There is a painting from 1595 in the National Museum of Serbia.
It shows the Serbian Orthodox bishop Theodore of Vršac, as he was flayed alive by the Ottoman Turks.
This was a common custom, mostly against Christians who refused to convert to Islam.
Despite such cruel tortures and persecutions, the Serbian people preserved their religion, language and identity.
I've just seen a Labour supporting couple complain in an interview that their kids go to school hungry.
They were both smoking on camera.
Imagine the luxurious & nutritious lunches they could have prepared with the £20 they smoked that day?
I've been attacked by some for highlighting the obscene diversity costs within the NHS.
My view is clear - this self-sustaining, divisive industry needs to be scrapped, with every penny directed into the pockets of frontline staff.
When I was in charge of cancer services at Hammersmith Hospital, we treated all fairly and equally.
Every patient was cared for with the same attention, and staff were hired based on their ability to do the job rather than the colour of their skin. Is that so controversial now?
Meritocracy should rule.
Politicians will all claim they're the ones to cut this waste, but it keeps growing and growing. What can actually be done to stop it? Some of the wages for these diversity roles are quite frankly insulting, not forgetting the vast associated cost and the huge disruption they bring for medical staff actually doing proper work.
The Conservatives will say they're the ones to fix it - but who has been in power for 14 years? I am sceptical of new promises, at best.
Critics of the diversity industry within the health service are hounded and abused as heretics. Sadly, it works and countless individuals within the NHS remain silent. The intimidation tactics are effective.
In this election, we need an honest conversation about how the NHS is spending our money, because in many cases - it is not spent well.
I’m a former pupil of @KingDavidBham School.
It’s been a Birmingham Jewish institution for **181 years**.
There were always Muslim children at King David since your community arrived in Birmingham only around 50 years ago.
It was always an open, pluralistic environment made up of every community in the Second City.
Muslim parents chose King David because of its enviable academic track record.
I remember around this time of year, our class of every creed coloured in a stencil drawing celebrating Israel25.
You’ve had plenty of time to get used to what King David stands for and you’ll know the anniversary Israel is celebrating with independence.
You count your perishing nakba by it.
If Muslim parents don’t like it these days, take their children out of it. They never used to.
You may be a lost cause, but your children have a unique life opportunity to learn about Judaism, the monotheistic religion which gave birth to yours.
When the children leave, they can go out into the world with a decent primary education and enough to know more about Jews and Israel than you clearly do.
And perhaps more importantly they can reject your message of hate.
Why hijack your religion’s best values by attacking living Jewish identity? Because Israel is an intrinsic part of Jewish identity.
May you and your allies be the last generation to create division where there isn’t any.
We are all the children of Abraham.
In Scotland hate speech law supported by PM Humza Yousaf has come into force which will carry prison sentences of up to 7 years for statements deemed to incite hatred on the grounds of religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. The same PM Humza Yousa who denounces that there are too many white people in Scotland. True racist, he must be arrested under his own law.
Scotland's Hate Crime Act comes into effect today. Women gain no additional protections, of course, but well-known trans activist Beth Douglas, darling of prominent Scottish politicians, falls within a protected category. Phew! 1/11
I don't mind religion in the public square and it's not a bad thing to remember the actual realities of people's faith but... it will be interesting to know if this level of public theology & scriptural content will be matched next week in Holy Week.
It’s become a great tradition in UK public life to not confront Islamic extremism. Instead, each time there’s an attack or threat we sacrifice someone who said something about the threat. I see this season Lee Anderson is the votive offering. Brilliant. That’ll solve everything.
At the British Museum to do some Christmas shopping and thought I’d pop into the galleries and enjoy the fact the Elgin Marbles are here, safe, and available for millions of their heirs of their civilization to enjoy. 😘
It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic.
Our contributions to the UN, specifically the UNRWA are used to prepare education materials for young Palestinians.
Here’s just a tiny selection of those mind-bogglingly violent (and stupid) materials.
And they are not just funded by, but actively written by UNRWA employees.
The UNRWA has blood on its hands
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.