Mona Siddiqui, professor of Islamic studies, New College, University of Edinburgh

Israel and Iran are at war. In any conflict, good and evil, truth and lies, are portrayed in social media as absolutes. But the reality is often more nuanced. War happens after trust between nations and peoples break down.

If you cannot trust other people, you can always trust the Invisible Magic Friend. If there’s one thing Israel and Iran need right now, it’s more religion.

https://mega.nz/file/4md3AIiD#15lxNlQzMAkJkAZWkWWXrM1xsgdIe93Jor18580-tiU

Amazingly Reverend Doctor Lord David Walker, Bishop of Manchester

An inquiry is being set up into child grooming gangs. The Church is an expert in this. As Jesus said “If anyone hurts one of these little children, then it would be better for them to be drowned in the sea. Or alternatively, moved to another parish.”

https://mega.nz/file/B6UhyCSZ#8u-buOnAqs7RoaSTg11gCBaD5M8eiH3GgTwRpkO6Ltw

The Bubble Nebula

I’ve been wanting to take a picture of this intriguing nebula for some time. Unfortunately, my view of the northern sky is blocked by a number of buildings and trees. In the last few days however, it’s just popped into view before dawn. As the year advances, the Bubble Nebula will appear higher in the sky and for a longer period of darkness, so I should be able to get some longer exposures. In the meantime, here is a 20 minute exposure that I managed to grasp with my Seestar S50 just before early morning twilight started to spoil the view.

The Bubble Nebula is a shell of hot expanding gas thrown off by a star that is 45 times as massive, and a million times brighter, than the sun. Like all massive stars, it is incredibly hot. Although only a few million years old, it has already exhausted it’s primary hydrogen fuel and is now churning its way through helium. In about 10 to 20 million years time it is likely to go nova.

It lies 7,000 light years away in the direction of Cassiopeia. The distinctive “W” of Cassiopeia provides a handy pointer.

But unless you’re blessed with dark skies and a larger telescope than I have (you’ll probably need at least an 8″ scope and not live near any city or suburban light pollution) you’ll be very lucky to see anything. As always, a long exposure with a camera is needed to make it visible for the rest of us.

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/astrophotography/nebulae/bubble-nebula

Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635)

Rev Roy Jenkins, Baptist Minister in Cardiff

Sir Billy Boston has received a knighthood. This is the only recent knighthood for Rugby Union, which apparently is something different from Rugby League, or possibly the other way around.

Jesus was always handing out knighthoods to Rugby League, or was it Rugby Union? Whichever one was the underdog, Jesus would undoubtedly have approved. For there’s absolutely no snobbery, inverted or otherwise, in Christianity. All real Christians play Rugby Union. I mean League. No, well, whichever one…

https://mega.nz/file/ZzMnQAYK#OM6sNW58zo23crL1ijXGSIm3xzkCs2i9oHaGx8H9h0s

Chine McDonald, professional Christian

And in the Big News today from a Faith Perspective, I’ve been to the wake for a friend’s mother. My friend’s mother was a wonderful woman. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a friend’s mother’s Celtic wake as beautiful as this one. Friend’s mother’s Celtic wakes have a certain, what can you call it, Celticness about them.

Here, in the irreligious, pagan West, we, and by “we” I do of course mean “you”, have forgotten all about death and how to properly remember a dead friend’s mother.

We Christians invented funerals. So naturally, when it comes to a dead friend’s mother, only we know how to do it properly.

https://mega.nz/file/4r0kmJxB#GBbXZhL87BXBi1afWSXavMwcbbfXzJSN4PlVYiku2SQ