I have been watching the CNN news reports about the accident involving the Costa Cruises’ vessel, the Costa Concordia. I was listening to the audio from the Italian Coast Guard and I heard how the captain of the ship had abandoned the cruise ship with the majority of 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members still on board. If I had not heard the audio, I would not believe it. Aren’t captains supposed to stay on board until everyone is safe? I have been watching the CNN news reports about the accident involving the Costa Cruises’ vessel, the Costa Concordia. I was listening to the audio from the Italian Coast Guard and I heard how the captain of the ship had abandoned the cruise ship with the majority of 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members still on board. If I had not heard the audio, I would not believe it. Aren’t captains supposed to stay on board until everyone is safe? |
Couple Looking out over Railing of Cruise Ship |
This whole episode makes one wonder how safe the cruise lines are. After all, people put their trust in the captain and the crew, and from what I have heard on the CNN reports, this captain completely failed the passengers in every way imaginable. But is this a common practice or one bad apple that is spoiling things for everyone else? |
According to nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), “Accidents such as this one are an extremely rare occurrence in the cruise industry, and cruising continues to be one of safest means of travel among all types of vacationing.” After all, in 2011 over 16 million people traveled on cruise lines safely all over the world. |
Personally, I have not heard of many major accidents involving cruise ships, at not as many as the many airplane accidents that have happened over the years. So I feel that traveling by cruise ship is very safe. Also, judging from the reports, airplane accidents tend to have many more fatalities that cruise ships. |
So I would not be too concerned about the safety of cruise line vacations. As compared to air travel, car trips and train travel, the cruise line industry appears to have a very good track record when it comes to accidents that involve fatalities. |
In other words, if you were thinking about taking a vacation cruise, go ahead and schedule it. You should be safe. You are certainly welcome to use this vacation cruise line selection tool in order to choose a cruise ship or cruise line that is to your satisfaction. |
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit of God will descend upon our brother pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, and that his heart will be filled with an immeasurable courage and strength. According to the constitution of Iran its citizens are given freedom for religious practice. Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani attempted to exercise his freedom of religion when school officials tried to enforced a government policy that required that all children study the Quran in school. As a result of his protest, the secret police demanded that pastor Youcef Nadarkhani appear before a political tribunal. He was arrested and was later charged with apostasy and evangelism of Muslims. |
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was tried on September 21, 2010 and was condemned to dead on November 13 for apostasy. Currently our brother in Christ is in jail were the authorities have tried every trick in the book, to include torture, medication, etc, in order to convert him back to Islam. |
Since they were not able to convert him back to Islam, the authorities retaliated by arresting brother Youcef Nadarkhani’s wife, by putting her on trial without an attorney present, and sentenced our sister in Christ to life in prison. By the mercy of God, she was later released from prison after winning an appeal. |
The authorities have not executed our brother Youcef Nadarkhani yet. While we are thankful that he is still alive, we know that he is still suffering tremendously at the hands of those who have unjustly put him in prison. |
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit of God will descend upon our brother pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, and that his heart will be filled with an immeasurable courage and strength. That as he endures this unjust punishment from his torturers, his unwavering love for Christ will serve as a powerful evangelism tool like no other. Let us also pray for his family and for their safety. Finally Lord, we pray for the release of our brother. That as we join together in prayer, the shackles that blind those who have unjustly persecuted him will be removed from their hearts, and that compassion may move them to release our brother so he can be reunited with his family. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on our brother and on his family. In Christ we pray. Amen. |
Let us pray for our brother in Christ. That the Holy Spirit of God will give him strength to continue moving forward. In 1992, Behnam Irani was touched and moved by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he accepted Him as his Lord and Savior. Ten years after accepting Christ, he became a pastor. Of course, both his acceptance of Christ, and his wanting to serve Jesus as a pastor meant that he became an enemy of the authorities in his country Iran. As all of you know, Iran is a country ruled by a corrupted totalitarian and oppressive regime. In Iran, Christians are hated and persecuted by the government. |
Because of his service to Jesus Christ, Behnam Irani is considered an enemy of the state, and back in April 14,2010 officers from the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security (MOIS) unjustly raided Irani’s house church, and after assaulting him, they took him into custody. A couple of months after his arrest, Pastor Irani was released on bail, and later he received a one year prison sentence for his alleged crimes. After he began to serve his one year prison sentence, Pastor Irani received the news that he will have to serve five years now, for similar charges from the past. |
At the start of his sentence, our brother Irani was placed in solitary confinement, he was later moved to an over crowded cell were prisoners did not have enough room to lie down and sleep. Our brother in Jesus, Pastor Irani has been moved to a normal cell, but there are reports that he is called out of the cell daily to be tortured and beaten daily. As a result, his health is very poor and he needs our prayers. |
Let us pray for our brother in Christ. That the Holy Spirit of God will give him strength to continue moving forward. That his heart will be so filled with joy and compassion, that those who beat him daily will wonder and inquire what it is that helps him endure such brutal treatment. In that way, they too may also be converted to Christ. Also, that when he is tortured in order to make him recant, that God’s Holy Angels will come and minister to him, and that he may remain strong in his faith. We also pray that his family and those who attended his church will be filled with hope and a great faith, so that they may not lose heart, and so that they may continue to pray for Pastor Irani with great confidence. |
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on your servant Irani, set him free from the hands of those who torment him daily, and allow his love for you to bring about a revival and conversion amongst the people of Iran. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on Irani and his family. In Christ we pray. Amen. |
On December 15, 1418 after having eluded church authorities for years, John Oldcastle was taken to Smithfield in London, and there he was hung by the middle in chains until he was consumed alive in the fire. Witness testimony say that while he hung there he praised the name of God until he died. On December 15, 1418 after having eluded church authorities for years, John Oldcastle was taken to Smithfield in London, and there he was hung by the middle in chains until he was consumed alive in the fire. Witness testimony say that while he hung there he praised the name of God until he died. |
Obviously he was prepared to die for Christ and the Gospel. This makes me wonder, how prepared am I to die for the Gospel? Have I prepared those to whom I ministered to to die for Christ? Reflecting on this moment certainly brings me closer to facing the reality of my baptismal calling. After all, when I accepted Christ, I accepted the cross and with the cross comes sacrifice. |
This also makes me think of my brothers and sisters who are being persecuted in many parts of the world. They face this reality daily. I am tempted to say that I am blessed for not having to endure what they endure, but am I really better off? I mean, they suffer greatly, but their focus is completely on Christ. I do not suffer as they do, but my eyes are more than often all over the place. |
Merciful Jesus, have mercy on our persecuted brethren. Fill their hearts with complete joy and courage, and more importantly with perfect love for you and those who persecute them. Build and prepare us who have never had to endure as they do, that when the time comes, we will be able to withstand and accept whatever the suffering may be, for the glory and honor of your name. Sacred Heart of Jesus, convert our hearts into the image of our hearts. In your name we pray Lord Christ. Amen. |
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Christ Died On The Cross For Us! |
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” |
Sacred Heart of Jesus, look kindly upon your people here on earth. Were there id hunger, move the heart of those who have food so that they may share it. Sacred Heart of Jesus, look kindly upon your people here on earth. Were there id hunger, move the heart of those who have food so that they may share it. For those who are homeless Sacred Heart, move compassionate hearts to provide shelter. |
Have mercy on little children Sacred Heart, that the leaders of this country will think of them as they rule our country. That the interest of the powerful will not overtake the interest of those who suffer and have great need. |
The DROID X2 by Motorola doubles your hustle with a super-speedy dual core 1GHz processor. Fly through the Web at warp speeds while Adobe Flash 10 lets you devour rich content and video. Want a bigger screen? Mirror Mode via HDMI shows your phone's display on your HDTV
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Are Cruise Vacations Safe?
