Elio Di Rupo, Walloon Italian-Belgian scientist and prime minister of Belgium, politician of the socialist Party, Parti Socialiste (PS) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This weekend is election weekend and communion weekend for many Belgians, who may find that Sunday the 25th of May 2014 may be a turning point or again a disappointing day where it is proven that how people may vote or react in their country, those in charge do not take heed and ignore the voice of the people.
Lots of people have taken distance of the politics in this country, but also want to take distance of the way of living many have chosen to follow the last few years.
Materialism has gained priority and not many seem to be interested in the welfare of the world. those who look from a distance at Belgium may say that the “peaceful anarchism” of Brussels architecture may well be the feature that best characterizes Belgium as a whole. For the time being Brussels capital of Belgium and of the European Union, a whirlpool in a 30.528 km² country with 11,162 million citizens in a Europe of 505,73 million inhabitants.
Vlaams Belang logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The heavily eurosceptic political party Vlaams Belang with N-VA attract several voters who would like to split Flanders (Vlaamderen) from Belgium. Of all voters who want to split Belgium, in 2007, 57 percent voted for the Vlaams Belang. In 2010 it was 21.5 percent. The N–VA (who had not yet emerged separately in 2007) got in 2010, 49 percent of the radical pro-Flemish voters.
The VB’s main goal is to establish an independent Flemish republic. The party seeks a peaceful secession of Flanders from Belgium, citing in its program the division of the Union between Sweden and Norway (1905), Czechoslovakia (1992), and the independence of Montenegro (2006) as examples that such would be possible. The reason to seek independence is given as the “enormous cultural and political differences between Flemings and Walloons,” and according to the party, Belgian governments are also “paralyzed by ongoing disputes between Flemish and Walloon politicians.
An audit of the prevalent political parties ahead of the 2014 May 25 elections by Knack Magazine, an established Belgian weekly journal, found the NV-A to be the party most likely to deliver an effective economic recovery for Belgium, and it might well be lots of the Flemish people can find some hope in that party.
The above mentioned parties do not like very much the immigrants in this country and the Vlaams Belang gives a totally distorted picture of other religions than Christendom.
Most European Union nations go to the polls to elect a European Parliament on Sunday, the same day Belgium will hold national parliamentary elections. For Belgians, the EU vote will be an afterthought to what really is at stake: what to do about the kingdom and its two diverse groups, 6.5 million Dutch speakers in northern Flanders and 4.5 million Francophones in southern Wallonia.
“Everywhere I have been, I sense the same yearning for linguistic calm,” Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo said.
“The people are sick of it, pushing and pulling Belgium every which way,” he was quoted as saying in Het Laatste Nieuws newspaper. {Belgians prepare for another standoff after polls}
Instead of aiming for a wonderful model for pluralism for our community several people are trying to spread rumours about other cultures and try to spread hate against those who do not behave or live like the ‘majority’ does. those who call themselves Christian often forget the call of of love by Jesus Christ . That Nazarene preacher knew we as human beings are chained for the moment to the clusters of the world. We have not really a choice. We have to live in a world where there are many people who do not want to know about the Creator or about His arrangements, regulations or Laws which should make it easy to live together.
Jesus taught his followers to have an open mind for those who think differently. Their customs should not worry us. In case others have a way of living which is not according to the Laws of God, it is up to us to show them that these Laws of the Most High are the best to follow. It is not by imposing them on others like dictators that we are going to gain people for God. Man has to choose himself. Those who love the Only One God should be an example for the others. They should strive to come together with people who may be different from them, but not consider that any problem.
At the time of the Romans occupying Jerusalem, the city got also lots of people from all directions coming into the town. At the time of Jesus his preaching there where also lots of nationalities living in the region where Jesus tried the people to come to the Father. he also told his disciples that it was not up to him to decide where one of his followers would take a seat in the Kingdom of God. More, he told them that in the theocracy there would be equality for all man. As long as he would not return we had to make the best of this world and take care that the poor and less fortunate would be protected. Living in this world those who love God should take distance of the world, by not being part of the world, not joining in actions or feasts associated with heathen gods. But Jesus warned his followers they had no right to judge the others who did not want to go the same way as they. The disciples had to take care that every body would be respected for what they thought or did. We too should respect all those people who try to look for solutions and try to make something of this world. Even when we know that no human being shall be able to get the most righteous government we may not spot with them. We also should allow them to have their say and should give each other space to witness and appreciate our differences.
Vlaams Belang election poster in Uccle, Brussels, Belgium for the Belgian general election 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When many may go in heavy debates, make sure that you as a Christian keep the right spirit and respect for the other.
When we read of the children of Yisra’ĕl who went to camp in the dessert, each one by their own banner, beside the sign of their father’s house god asked them to let them camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance.
“(1) Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, (2) “The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses: at a distance from the Tent of Meeting shall they encamp around it.” (Numeri 2:1-2 NHEBJE )
At a distance surrounding the Tabernacle at the Appointed Place they encamped by their standards and could see around.
“Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, everyone by their families, according to their fathers’ houses.” (Numeri 2:34 NHEBJE)
The picture of the great organised camp and orderly march of Israel is interesting: but it presents a contrast to the disorganised, disorderly condition of human society in every land and every age. also today we can learn from it and also take some distance for looking at our world.
While it may be said that there are nations leagued in creed, allied by descent, which form the van; that others, similarly connected more or less, constitute the right and left wings of the advancing host; and the rest, straggling far behind, bring up the rear-this is but a very imaginative representation of the fact.
It has always been very difficult for people to pull one robe. We can not see many people who advances as with one mind and one heart. For long periods human beings have tried all sorts of governments. Today we still can not find any group of nations which have one single standard.
Time and destiny urge on the host, and all is to be won by steady resolute endeavour. Yet some are encamped, while others are moving about restlessly or engaged in petty conflicts that have nothing to do with moral gain. We all should know that there should be unity; but one division is embroiled with another, tribe ‘crosses swords’ with tribe.
The truth is that as Israel came far short of real spiritual organisation and due disposition of its forces to serve a common end, so it is still with the human race. Nor do the schemes that are occasionally tried to some extent promise a remedy for our disorder. For the symbol of our most holy faith is not set in the midst by most of those who aim at social organisation, nor do they dream of seeking a better country, that is, a heavenly. The description of the camp of Israel has something to teach us still. Without the Divine law there is no progress, without a Divine rallying-point there is no unity. Faith must control, the standard of Christianity must show the way: otherwise the nations will only wander aimlessly, and fight and die in the desert. {Expository Bible}
When we overlook the things from a distance, let us remind ourselves to be conscious of the necessity to try to go for the Laws God has given humankind to work on a world worth living in.
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Find also to read:
- Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
- A Society pleading poverty
- Looking for True Spirituality 5 Fruitage of the Spirit
- WWJD
- A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
- There’s no thief like a bad book
- No man is capable of self-improvement on his own
- Kingdom of God what will it be like
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- The Game of Thrones in Belgian Politics (barrenhead.wordpress.com)
It’s been way too long, but this time, there’s an election buzz going about in my little country Belgium, and it looks like a Game of Thrones! So let’s compare, shall we?
- Belgians prepare for another standoff after polls (miamiherald.com)
The national mood in Belgium right now is like two different worlds. A giddy sense of unity has overtaken the country because the national soccer team is going to the World Cup, but a parliamentary election campaign has left the nation divided like never before.Schizophrenic? Maybe. Politics as usual? For sure.
- “30% of the electorate still undecided” (deredactie.be)
In the poll the Flemish nationalists of N-VA are the strongest party in the Chamber of Representatives picking up 31.9% of the vote in northern Belgium – up from 28.2% at the last election in 2010. The poll shows a resurgent Christian democrat party: the CD&V takes a 19.7% share of the vote – up from 16.4% in April’s poll.
- Flemish separatists triumph in Belgian election (worldbulletin.net)
TheN-VA’s lead in polls triggered a nationwide debate about the possible break-up of the 180-year-old nation, with richer Flanders splitting fromWallonia, where unemployment is about double the national average.Parties from poorer French-speaking regions see devolution as a step toward Belgium’s break-up, which they oppose, but all have said they would consider some reform of the state.
- Roald Smeets Vlaams Belang (roaldsmetseducation.wordpress.com)
The direct predecessor of the Vlaams Belang was the Vlaams Blok, which was formed by the nationalist right-wing of the People’s Union which had broken out in the late 1970s. The ideology of the Vlaams Blok started out with its radical nationalist rejection of the People’s Union compromise on the Flemish autonomy issue, and later increasingly focused on immigration and security, exploitation of political scandals, and defense of traditional values. The immigration positions of the Vlaams Blok was subject to much controversy, and the party was forced to disband in 2004 after a political trial ruled that it sanctioned discrimination. By then, the party was the most popular Flemish party, supported by about one in four of the Flemish electorate, and was one of the most successful parties considered to be right-wing populist in Europe as a whole.
- [EU Elections] EP voting behaviour shows divisions in far-right camp (euobserver.com)
The voting record of seven far-right and anti-EU parties represented in the outgoing European Parliament shows larger divisions than among centrist parties who grouped together, according to a study published Tuesday (20 May) byVoteWatch.Seven partieswere included in the study, three of which arecurrently in a parliamentary group: the British Independence Party (Ukip), Italy’sLega Nord and Slovakia’sSNS.VoteWatch also looked at the voting record of France’s National Front, led by Marine Le Pen, the Dutch PVV party led by Geert Wilders, the Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe) and the Belgian Vlaams Belang, all of which are currently not affiliated with any parliamentary group.
- Euro elections: Wilders’ far-right alliance gaining momentum (independent.co.uk)
The Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders is hoping to make the first gains for a new alliance of Eurosceptic and anti-immigration parties in the European Parliament, with his Party for Freedom (PVV) forecast to take up to 23 per cent of the vote.
The Netherlands and Britain, the first countries to vote, have had very similar election campaigns. Concerns over the economy and immigration, and mistrust in the EU have pushed up support for the PVV, although Mr Wilders’ recent outburst about the country’s Moroccan community dented support.
- Geert Wilders Underperforms… (telegraph.co.uk)
Geert Wilders came fourth in European elections in the Netherlands on Thursday night, confounding predictions that he would lead a populist and far-Right backlash against the European Union across the continent.
Dutch exit polls put the far-Right and anti-Islam leader on 12.2 per cent of the vote, putting him behind all the pro-EU mainstream political parties.
‘Definitive’ exit polls put him behind the ruling centrist VVD on 12.3 per cent and almost three per cent behind the pro-EU D66 liberals and Christian Democrats, each on over 15 per cent.
- How Far will it swing? European extremist parties are expected to make record gains in the election this weekend (thejc.com)
According to aPollwatch2014 analysis of voter opinions, the two politicians are capable of forming abloc of 38MEPs from a minimum of seven countries — a prerequisite for receiving more than £2 million a year in public funding.But would such a bloc pose a real threat? Jean-Yves Camus, a French researcher on antisemitism, says the right-wing scene is far too fractious to form an alliance.
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Like elsewhere in Europe, nationalist ideas are finding purchase among voters fed up with France’s economic woes.
The FN says it hopes to get 15 to 20 representatives into the European Parliament — three to five times more than it currently has.
- The Flemish question (afrikanerway.wordpress.com)
Flanders is a region is the North and West part of Belgian inhabit by the Dutch speaking Flemings. The region have being trying to get independent from the rest of Belgium and in some cases to join Nederland’s.
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We think that there should have closer ties between Boer-Afrikaner and Flemish organizations. The two people have many things in common, similar language; suffer a period of discrimination of other people and both seek their self-determination. Also some Boer-Afrikaners have also Flemish ancestry.
Belgian Biblestudents - Belgische Bijbelstudenten
Guestspeaker
Relating to God
Bijbelvorsers Webs
Belgische Vrije Christadelphians / Belgian Free Christadelphians – Old Google Main Website
Christadelphian Ecclesia
Hoop tot Leven – Redding in Christus
Belgian Biblestudents - Belgische Bijbelstudenten 
Belgian Biblestudents website 2016 in review
First article for the 2005 November opening of the WordPress site of the Belgian Bible Students – Eerste artikel bij de opening in november 2005 van de WordPress site van de Belgische Bijbel Studenten
After our (real) start on WordPress in October 2010 we generated in the first two years not so many viewers, taking it until April 2012 before we really left MSM and Bijbelvorsers Blogspot (started in 2005) aside and started presenting ourself on this other platform. That step forwards on the Mount Everest brought us 3 200 views in 2012 with only 27 new posts.
In 2013 the amount of postings increased up to 87 new postings giving us 7 600 views. One year later there was a little dip with only 63 new postings getting 6 697 views from 4 666 visitors. It seemed we were not so much liked in that turbulent year, having only 19 likes and 19 comments.
2015 got us back on track after some difficult year, not to say the least. 7 683 views from 5 168 visitors where good for the 93 newly published articles.
After 4 247 home page views in 2015, that page could attract 4 285 views, bringing the total views for 2015 up to 8 922 for 5 821 visitors willing to give us 54 likes and 26 comments.
We are pleased we may have found 79 followers in the year 2016 and viewers from all over the world, having most coming from the United States of America 2 909, followed by the Netherlands with 1 213 views and 1 108 views from Belgium. Next comes Great Britain with 524 and France with 226 views, though it was a French article that got most of the views, namely ‘l’ Élection de Matthias’ with 446 views, getting its English version ‘The Election of the apostle Matthias’ 363 views.
Personal bible study (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In 2016 most energy went into the writing of the comparison of English Bible translations, with the series “Old and newer King James Versions and other translations”. With that series and the article From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah we do hope English people who think the King James version is the only one true Bible Translation come to see that God always has protected His own Word and that as well in English as in other languages God provided serious good translations of His Divine Word.
Many people may confuse us with Jehovah’s Witnesses and be not pleased with their and our preaching. Therefore 2016 was also a year to reflect on the Witnessing of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well on our witnessing, plus on picturing the Governing body. We also gave the word to a former elder of that denomination.
We looked how not only human teaching or human doctrines defiled God’s Word in certain Bible translations and certain Christian denominations, but how 2016 was also the year such human thinking has brought secularism to be very dangerous for freedom of religion and freedom of thought and played with morals and values, (in particular the French values)but that human teachings shall pass away. Though there shall always exist people who shall try to do their utmost best to worship the Only One True God in the best way to please that Host of host.
Concerning that worship we ave our view on Christian worship music and on the lifting of hands at a service, towards the Most High. In a Dutch article we also tackled this subject at From Guestwriters. (Zingen over moeilijkheden en lijden ook noodzakelijk in kerkgemeenschap)
In 2016 also at Stepping Toes we looked at the Bible how it tells us how from nothing and chaos came order, just by the impeccable Word, the Voice in the Void, which brought everything into being but would be also the essential guide for mankind. (Word-Verbum-Logos-Ereyga) and at From Guestwriters we talked about that masterly copied and reproduced Word to feed the minds, to bring the most important translation…
In April we also looked at Stepping Toes at a nice resume of what we have to remember to do and what we should not or may not do, in the article Displeasures and Actions of the Almighty God.
In 2016 we also started to present writings which are from guest-speakers, so that other voices could be presented and gave you some other or equal insight.
As such you may find writings presented by Guestspeaker, presenting also different Guest-writers or re-blogged articles, and Relating to God who shall offer specific articles about our relation to the Most High.
Now we have put the first 5 years on WordPress behind us and look forward to the coming next five years in which we shall continue to present the Nazarene Commentary, looking at that very important Nazarene teacher who was born 2020 years ago, and who should receive our full attention, him being the Way to God.
We do hope you may accompany us on our further road-trip looking forward to the return of our master and our intentions to live according God’s Wishes so that we all can enter the Kingdom of God as loving brothers and sisters in Christ.
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Preceding
2010 – 2014 in review
Belgian Bible Students review of 2015
From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah
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Additional reading
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Other reviews for 2016
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