Opinion

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  The religious thought police are here

  We are becoming an increasingly intolerant and authoritarian society, where even the slightest deviation from the New Orthodoxy means you face an 'investigation'. The media are far too often the unthinking and unwitting parrots of this new State doctrine.

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  Jo Brand's 'ill-judged' joke and the challenge of comedy

  I've always admired Jo Brand but this week she got it wrong

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  Raising successful people: five things parents need and the one thing they shouldn't forget

  When my daughters were very young, I attended a parenting course at our local church. I went along rather reluctantly because I already had three children and wondered what on earth I could be taught – God has since taught me about the importance of a teachable spirit!

• Crack-heads or blockheads? Drug-taking, adultery and the Tory leadership contest

  Does their drug-taking matter, from a Christian perspective? How might we – if we can muster the weary energy in these turbulent political times – even start to think about the respective claims of the Tory leadership contenders?

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  If Facebook keeps censoring Christians, perhaps it's time to say goodbye

  They have decided that they get to make the rules about what is "welcoming and safe," and they get to enforce it.

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  Israel Folau's legal battle has serious implications for all Australian Christians

  Israel Folau is a persecuted Christian and his strength is an example to all Christians in Australia.

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  Business models: great for business but not always good for the church

  Business principles can bring us good practice in terms of role descriptions and opportunities for review and encouragement, but they fall short when we are working with people who are giving up their time with no reward other than the great well done of faithful servants.

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  The Lord's Prayer: some thoughts on how we should understand 'lead us not into temptation'

  The change to the Italian Missal controversially replaces "lead us not into temptation" with "do not let us fall into temptation", and it reflects the Pope's concern that the current translation can give people the completely wrong impression of God.

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  Georgia is protecting the unborn and Hollywood doesn't like it

  Netflix is reported to be working with the ACLU to try and legally stop the Georgia law. This is the same Netflix that seems to have no problem with filming productions in some Middle East countries with serious human rights violations.

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  The Lost Message of Chalke

  In 'The Lost Message of Paul', Steve Chalke argues that 'all the old narratives are dead' and that we need a 'new story'. But his new story suffers from some major defects.

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  What D-Day can teach Brexit Britain

  May all the commemorations and celebrations surrounding D Day give us pause for thought as this country embarks once again on the biggest of big decisions about its future destiny.

• Trump or King Cyrus: God doesn't always work our way

  I can't say "Amen" to the "King Cyrus" parallels but I have to remind myself that God often works in the most mysterious ways - ways that do not always align with what I think are appropriate.