President Obama has announced to the Americans, and to the world, that he is in support of Gay and Lesbian marriages.

Films are designed to entertain and in the process generate lots of revenue and publicity for its producers and actors.

I have been walking around with this blog in my mind for a number of weeks now, and the time is right for me to commit it to text. It is based on a real life incident which took place on a South London Street.

A gang member cycles up to a shop, brandishes a gun and begins shooting at a rival through the window. A young girl is caught up in the cross-fire and survives but is left crippled by the bullet and remains in a wheelchair.

This incident is the reflection of a criminal activity that as gone too far. Gang members carrying out their crimes in broad daylight without regard or respect for anyone.

How long will we as society continue to tolerate these demons?

If the government poured the same resources and commitment into the gang problem as they did with terrorism then we may actually go some way towards pushing this thing down to Zero tolerance. A group of hood wearing, knife wielding kids chasing after a single individual like a pack of wolves with the intention to kill, is pure terrorism isn’t it??….or am I missing something.

Until we can get on top of this problem, a curfew should be implemented, giving police the right to search and question anyone under the age of 16….or 17, who is out on the streets after 8pm. The first question that should be asked is: ‘Where is your parent or guardian?’.

You can see the scenario now can’t you. Parent or parents are both sitting in the lounge watching a late movie. It’s approaching midnight and suddenly their 15 year old son Billy pops his head through the door sticks his hood on and says ‘Just popping out for a few hours guys!!!’.

Whenever there is a major gang incident you can guarantee that Newsnight or some cable or Sky TV news channel will telephone a nameless and faceless gangs-R-us expert who gives very intellectual feedback and analysis of the ‘complex’ issues surrounding this problem. That is a bit like going to your GP only to have your symptoms read out to you. We need an antidote, a cure, a solution to this gang problem.

We need to start pushing and lobbying politicians to put this gang thing back on top of the political agenda. Parents also need to regain control of their kids. Churches and other institutions that are part of our community need to search for the antidote….and quick!!

Very quickly before ‘Demons on a bike’ appear at a neighborhood near you.

Until the next Blog!!

Divine Divine

Divine Divine are the British vocal Gospel group who began their public journey as the runaway winners of the first Time2Shine Gospel Talent search in 2011. All are experienced and talented musicians who came together under this project driven not only to use their talents as tools of ministry but also to take Gospel music for a swim upstream in the mainstream.

They have honed their craft and recorded their debut album entitled “Edge Street.” Join Divine Divine live in concert at the prestigious Under The Bridge in Chelsea, London for the release of the eagerly anticipated album.

Album Launch Concert

Saturday 18th August 2012

A few Sundays ago, I was driving home from a service and just happened to be stuck behind a bus as it stopped to pick up and drop off passengers. A sharply dressed black man in a white suit and shoes made out of what was probably snake skin, stepped off the bus with what appeared to be a large black box, the size of a shoe box, under his arm. I was intrigued by this object as I thought it was the container that he had bought is shoes in, and giggled to myself. As he walked passed my car it suddenly occurred to me that this was no box, but in fact a book…..a very large bible.

Was it really necessary to carry a bible of this size to church on Sundays? Perhaps he was trying to make a statement or maybe he had a sense of humor.

When you look around your train and bus carriage on the way to work on a morning there are people reading from a wide variety of hand held devices namely, e-books, I-Pads, mobiles, Smartphone’s etc. It would be very unusual and rather unwise in today’s tightly packed public transport vehicles to sit there with a coffee table friendly oversized novel. In case you have not noticed we are experiencing a revolution in the book world. E-books are on the rise, a small device barely bigger than a mobile phone can hold enough books in digital format to fill a small library.

I return to the man with the big bible and the white suit. Joking apart, maybe, in fact, he is trying to make a statement; perhaps I should try and psychoanalyse him. The enormous bible may reflect a subconscious determination to stay rooted in traditional Christian and spiritual values despite all that is going on around him.

At some point in the future, congregations will be sitting in church and reading from their I-Pads. It doesn’t mean that we will see the demise of the scriptures. The contents will remain the same; the only thing that will change is the platform. Every so many hundred years, the print and publishing industry goes through a major and significant revolution. The rise of the e-book is just another wave in the process.

In the future, maybe e-books will completely take over the printed text, but in a country that prides itself on freedom of expression, there will be nothing to stop you from taking your oversized paper version of your bible, on the bus.

Until the next blog!!

I turn to these channels like so many other people for spiritual inspiration and instead end up with an emotionally and quasi-spiritual loaded mugging. We are going through one of the worst economic storms that this country has ever faced and at the elm of the ship are the coldest and most ruthless politicians of all time. They tell us that we are in double-dip recession. Does that mean you dip twice in your wallets and purses and find nothing?…pretty much.

Ok, back to our TV Profits…or Prophets. When I said that these guys need a whupping please do not take that literally or at best you may end up with an ASBO and a criminal record. In fact, for the non-Christian who is reading this blog, Jesus lost his temper on one occasion in the bible and used a home-made whip to clear the money men out of the temple, such was his disgust.

I am all for supporting worthy causes and churches that evangelise through TV broadcasting need to be sponsored, but there are occasions when I feel that the spiritual and uplifting messages that we all need is replaced with a sales pitch and what seems to be an eternal begathon.

Be smart, and always research the source to which your God-given hard earned money is going.

I tend to watch these programmes and see them as nothing more than light entertainment, but to hand over my money to these TV sharks dressed as evangelists…I do not think so…time to change the channel.

Steve Smith - T2S Blogger

Steve Alexander Smith Author: British Black Gospel

People often talk about the power and influence of music as a throw away comment without any awareness of it’s psychological and physiological impact on the brain. Therapists and behavioural psychologists are increasingly applying music as an alternative tool in order to treat and rejuvenate their patients.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDXuCE7LeQ

The video shows an old man in a care home who before the music was applied, spent most of his life existing in a lost and depressed state of mind. His facial expressions and articulate response to questions shows that this man has been brought to life with rhythms and melodies, or perhaps something else.

In an earlier post (Rihanna: The real power) I discussed the negative effect that music can have on young and impressionable lives.

Regimes around the world ban certain styles of music for fear of its subversive effects. Music has been used in military conflict as a sophisticated weapon or as a motivational call to battle.

For those of you that are planning to develop a future career in music, understand and be aware of the potential force behind this gift from God.

Steve Smith - T2S Blogger

Steve Alexander Smith Author: British Black Gospel

Take the James Cameron’s (no relation to our prime minister) blockbuster ‘Titanic’ for example. I remember being dragged kicking and screaming by flatmates to watch over 3 hours of a film where a ship hits an iceberg and sinks.

I was gripped to this movie from the very start. There were multiple messages coming through. It showed the way that love can cross social barriers and also displayed mass human nature and behaviour amidst desperate conditions. I even went to see it a second time during the same week.

‘Shawshank Redemption’ was another pic that initially did not raise any interest. The only reason I decided to sit down and watch it was because two female flatmates adored the sound of Morgan Freeman’s voice. In my opinion, it is a great film and in fact one of the best I have seen. The main messages to emerge are determination against impossible odds, using brain not brawn and loyalty to friends.

I guess when you filter out what I am saying in this short blog, is do not be too quick to judge a product or idea, and on a similar theme, give people a chance before you write them off.

Steve Alexander Smith Author: British Black Gospel

The powerful influence of Rihanna can be seen all around us, hence the sudden upsurge in requests for red hair dye. On a deeper level, her image and persona feeds into young and impressionable minds further eroding the moral structure within this society.

But hang on, their is a solution to all this. Parents, keep an eye on what your kids are listening to, watching, and wearing. If the so called RiRi appears on your TV screens during prime time, grab that gadget called the remote control and simply press the button to erase her from your living rooms.

Christians, and non-Christians who support common decency and high standards have a lot more power at their disposal than they think. If enough of the consumers refuse to buy, listen, watch, download or even speak about these extreme performers then the big multi-national record companies will either remove the product or peddle their items elsewhere.

Steve Smith - T2S Blogger

Steve Alexander Smith Author: British Black Gospel

Hold on to your computer systems because as one American preacher used to put it, ‘I am about to get Biblical on y’all’. The tower of Babel according to the book of Genesis was a gigantic skyscraper that was erected by a group of people that communicated with a common language and powerful ambitions. The motives of the people, apart from world domination was rather sinister to say the least as the passage below indicates;

“God came down to see what they did and said: They are one people and have one language, and nothing will be withholden from them which they purpose to do.” So God said, “Come, let us go down and confound their speech.” And so God scattered them upon the face of the Earth, and confused their languages, and they left off building the city, which was called Babel “because God they confounded the language of all the Earth. (Genesis 11:5-8).

Let’s think about this for a while and transfer it to a modern day context. Social networking as I said earlier on is great for bringing together friends and family but like any piece of technology or gadget, it is also a double edged sword.

We have seen recently how this medium can stimulate revolutions, but it can also bring together, very rapidly, individuals that are intent on causing trouble. How do you think the mobs gathered so quickly outside JB sports and the local television shops in last years riots??

I am not advocating for one second that you shut down your facebook accounts and dispose of your I-Pads…..my daughter would go into shock!!

I am however asking you to look at the bigger picture here. Terrorists, Paedophiles, fraudsters and criminal syndicates are just a few groups from the dark side who may well have discovered their ‘tower of Babel’ opportunities with this type of technology.

Human beings are quite determined by their very nature and although the physical version of the tower of babel failed, a new and alternative form hidden within our social networks may well be under construction….beware.

Steve Smith - T2S Blogger

Steve Alexander Smith Author: British Black Gospel

Hang on a minute, let me get this straight. Most of the people that watch these shows tune in at the early stages in order to laugh at someone making a complete fool of themselves whilst in the process of demolishing a classic. Someone at the BBC has probably decided that in order to get an edge on their broadcasting rivals their panel will be judging purely on the voice, everything else is irrelevent. OK, fine.

Laughter is an outward response to something that you find funny…now unless the judging panel are going to be placed under deep hypnosis someone is going to crack, and doing so, will set off the others. If the BBC are indeed serious about this then why not just call the programme ‘Mastermind for singers’. Let all the contestants sing away whilst seated in a black chair.

It is rather entertaining to witness someone, allbeit deluded, belting out a rendition of their all time favourite song at a much higher octave than God had intended.

Maybe I am totally wrong about this new policy. Perhaps the BBC are onto something…a kind of black comedy approach. What could be more funnier than the thought of millions collapsing on their living room floors with laughter whilst a panel of elitist judges sit there with stone cold expressions advising the auditionee in a rather patronising manner.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not suggesting for one minute that someone’s dreams should be shattered whilst they stand in front of a panel of individuals who they respect and admire. For some that would be humiliating, hurtful and rather depressing.

What I am saying is that if a judge finds a contestant funny, it would be only natural to laugh. In TV land it is all part of the ingredients and the elements that add to the ever so important ratings.

Steve Smith - T2S Blogger

Steve Alexander Smith Author: British Black Gospel