Delay in publications because attack from outside

Freedom of speech! (Photo credit: dreamwhile)

Dear readers of this and other websites from the Belgian Christadelphians,

Facebook logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We would like to apologise to you for having had an enforced silence in our little circle. Some people wanted to gag the Belgian Christadelphians and managed to silence some of our websites, the Facebook page Christadelphia and the Google+ page of the responsible person for the district Belgium, Marcus Ampe.

Trying for many years

For several years now Mr. Ampe has tried to bring more unity in the Christadelphian community. You must be aware he does not like much the division between the Amended with the Central Fellowship movement, the Un-amended, the Berean, Old Paths, Dawn, Antipas, Logos and other Christadelphian groups. Through the years it was no problem of having the Amended and Un-amended meeting together in Belgium. In this small country they were quite happy to gather and Break bread with each other. some of the Old Paths do meet with us, others do prefer to stay on their own and not to mix with us. No problem, we would say.

In Belgium a certain figure from the North of Europe has baptised many persons. In December he once more baptised somebody in the very cold North Sea. We do find it strange the person did not take contact with us, but stayed in contact with Mr. D.H. and his organisation wich has the word ‘links’ in its name but does not want to link with other Christadelphian groups.

Christadelphians Living in Belgium in isolation

In Belgium not able to link with other Christadelphians makes it very difficult. There are not many Christadelphians living in that small country and being in isolation, Mr. Marcus Ampe would find it better that those baptised and those interested in our faith, could meet like-minded people everywhere in the country. For years he had tried to get the man from the North to reconcile with the Christadelphian Bible Mission (CBM), with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. To no avail!

In October last year Mr. Ampe thought the ground could be fertile, because he had found the man from the North also being member of a group called Christadelphians for Unity. Once more he contacted the man living in an ex-Soviet Union country and hoped he and the other Belgian CBM members would be able to co-operate with him and his organisation. Previous efforts by Mr.Ampe had already stopped in May 2012 when the man from the North showed no advancement to give the addresses of the baptised members of his organisation or to let them share ‘Breaking of the Bread‘ (or our worship service). After months trying to come to reconciliation, the man from the North kept refusing to have his members meet with our members. For that reason, him refusing to let baptised people sharing their faith with each other Mr. Ampe considered this not a sign of brotherly love and expressed his concern about the intentions of the Man from the North.

All the discussions and writing letters, between all the involved parties took a lot of time and delayed the writings on our many websites.

Trying to silence

It became even worse when the Man from the North tried everything to silence those websites. He put in complaints against the CBM and Mr. Ampe, also asked Facebook to withdraw Mr. Ampe from the social network. We where contacted about this request to pull away the Facebook profile of Marcus Ampe, but it was kept on the net. Though later the Facebook page Christadelphia was taken of the net. But some days before Christadelphia became not public, Marcus Ampe his Google+ account was also withdrawn from public viewing. It was made private by Google, because of a complaint of “inapropriate language” (according to the Google message to us). We may assure our readers and members of the web that such a complaint does not make any sense. For the same reason Mr. Ampe his news site Christadelphian World was taken from the net. Those who do not know it, we want to assure that there was no filth or grime shown on it, nor dirty words used. On Mr. Ampe his website Christadelphian World was no place for shabbiness or filthy language. It wanted to present news from what is happening, or happened, in the world of Christendom or Christianity and in the Christadelphian communities, ecclesiae and their parishes or local church-community. As a news-site it looked at the matters going on in the world from a Christian and more in particular, from a Christadelphian point of view.

We where very surprised that Marcus Ampe his website Christadelphian World and his Google+ page could be silenced without him having spoken to first or having gained advice or information form the party who silenced the websites. Such censorship on a religious site should make us wonder why all those other sites with un-ethic photographs, unsavoury subjects, unashamed and sometimes impertinent words can continue to publish on the world wide internet. They get loads of viewers, whilst Mr.Ampe his news-site does not get many viewers, because not many people are really interested in the Word of God or in religion. So Why jamming such a small blogiste?

We are long away from times where attempts to silence heresy through intimidation were more frequent. We are also well aware of the times book banning was popular. The absolute monarchs of the 17th and 18th century also liked to impose strict controls, and perhaps today there are still people who do not like such a reshuffling of the relations between church and state, or do not want that other denominations or thinkers express their thoughts freely. for sure today there are many persons who would love to have everything in control. The man from the North has proven more than once to be such a sort of man. We can not stop us thinking he perhaps cam e in a stadium he loves to show us he can get us under control and loves to persecute opponents of the established religious groups even when they might still be small. But better to avoid that they could become bigger.

Freedom of Speech - Life's big subjects display — Freedom of Speech – Life’s big subjects display (Photo credit: Library ACU)

The man from the North has also perhaps learned a lot form tactics which where commonly used in the region were he lives now.

Strict censorship of all forms of public expression characterized the Soviet Union throughout most of its 74-year history. Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago, which won the 1958 Nobel Prize in Literature, was not permitted publication there, and the novels of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, considered by many to be masterpieces, were banned in 1966. Soviet censorship largely ended in 1986 under Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy of glasnost (openness). {The Free Dictionary, by Farflex}

When such a Blogger, like the ‘little shrimp’ and unknown Marcus Ampe, got silenced, we should wonder how many other bloggers could also be taken off the net, because they have something serious to tell or because they contested against a certain situation. When a site where no improprieties are told can be taken away from the view of the general public, what about those who criticise a government or a present situation in a country?

Also when the public can not see that the site is put to a stop by somebody else than the writer of the blog or the website, we do come in a serious situation of unwanted censorship.To obstruct publication of any idea smells of pre-censorship. In a modern democratic country having books, writings, decent pictures banned by unknown censors or companies like Google or Facebook should have us to relook the power of those companies. Naturally, we know they are very powerful and can decide much about what they want to allow to come in front of those looking at the internet. but in a way we would hope they would allow freedom of speech.

christadelphia Feb. 15 19.36 — Christadelphia, a very small Christian news site, from the Christadelphians located in Belgium, being censored.

Having black-out Christadelphian World, Facebook page Christadelphia and Marcus Ampe Google+ account, anno 2014 does either show us we should be much more aware of the danger of those companies and the power certain institutions and organisations may have.

Christadelphian World by now {2014/02/16 in the evening} has been made public again, though we are not sure about the comments people made on the articles. On Sunday evening 2014, February, 16 at 6.26 pm they were still not on the website again. Naturally it can be once they have been taken away form the public, that they are deleted for good, but we doubt that. In any case, those who commented on Christadelphian World and would not see their comment any more, must understand it was not our choice to delete their message. It was deleted totally our of our control. And that is something what frightens us.

Biblestudents comment on Christadelphian World - Blogger Feb. 14 14.04 — This comment of the Biblestudents also was taken away from public viewing.

That it is possible for somebody else just to delete, just like that, matters or articles placed on what we could consider space made available for us! We are thankful we can use platforms for free, but do hope we can also be free to put material on it like we want it without hurting other people or doing violence on the truth. We also are convinced the providers of those spaces can make money by the advertisements placed on our websites and can generate people going to look and read at different places and as such also coming in contact with more advertisements.

Dutch readers may find articles concerning this matter:

Also of interest:

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The story of a poor boy that had reversal in fortune (cherezesalomebooysen.wordpress.com)
The singing ,speeches were perfect, but the Master of ceremonies he was the cherry on top. I dont know if I ever laughed so hard.
Return to Blogging- The State of My Beginnings (kristinawoodland.wordpress.com)
My Dad became a Christadelphian when I was 4. We’re from Washington DC, and his whole family was Catholic. My parents were a big drug infested mess when I was born, so I guess when my dad finally found the Christadelphians it was like his born-again moment, and he’s never looked back. As a kid, I loved the weekends and Bible schools and the friends and thought it was like candyland every day I spent at one.
On the site of ABC you may find the article Who are the Christadelphians? (blogs.abc.net.au) where a wrong picture is given of our community. Though we do agree like in any denomination you may find very conservative groups but also very progressive groups in our community.+
“it sounds like Vanessa belonged to an extreme group. Adelaide is not typical of Christadelphians worldwide. I’m a Christadelphian from the UK and I can safely say that those I mix with enjoy a drink, theatre going, football, movies, read lots of novels, wear scarlet – and yes we bring friends home.I’m sorry that Vanessa seems to have had a poor experience of Christadelphians. We’re not all so insular. But yes we believe the Bible and try to follow its principles in our lives. In this messed up world to keep focused on the big picture of the Return of Christ and his kingdom on earth is a certain hope. It’s a true hope – Bible prophecy about the Jews is compelling evidence.” Sarah Joiner
Silence is not an option (fmhilton.wordpress.com)
Recently, someone warned me that I should be careful of what I write about the NSA-because they might be watching and retaliate.I replied to that with “I will continue to write what I want, when I want and about what I want for as long as I can.”In other words, I will not stop writing about the NSA, or other ‘sensitive’ stuff for fear of the consequences to myself.Because in this country we have a Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and thought.
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Silence is not an option, and to remain silent out of fear for consequences is the ultimate betrayal of our Constitution.
thought control news (niqnaq.wordpress.com)
Three months ago, a court in Colmar convicted the 12 activists under a French law that extended the definition of discrimination beyond the expected parameters of race, religion and sexual orientation to include members of national groups. What Trichine, who was wearing a “boycott Israel” shirt during the protest, saw as a protected act of political speech was being treated by the authorities like a hate crime. Trichine said in a video message in 2011, soon after her legal troubles began:
Belgian invented ‘V for Victory’ (deredactie.be)
Together with the rest of the Belgian cabinet de Laveleye fled to London at the outbreak of the war where he headed Radio België – Radio Belgique, the Belgian radio station that used the airwaves of the BBC to broadcast to its occupied homeland during the Second World War. In January 1941 de Laveleye called on people in Nazi-occupied Belgium to chalk the V-sign on walls and buildings as a sign of defiance. His call was followed and V for Victory appeared across Belgium, the Netherlands and northern France.
Obama Making Good On Promise to Eliminate Free Speech (sgtreport.com)
Any discussion about free speech in America must begin and end with the NDAA in which the government can snatch anyone off the street, without due process, and hold them indefinitely. This kind of unbridled power has a devastating effect on free speech.
US spying reforms stall in Congress (therebel.org)
Bills that could prevent the US National Security Agency from collecting and storing the phone records of millions of Americans have been stuck in the Judiciary Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate since October, with congressional aides saying there are no immediate plans to move them.“There’s billions of records being collected in the meantime,” said Greg Nojeim, a senior counsel with the Center for Democracy and Technology. “So certainly we’d prefer prompt action rather than delayed action.”
Obama making good on promise to eliminate free speech (truthtalk13.wordpress.com)
What is going on in America in terms of an attack upon the First Amendment is unprecedented. The assaults upon First Amendment rights are not in response to a perceived crisis. The Obama administration attacks upon freedom of speech are not standalone events. And the scope of these attacks upon free speech are incremental and appears to be aimed at eliminating all free speech, thus rendering the government and its officials immune from criticism.
Obama Making Good On Promise to Eliminate Free Speech (fromthetrenchesworldreport.com)
The government has a long of history of supporting attacks upon the First Amendment. John Adams was in support of the Alien and Sedition Act which outright criminalized criticism of the government and its officials. History shows that Lincoln jailed protesters against the draft and the Civil War in general. President Wilson also jailed World War I era protesters. Franklin Roosevelt even took the unprecedented act of making a preemptive move against Americans, of Japanese background, by incarcerating them because they MIGHT pose a threat to the war effort in WWII. However, each of these incidents were standalone issues and ended as soon as the perceived crises had abated.What is going on in America in terms of an attack upon the First Amendment is unprecedented. The assaults upon First Amendment rights are not in response to a perceived crisis. The Obama administration attacks upon freedom of speech are not standalone events. And the scope of these attacks upon free speech are incremental and appears to be aimed at eliminating all free speech, thus rendering the government and its officials immune from criticism.
Conservatives should have their free speech rights on college campuses, too (redalertpolitics.com)
Conservative students face attacks from many different forces, particularly First Amendment-ignoring administrations and bureaucratic liberal professors. Speech codes, political correctness, and left-leaning faculty make it difficult for conservative students to express their viewpoints on campus.For example, until last year at Louisiana State University, free speech on campus was limited to “free speech alley,” an area of roughly 1,000 square feet on the university’s 650 acres. The university revised its policy when law student Deanna Candler sued.
+Last year, University of Buffalo professors wrote that pro-lifers are like “those who supported lynching.” This is the same school where a professor was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after a colorful rant against a group of pro-life students.

Just last week at The University of Alabama, I filmed an administrator informing me that the reason the university secretly removed a pro-life display from our student center was because there were “complaints” and “if somebody gets offended, we have to take it down.”

Take a moment to ponder the absurdity of the notion that being offended gives anyone the right to silence the person or group with whom he or she disagrees. If this were the case, there would be no room for meaningful speech on campus. Anyone could arbitrarily deem another’s opinion offensive.
Obama Making Good On Promise to Eliminate Free Speech (thedailysheeple.com)
Under the present law, any occasion that is officially defined as a National Special Security Event (NSSE) automatically warrants Secret Service protection. NSSE’s can include college bowl games, major PGA golf tournaments, basketball championships, rock concerts, and even the present Winter Olympics. The Super Bowl and the World Series have been declared a NSSE since 9/11. Further, it is the President who determines who is eligible for Secret Service protection under the NSSE provisions. This shields any and all public figures from legitimate protest.The net effect of H.R. 347 is to limit to any politician, public figure deemed by the President to be in some kind of danger. However, the Super Bowl, nor a rock concert constitutes government business. This is a clear abuse of power, but it does not stop with H.R. 347.
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Hold candidate forums so voters can decide who would best represent them In other words, primary election activities for third party candidates would be prohibited. This provision would cut the proverbial legs out from under any political party or movement.

The IRS is trying to silence millions of American voters. They’re trying to pass new regulations that will destroy our free speech rights and this constitutes a complete end run around Congress and ultimately the Constitution.

I am calling for a massive campaign to protest this IRS action. You may send your comments to the IRS at this link.
Jerry Davich: What does President’s Day mean to you? (posttrib.suntimes.com)
Washington and our other founding fathers would be mortified over our general lack of knowledge about the nation they began — what I call “one notion under God.”The least we can do today is re-educate ourselves about our nation, our government and, yes, our presidents. Otherwise, we deserve to be made fun of by the likes of Homer Simpson, who once quipped: “The whole reason we have elected officials is so we don’t have to think all the time.”
Introductions (Part 1) (livingfreeinchrist.wordpress.com)
There are 10,000 reasons and more reasons for us to write this blog about God and Jesus in our lives.
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We realize people may disagree with some things we say but we feel compelled to live a life in the full meaning of what we consider our journey to Freedom in Christ. For us, this means telling the truth about our thoughts and our feelings (that we base on the Bible and what we have come to learn about God and religion from experience), not being inhibited by the fear of change or perhaps the fear of breaking free of the traditions we have grown up with.
Obama Making Good On Promise to Eliminate Free Speech (banoosh.com)
The last of the Bill of Rights which will taken away in its totality is indeed the freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of dissent, necessary civil disobedience and rebellion in the face of abject tyranny. Freedom of speech is the organizing principle for the people in response to its government. Without freedom of speech, there can only be tyranny. And where tyranny abounds, there is always unchecked abuse perpetrated against the citizens by the minions of the government.
BDS a hate crime? In France, legal vigilance punishes anti-Israel activists (theuglytruth.wordpress.com)
“The French government and judiciary’s determination in fighting discrimination, and the Lellouche law especially, are exemplary for Belgium and other nations where discriminatory BDS is happening,” said Joel Rubinfeld, co-chair of the European Jewish Parliament and president of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism.

French authorities have acted aggressively in recent weeks to crack down on anti-Israel and anti-Jewish speech, most prominently by banning a tour by the comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, who has been convicted multiple times of belittling the Holocaust and alleging that a Jewish mafia runs France, among other offenses. But the dragnet has also swept up BDS protesters whose actions have targeted Israel, not Jews.
Cory Bernardi and Freedom of Speech (andrewwhalan.com)
Implicit in the right to free speech is that it is a right for all. Freedom of speech is for everyone.
Marching not to war (christiantoday.com)
Britain was virtually alone in recognising the rights of COs and this clause was seen as a major coup for the No Conscription Fellowship and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. The latter was a Christian ecumenical movement which had long campaigned for such recognition.The Fellowship of Reconciliation arose out of a friendship between a German Lutheran and English Quaker. Friedrich Siegmund-Schultz and Henry Theodore Hodgkin met at an ecumenical conference in Switzerland that was disrupted by the onset of war.
Cory Bernardi and Freedom of Speech (andrewwhalan.com)
The problem with that is my explicit and implicit attitude : the only person who should exercise freedom of speech is me and me alone.Which means I can enjoy my moment of free speech. And silence everyone else’s freedom of speech.Which mean freedom of speech is lost in the long run for me and for everyone else.
Taking offence and freedom of speech (blogs.spectator.co.uk)
All religious groups benefit from freedom of speech, because their beliefs have the power to offend others. As our leading article this week sets out, that includes the rather mild and doddery-seeming Church of England, which teaches that personal sin is a serious matter requiring repentance. That’s the sort of thing that can offend people, too, but the Church and other groups benefit from the freedom to say it. Religious groups who argue for curbs on freedom of speech must realise that in the end, this would damage their own freedom too, not just that of others they don’t like.
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Agrippina:

The fanatical ideologists need to be defeated, either they accept this free democracy or go and live elsewhere. They have nothing to offer us and we do not want anything from them. Spectator journos should pop out to Tower Hamlets or further north, and see the level of islamification of this green and pleasant land.
Silence is the true freedom. (priscillaescamilla28.wordpress.com)
Silence is power, / the freedom of speech is nothing but a lying blood sucking leach,
Free Speech or Regulated Silence? (amresolution.com)
How did our founders ever manage to establish a republic committed to free speech and the rights of the individual without a Federal Election Commission to regulate that speech and force disclosure of the speaker?
What if Freedom Meant Exodus? (pumabydesign001.com) +What if Freedom Meant Exodus?
With our faith being ridiculed and mocked and a government increasingly hostile to our practicing our faith. We see a rampant increase of sexual immorality and perversion along with an assault on a on our children by forcing them to accept this behavior as normal.We pray for wisdom for our leaders and for God to intercede. But what if God has other plans? What if God were to bring a Moses forth? Would we recognise and welcome him? If he wanted to lead us to a different place, would we go?