The message was simple:
Boycott Wembley Stadium's halal food!
Saying no to creeping Sharia law!
Eat outside the Stadium!
Take a leaflet!
After all, why is the national stadium of a Christian country selling Islamic food?
Leafletting at the Cup Final - with a strictly neutral scarf!
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL IS NEXT
Our next outing will be the Champions League Final on Saturday 28th May at which Manchester United will take on Barcelona.
We shall meet at 5.00 pm along Olympic Way near the (non-halal!) burger bars and intend to witness until 7.45 pm. Kick-off is at 8 pm.
The presence of Barcelona means we have an urgent need for someone who can translate into Spanish to supporters on the day or to provide translation backup in advance. Please pray that the Lord will raise someone up to fulfil this vital task.
The following Monday, the Whitsun bank holiday (30th May), the witness is from 12 noon to 2.45 pm for the Championship play-off.
STEPHEN'S LAW OF FOOTBALL PASSION
I must say I have been impressed by the commitment of the fans. For a big match, some 30,000 will travel 200 or 300 miles to support their team. Would that Christians were as fervent in their support of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
However, I am developing what I may call Stephen's Law of football passion. This states that the pre-match enthusiasm of the fans is in inverse proportion to the success of their team.
Stoke fans had the passion on Saturday. Manchester City supporters were more reserved. Man City won.
In the Carlsberg Trophy, Mansfield fans were more passionate, but Darlington came out on top. In the Carlsberg Vase match, Coalville were making all the noise, but Whitley Bay triumphed.
Most dramatic of all, in their FA Cup semi-final, Manchester City supporters were by far the more laid-back of the two. The Manchester United fans were passionate, I'm sorry to say, to the point of downright unpleasantness. We all know what happened on the pitch.
The only exception I can think of was when Stoke City played Bolton in the other semi-final. City fans were making all the pre-match noise, and they ended up thrashing Bolton 5-0.
But in general, Stephen's Law of football passion has been followed. It is written: "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth". (Proverbs 27:1) The Bible records a certain king saying to another "Let not him who puts on his armour boast himself like he who takes it off". (1Kings 20) The other king drank himself drunk in his overconfidence and was defeated because God was not with him.
With their Champions League outing in just under two weeks time, Manchester United fans should take note.
Certainly, they will be able to speak Spanish but the first language of the inhabitants of Barcelona is Catalan.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Philip, I was wondering when you would spot that. OK, who speaks CATALĂ€ then?
ReplyDeleteI don't speak Catalán but !THEY UNDERSTAND spanish! Pray for me and call me if I am needed
ReplyDeleteThank you Antonio. Please email me your email address. Do Catalans get offended if you speak to them in Spanish, like Latvians do if you use Russian?
ReplyDeleteI speak Spanish but not Catalan, maybe a few words but as Antonio says they will ALL understand Spanish. I doubt they will be offended; if you were doing it in Barcelona then maybe but at Wembley I doubt anyone will be offended although they may tell you they'd prefer it in Catalan.
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