Travel Biography - Week 52.

Happy Anniversary!

The photos here are from various trips to Israel, including those taken in 2000.

This is Week 52 of this Biography. This means that it's been a year since I wrote and published Week 1. To be honest, I didn't realise that I would still be writing this a year on! It goes to show that more had occurred during my travelling days than I could have ever imagined. And so far, I'm not done yet. There are plenty more experiences still to be covered - some even mind boggling. 

Jews gather at the Western Wall, 1994.

The Feast of Tabernacles, Jerusalem, 2000

Whether my present academic level is seen as an advantage or a disadvantage, that's the opinion of the reader. However, let me say once again, I had never attended a university. But, as I see it, life is a university. For example, by hiking the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, I was able to learn the fundamentals of Geology. Or, as I'm covering at the moment, observing the way of life in the Middle East has brought the Bible more to life than any theological college lectures could have ever done.

And we're living during the time of human history when the truthfulness of the Bible is questioned and then disregarded as irrelevant in our lives. I believe that there are two kinds of doubters. First, there are those who have an adequate knowledge of the Bible but deliberately push away the truth of its historicity, especially where it conflicts with the theories of Charles Darwin. Professor Richard Dawkins, the author of his book The God Delusion, is one example. Chris Hitchen's book, God is Not Great is another of the same category of academics. Then there is Alexander O'Connor, an atheist YouTuber whom I met and spoken to personally in the Sutra Room of Oxford Trinity College just before the pandemic outbreak in 2020. At present, he has 66,368,722 views across nearly 200 videos, and rising. He also travelled the world, particularly the USA, to deliver lectures to large audiences in theatre and university settings, as well as from broadcasting studios.

Then there are those who spend their time pondering on whether there is truth in the historicity of the Bible and has a desire to learn more about it. To them, I would recommend a visit to the Holy Land to see for themselves. Perhaps one could travel as an independent backpacker, like I did in 1976 and again in 1993. Or be part of a ranger-led Christian tour group, like two of my church friends. Either way, just to visit the sights in the Holy Land will be enough to blow the mind from scepticism about the historical truth of the Bible.

Then there are those in the third category - true Bible believers, such as my two friends, Gareth and Sam, along with myself. The idea of visiting the Holy Land was not just to reassure us of our faith, but to strengthen it.

 Monks inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 1993.

Alternate site of Christ's Resurrection, 1994.

The After-Effects of the 1993 Trip to Israel.

The 1993 trip to Israel, the second of the four (the later two were in 1994 and the year 2000) had a profound mental, spiritual and emotional effect on me. Beginning with a vision I had whilst at work during October of 1992, the mission, if that what it was, was fulfilled. That had left me with a strong desire to return, and all my thoughts and feelings, along with my mental outlook, radically changed!

When I took a nap on my bed in my apartment, I have had dreams that I was still in Jerusalem, and at the New Swedish Hostel in particular. All the other countries I had visited, mainly in Europe and North America, were overshadowed by the spiritual and historical memories of Israel, and the positive power that land had on me.

Therefore, I was keen to find out about The Church's Ministry to the Jews, or known in the Holy Land as ITAC (Israel Trust of Anglican Churches.) But after returning home from the 1993 trip, I didn't have enough to fund the project, and unless I had adequate funds, I wouldn't be able to fulfil the dream. Unlike for the 1993 trip, this time I had no visions, and there was no rapid saving scheme as there was before. Yet, my desire to return, perhaps for a whole year, was very strong.

In the course of time, even after consulting with my parents to find out how they felt and getting a positive but cautious response, I enquired at the organsation's London headquarters about volunteering in Israel. I received a pamphlet and an application form. Also, after submitting the forms and receiving a letter of acceptance, there was a requirement to go to an office in North London to receive a talk about one venue I was assigned, Stella Carmel, a former hotel purchased by ITAC and turned into a Christian conference centre.

I felt excited when the letter of acceptance arrived. However, it was for Jerusalem that I applied for, but there was already a volunteer working there. Stella Carmel seem to open a new area of experience. It was located on the outskirts of a small provincial town of Isfiya, right of the summit of Mt Carmel, a ridge of high ground running southeast from the port of Haifa, and also near the traditional site of Elijah's contest against the prophets of Baal.

It was when I attended a talk in North London with three or four other would-be volunteers that I felt something of a warning. The slim, middle-aged lady who lectured us about the ins and outs of Stella Carmel did not radiate a pleasing personality, but tended to be very matter-of-fact, stern, and somewhat bossy. She knew every inch of the hilltop property. Little did I know at the time that in the last preceding months, possibly even weeks, she was a member of full-time staff and the head of all domestic duties. That is, she assigned duties to all volunteers who were on the domestic rota, both male and female, and kept them under critical supervision, especially with the young men. After a short while, the men in particular began to complain to the Director, Peter Acton, with one desperate young man pleading earnestly, Please, for crying out loud, don't put me to house! (domestic duties.)

Eventually, she was brought before the director and the ITAC committee, to be transferred to the office in London. Although she hadn't committed any offence, hence she wasn't dismissed, but her treatment of the volunteers placed under her wasn't acceptable, and she had to go. And this was a Christian organisation where all staff and volunteers must be committed churchgoers.

But, of course, I knew nothing about any of this. Yet, my father had an instinct of what these organisations were really like, hence added caution to his positive response. As a boy, he too had suffered some bad church experience whilst staying at a convent, especially for taking communion without first confessing to the priest, and receiving a hard smack across his face by an angry nun.

In 1994, the church I attended was Ascot Baptist Church, located not far from the famous horse racecourse, Royal Ascot, called that since our Queen attended the races every year during her lifetime. Our pastor, the late Barry Buckingham, along with four deacons: Bill Hopkins, Les Draper, Andy Moore and Tim Kingcott, were our elders of the day. When I told them about my intention to live in Israel for a year, Barry was keen to write a confirmation letter to CMJ endorsing my membership at ABC, a requirement when applying to be a volunteer with them.

As for finance, our elders became aware of my situation, and after discussing the matter among themselves, I believe that it was Tim Kingcott who interceded on my behalf, and the church eventually donated £200 towards the cost, enough to buy an open return ticket from London Gatwick to Tel Aviv. The rest of the funding was from my own savings.

Coral Beach, Eilat, 2000.

Marine Life at Coral Beach, Eilat, 2000

A major problem I had to solve before take off, and that was my unwillingness to leave my apartment vacant for up to twelve months. So, having received permission from the Council, who was the landlord at the time, I had to look for someone to live in my apartment and pay the rent under my name. It was known as subletting, and it could be a risky business. The tenant could refuse to vacate the apartment at my return. Aware of the risk, it was my father who volunteered to monitor his tenancy whilst I'm away, ensuring that the rent is paid and his duties fulfilled.

I called at various firms that employs young graduates, such as ICL Computers (now Fugitsu) and the Met Office. These high tech firms have employees who, having just graduated, have their own agencies that find homes for these people. Quite often, cohabitation between two or more was quite common. When I told them when I was vacating my apartment, I made known to them that all this was temporary, and I could be back at any time.

One of the firms I consulted did have someone who was willing to move in. Apparently, he moved in soon after I flew out, having spent the last-but-one night in the UK as a guest at my friend Gareth's apartment. That morning, he went off to work at the National Westminster Bank whilst I headed for the station to board the train for London Waterloo, then to spend a night at a Youth Hostel (YHA St Paul's) before flying out on the next day.

With my Beloved, 19 weeks pregnant, 2000.

That full day spent in London, I felt strange, very strange! In one sense, I was homeless, and chances were that my apartment, the very place I lived in since 1976, was about to be lived in by someone else, a stranger whom I had never met, even if monitored closely by my father. I made my way to Hyde Park. I looked around at the Inner City greenery, the oh-so-familiar "London's lungs" - the area where I became familiar since early childhood. Only one task remained while I was still in the UK. That is to buy a large square of Cadbury's Wholenut Chocolate for Peter's wife.

Suddenly, I was wondering - what the heck had I let myself in for? Up to that point, I felt safe and secure here in the UK. I had my own business, I had my own home, even if it was rented, and my family wasn't far away. I travelled freely, having visited Israel, along with a good part of Europe, and North America. But during these trips, I always had a return ticket, a date for thre return journey, a home and a job awaiting me. But this? Literally homeless, knowing that I will be flying out of this country into a faraway destination, to swop a life of self-employment - working for myself without a boss or supervisor - to working for a boss and my output under constant supervision. For what? Indeed, what have I let myself into?

And so the feeling of apprehension as I made my way back into the City to bed down. I almost wanted to suddenly call the whole thing off, jump on the next train to Bracknell and inform Dad that it's off. But no. I was determined to see through the whole experience, to see what it's like living in Israel, and what it would be like to experience the day-by-day living cheek-by-jowl with those who share my Christian faith.

On the next day, the plane bound for Tel Aviv soared into the air on time, with no delays at the airport departure lounge. My destiny awaits.

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Next Week: How I earned the title, "The man of Israel."

The Paradox of Prayer.

It's one of those days when nothing seems to turn out right. With my own laptop deciding to give up the ghost and instead, using my wife's computer, I shall begin to write this blog in a slightly different, less familiar environment. Ah, what is it about technology? Have we become so dependent so much on it that without it we are utterly lost? Or like an illegal drug, we have become addicted, and nothing short of cold turkey would be able to free us from the addiction?

My Fujitsu Laptop - on the blink?

And so being on Tier 2 of the Coronavirus restrictions, home visits by friends are banned, although I would have much preferred to use the term discouraged. With neither of us - my wife and I - having the virus, I would have thought that some friends can visit, even if the number of households is restricted to one, maybe two. Not to worry. Over the coming Christmas period, up to three households are allowed, but only for up to five days, which is between the 23rd and the 27th of December, inclusive.

Yet despite the gloom, our health not being so great, plus a conked out laptop, under social restrictions, the threat of going into Tier 3 isn't far away, despite the promise of a vaccine. With the prospect of not being able to sit at Starbucks over a cup of soothing coffee, let alone enjoying a drink at the pub, the threat of such a forlorn lifestyle isn't that far away. Literally. As less than 25 miles from our hometown, this cloud of gloom looks to be about to settle over Greater London, a phenomenon which threatens the whole national economy and a loss of many jobs. I wonder how many fed-up Londoners are looking ahead with dread? 

And earlier this week, whilst attending a Zoom prayer meeting with a few of my Ascot Life Church friends, I expressed my concerns on quite a different topic. I was praying for a post-Brexit agreement of a deal between our Government and the leaders of the European Union. As I'm writing this, it does look very likely that no agreement will be made, therefore, we could be in for a No-Deal Brexit by the end of the year. For an example of the consequences, I can thank God that I'm not a sheep farmer. With new tariffs to be levied after the end of this transition period, the extra cost in exporting lamb into EU countries could put the farmer out of business. But hey! What difference does one unfortunate individual make? As long as the State becomes sovereign again, be all and end all. Hmm. Can I hear some sound coming form Karl Marx's grave, with both Lenin and Stalin also clapping their hands?

Will Britain become great again after its divorce from the EU? Really, at the end of the day, it's up to God to decide. I can say even further that God already knew of the fate of Britain (and Europe) in the 21st Century even before the world began. Hence God's Omniscience. After all, soon after the Fall, the certain Promise of a Redeemer was made some 4,000 years before Jesus Christ was born. And it was fulfilled at exactly the right time.

Hence the Paradox of Prayer, a title of one of the YouTube videos (with the latest count of 229,092 views) posted by our aforementioned atheist Alex O'Connor. O'Connor was the YouTuber whom I had the privilege to meet in person at Oxford early this year, thus a minor celebrity in his own right (with a present total of 34,895,163 views - and rising.) This Oxford undergrad is reading Theology, and perhaps looking, in my view, to be a future Einstein, this committed vegan has the knack to put omnivores like me to shame.  

Like in another of his videos, O'Connor's argument for veganism is based on the cruelty of animals being slaughtered just for the benefit of our taste. Thus, for raising chicken for the egg industry, all male chicks are gassed alive while female chicks are allowed to live, are fed, and grow in order to lay the eggs as adult females. The only snag with this argument is that in order for some eggs to be fertilised to stabilise the high population level, some male chicks must be spared, but O'Connor does not mention this.

My guilt in consuming milk is enhanced by the atheist when he explains that a newborn calf is forced from its mother, with both suffering distress, in order that the cow's milk, meant by nature for the calf, will instead be for human consumption. Too bad, I, as a milk, meat and egg-consuming Christian and a Creationist, would be labeled a hypocrite for what amounts to an endorsement for the cruel suffering of animals at the abattoir, while at the same time, I acknowledge the existence of a God who was supposed to approve of us eating meat, milk and eggs. 

Thus, his attitude to prayer in his video carries a valid point. If God is an all-knowing, omniscient God who not only knows well in advance what's going to happen in the future, but actually directs everything which does happen, then what is the point of prayer? Here, O'Connor gives two classic examples - prayer for someone who has cancer and prayer for the favourite team to win.

Suppose I prayed desperately for my wife to be healed of cancer (she actually had breast cancer) and there was no treatment offered to cure her of the disease. Therefore, I pray fervently. But God already knew, according to O'Connor, what the final outcome will be, and God will see to have this met. Therefore, if she recovers, it can be said that it was God's will for her to recover and thus, my prayer was considered answered. But she would have still recovered had I not prayed at all, according to the undergraduate. But if she had died, then God had already known this would happen, he allowed it to happen, and my prayer remains unanswered.

Or in the case of a football team. During the 1990 World Cup tournament, I knew a devout English church-going Christian who prayed and fasted for England to win the Cup. However, England was knocked out through a penalty shootout by West Germany in the semi-finals, opening the door for West Germany to lift the trophy against Argentina in the Final by one goal to nil. The prayers and fasting of this Christian remained unanswered, as God already knew who would lift the trophy on that particular occasion, as He already knew from eternity beforehand, according to O'Connor. And unfortunately for that Christian, seven more World Cup tournaments took place without England winning any of them. Indeed, what is the use of prayer?

Alex O'Connor.

It is indeed an unfortunate twist for the meaning of prayer in the Italian language, for the Italian word for prayer is pregare - to beg. Perhaps looked in the same way as that poor widow who begged an unwilling and stubborn godless Judge to grant her justice (Luke 18:1-8) - it does seem that God is reluctant to answer prayer until the begging edges towards hysteria. But here Jesus went on to explain that unlike the unjust Judge, God is quick to answer prayer.

But where I would like Alex O'Connor to consider is the intercessory prayer recorded in the Old Testament book of Daniel. In chapter 9, verses 4-19, he would see the prophet pleading with God for the forgiveness and restoration of Israel, particularly Jerusalem. This was seventy years after Jerusalem was razed to the ground by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. After King Nebuchadnezzar died, his son Evil-Merodach reigned over Babylonia, followed by his son King Belshazzar, who was defeated around 516 BC by the armies of the two kings, Persian king Cyrus and the Mede king Darius. 

As King Darius took over the throne in Babylon, thus fulfilling seventy years of Exile, Daniel pleaded to God in prayer, acknowledging the greatness and the majesty of God, Israel's rebellion against Him, and the punishment due. He then calls upon God's mercy and for the restoration and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the nation restored.

But God already knew that in 516 BC, King Darius the Mede would take the throne after seventy years, because through the prophet Jeremiah, he said so before or during the start of the Exile. God also knew that King Cyrus would grant the Jews to return to their homeland, for He had already foretold this through Isaiah around 700 BC (Isaiah 44:28, 45:1) and actually mentioned his name.

Therefore, what was the point of Daniel's intercessory prayer if God knew everything beforehand and willed that everything was fulfilled exactly as He said it would? Was his prayer pointless? Would King Cyrus still set the Jews free if Daniel hadn't prayed? Yes, He would. Such was His plan all along. And timed exactly right.

Was O'Connor right after all? That praying is a waste of time? It certainly looks that way! Yet God the Holy Spirit invited Daniel to pray on that particular day, even by God's own Omniscience, it looked as if deemed unnecessary. But Daniel prayed. He gave his whole heart into his plea. Daniel loved his fellow countrymen, he had a reverence for Jerusalem, already aware that from king Solomon onwards, God has written His own name in that city, and to see it destroyed must have hurt him deeply.

Daniel pleaded for his city and for his people. He loved them dearly. But to add to this, prayer is a privilege, even when it's difficult to pray at times, either due to lacking faith or not knowing what to pray for. As such, I have found that thanksgiving to God for all the good things I have is a good starter.

Furthermore, for all believers in Jesus Christ, God is our Heavenly Father who cares for us. As it's written, Cast all your burdens on Him, for He cares for you - Psalm 55:22,  Matthew 11:28-30, 1 Peter 5:7.

But it's also Science which backs the benefit of prayer, as O'Connor just about worships science. But any psychiatrist, psychologist and other therapists agree that there are benefits in prayer. It's good for mental and spiritual health, and it can also benefit physically. There is something about calling upon God. It isn't a sign of weakness but one of humbleness, acknowledging my helplessness in certain situations and calling upon God for guidance.

Prayer is about thanksgiving, recognising His goodness. And that includes thanking God and interceding on behalf of the NHS, whose skills are excellent in bringing healing against illness and disease. As God had created the brain and its vast complexities, so He had given the ability to learn and gain knowledge which includes the field of medicine. No, Science does not contradict the Bible and faith, rather it supports it, as many of the great thinkers and inventers, such as Raymond Damadian, the Young Earth Creationist who invented the MRI body scanner, a machine which advanced the NHS by leaps and bounds.

Not to mention academics such as the late Henry Morris, another Creationist and hydraulic engineer. Another example, chosen randomly, is Fred Brooks. He was the computer architect and software engineer and a committed Christian who holds the Bible as truth. And there were, and are, many others.

MRI Body Scanning.

Indeed, prayer is simply a good conversation between a man and his God. Put in perspective, prayer is not a ritualistic set of words often used in Catholicism. Rather it's a way of expression of the heart to God, to tell Him what's in my heart. Like O'Connor, I too grew up as a Catholic, and during my early teens, I learned the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary and the Act of Contrition by heart, but reciting these was not praying.

Being aware of O'Connor's background, I think I know where he was coming from. Prayer is not a recital. Rather, it's a heart-to-heart talk with God.