When I was growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s and began to follow the beautiful game of football at a professional club and international level, I had two stand out heroes from an English perspective – Jimmy Greaves, who died two years ago, and Bobby Charlton, who died earlier in the week.

According to my first Google hit: a hot potato is “a controversial issue or situation which is awkward to deal with”. Israel and Calvinism definitely fits the bill. So why talk about two seemingly unrelated subjects with the likelihood no-one will agree with me entirely and some will strongly disagree and could be offended?

Every now and then I see on my Facebook page a meme relating to or a link to a clip from the film, “Life of Brian”. Usually, I find such to be pertinent or funny, and so much so that I am going to blog about this iconic film in order to get it all off my chest.

Israel at war and what is happening in Israel today

This is the latest draft installment in my “Priests of the Bible” series, in which I reflect on the biblical feasts.

Some folk who like to check out my blogs may have picked up that besides posting mostly on more serious stuff going on in the world, I fancy myself as a restaurant, and the like, critic and have from time to time posted on one or other eating establishment, particularly cafes serving up my favourite meal – a full English breakfast.

The following is the draft of the latest installment of my forthcoming book “Priests of the Bible”, written on this most holy of days in the Jewish calendar – The Day of Atonement. Be aware this is but one piece in the big jigsaw. For the whole, check out various chapters posted on my blog and my book when it is out.

If you know the answer then great. If not then let me begin by quoting Wikipedia in order to explain who these two men are (likely many will have heard of Russell Brand and but not so many will have heard of Quinton de Kock).

What follows is the latest chapter for my forthcoming book “Priests of the Bible”. It concerns the third (yet to be built) temple.

Chapter 18: The Third Temple

While I am a sports fan, tennis comes lower than cricket (ODI Cricket World Cup to begin in India next month) and rugby (Rugby World Cup began in France on Friday) and much to do with the beautiful game (football) all of which have aroused my interest.