), and they would be confronted with the "moneychangers." When Jesus saw them He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the Temple and said "Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"

The large outer court was called "the Court of the Gentiles" because it was devoted to the foreigners who had come to worship God at the Temple and they could proceed no further. It is interesting that Jesus chose to stop at this place to show forth His anger toward the moneychangers, the Court of the "Gentiles," and this was not the first time that He came to the aid of non-Jews.

The profanity and abuse of the moneychangers was no small thing. They treated the foreign guests with much contempt and even the Jewish authorities constantly scorned this place and abused the pilgrims who came to worship.

The Money Changers

The word "moneychanger" means money-banker or money-broker. They would make large profits at the expense of the pilgrims. Every Israelite, rich or poor, who had reached the age of twenty was obligated to pay a half shekel as an offering to Jehovah into the sacred treasury. This tribute was in every case to be paid in the exact Hebrew half shekel. At Passover everyone in the world who was an adult male and wished to worship at the Temple would bring his "offering" or purchase a sacrificial animal at the Temple. Since there was no acceptance of foreign money with any foreign image the money changers would sell "Temple coinage" at a very high rate of exchange and assess a fixed charge for their services.

I have to say that people in the organised church are no more trustworthy or reliable than politicians.

"Any individual who wants to be in control of any organisation is, by that very desire, condemned as unsuitable"

[Snoopy]

I have to say that people in the organised church are no more trustworthy or reliable than politicians.

"Any individual who wants to be in control of any organisation is, by that very desire, condemned as unsuitable"

Most of them went to the same schools, colleges etc. They are of a breed.

[Grumpmeister]

"Any individual who wants to be in control of any organisation is, by that very desire, condemned as unsuitable"

I'm in 2 minds about that quote Darwin. It depends on your motives as to why you want to run that organisation. There is a hell of a difference between wanting to run somewhere so you can line your own pockets and wanting to run somewhere because you are sick of mismanagement and noses in the trough and want to see its run properly.

[Darwins Selection]

"Any individual who wants to be in control of any organisation is, by that very desire, condemned as unsuitable"

I'm in 2 minds about that quote Darwin. It depends on your motives as to why you want to run that organisation. There is a hell of a difference between wanting to run somewhere so you can line your own pockets and wanting to run somewhere because you are sick of mismanagement and noses in the trough and want to see its run properly.

I agree, but those with the true and philanthropic motivation very, very rarely, if ever, achieve that goal.

Most of them went to the same schools, colleges etc. They are of a breed.

Yes, many to the same schools and colleges that I attended, but I like to think I am not of that breed.
 

[Snoopy]

Were you by any chance the eldest son?

As in
Eldest gets the title and the land
Second joins the Army/Colonial service
Third goes into the Church
Fourth Emigrates amd make a fortune.

[Darwins Selection]

Were you by any chance the eldest son?

As in
Eldest gets the title and the land
Second joins the Army/Colonial service
Third goes into the Church
Fourth Emigrates amd make a fortune.

 
Not forgetting marrying off the daughters 'suitably' so they make no claims.

[Snoopy]

Were you by any chance the eldest son?

As in
Eldest gets the title and the land
Second joins the Army/Colonial service
Third goes into the Church
Fourth Emigrates and make a fortune.

 
Not forgetting marrying off the daughters 'suitably' so they make no claims.

Indeed or the eldest son has to keep them ~ even if he does make them live with and look after Mother in the Dower House. Given the options some go off to become nuns. Others hang on until he goes bust under the huge costs of maintaining the estate and the family and shoots himself when they become governesses later to be rescued from penury or a "fate worse than death" by fourth son returning rich and famous from the far flung corners of the empire to buy back the family estates, make a good marriage and live happily ever after.

Well that's our latest bonk buster written ~ do you think we can find a producer and will Keira Knightley be OK for the lead daughter?

[Darwins Selection]

I thought it was supposed to be all serious in here? 












Keira Knightley you say? 

[Snoopy]

I thought it was supposed to be all serious in here? 












Keira Knightley you say? 

   Forgot where I was.




Yes KK ~ Seriously uhm .....................  able