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Four years ago, in The “Star of David”, Saturday, July 29. 2006, I raised some questions regarding the six-pointed symbol, the so-called "Star of David". This was prompted by meeting some "Blackmen", members of the Royal Black Institution, whose website declared that the organisation was -

'totally based on the teachings of Holy Scripture and is committed to the furtherance of the Christian message of the Cross'.

The banners and insignia of "the Black" were displaying six-pointed stars, and I asked the Blackmen to explain their symbols? They were unable to give a coherent answer.

I had observed that the local Masonic Hall displayed the six-pointed star as well. No point asking Masons (a secret society) about it, even if I knew any members. So I began my researches, who gave me the stunning answer that the six-pointed star had nothing to do with King David, neither was it anywhere mentioned in scripture, nor was it a religious symbol.

'If not a religious symbol, can the so-called "Star of David" then be a pagan symbol?', I asked.

In recent weeks I have begun attending the Shabbat services at the Belfast synagogue - see Shabbat, Part 1 (Tuesday, June 15. 2010) and Part 2 ( Friday, June 18. 2010). The interior of the synagogue is built in the form of a 6-pointed star. With my current interest in Judaism, I have begun to ponder these questions again.

To be continued

Today is the first of the four-day Open Golf Tournament (please, not the 'British Open'), played this year atSt Andrews, Scotland, "the home of golf".

Unusually, this year Northern Ireland has two credible contenders for the world's most valuable golf title. They are, firstly, 30-year-old Graeme McDowell, who recently won his first golf 'major', the US Open, at Pebble Beach, California. Colin Montgomerie, for example, remained Europe's leading player for many years yet never won a major. The second is 21-year-old Rory McIlroy who, despite his youth, has already joined the world's golf elite.

I should mention another Ulsterman, Darren Clarke, who was once a leading European pkayer in a Ryder-Cup-winning squad. Clarke's performances have sadly fallen away since the recent death of his wife from cancer. Clarke qualified for the Open only last week, by coming second in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond. Another Irish contender is Padraig Harrington, victor in three majors so far in his career. Harrington won the Open Championship in successive years, 2007 and 2008, as well as the US PGA Championship in 2008.

The most promising English contender would seem to be the in-form Justin Rose, the winner of two recent tournaments. And the bookies' favourite is Tiger Woods, who has won nthe Open on the last two occasions that the tournament has been played at St Andrews. Yet, with his personal problems, I guess that this will not be Tiger's year.

Ed: Rudolf Fischer has sent a message from Budapest with his comments on yesterday's Ison again.

... forgive me for categorically rejecting the "papal filipino" insinuation.

Ed: Rudi refers to my suggestion on the word kumpare that it might come from Tagalog, where kumpare means 'friend'.

Reflecting on the matter further, the word sounds rather like compadre (Spanish) which meant originally 'godfather' [com+padre] but now means as well 'friend', 'pal' [it was a word often on the lips of my boyhood hero, the Lone Ranger and his 'compadre', Tonto].

The 'k' in kumpare means that the word cannot come from Rumanian or any other Romance language. In any case, the word for 'friend' in Rumanian is prieten. Greek, then? The normal word for 'friend' in Modern Greek is φíλος, but also γνωστóς and γνώριμος.

That's where my researches yesterday ended. But examining my dictionary further, I find κουμπα'ρος, meaning 'godfather' or 'best man'. So this could be the origin of kumpare.

Taki is the godfather of my two youngest daughters. He has a scholar's understanding of Modern Greek, with all its shades from the most ossified katharevousa [Ed: Purist Greek], through poetic demotic and standard urban demotic [Ed: demotic is popular Greek, the language of the streets] , to the most lively and articulate choriatiko spoken by illiterate shepherds in the Pindus.

His knowledge of Ancient Greek and of the history of Greek is as good as you'd expect from a graduate in classics and archeology who has taught it all his working life. What is more he learnt it at a secondary school which qualified him, without additional training, as a schoolmaster and village priest.

He has a good reading knowledge of both English and German, and is capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation in both those languages on any subject he and the person he is talking to is familiar with.

In the present case, I am sure that any member of an English cathedral choir, or anyone of equivalent knowledge would have understood him.

[Ed: Very likely. Sadly, I've never been a member of a cathedral choir, English or otherwise. My apologies.]

Quite frankly I think it ridiculous that a word like ISON should not be in a Modern Greek - English dictionary. But then I wonder if say simandron is in every one of your Modern Greek dictionaries (spelled with an eta, of course, not a iota) as toaca is in a Rumanian dictionary published in Bucharest under Ceausescu, just like ison.

[Ed: σῄμαντρον is in my dictionary as 'stamp', 'seal' or (εκκλ) 'special monastery bell'. Toaca isn't given in my Rumanian dictionary.]

Anyway, forgive me, but I shall keep at you until I get you to listen to music that includes ison. It's there on YOUTUBE. and Theodoros Vailikis is there online too, unfortunately not on YOUTUBE and I am too dumb and computer illiterate to get free access so I have to wait till one of my daughters helps me out.

Ed: The website of Theodoros Vasilikos is here, where you can listen to his "HARMONIC AND GOD-INSPIRED BYZANTINE MUSIC". But, Rudi, sorry. I can't find any ison music myself online. If you send me a link, I'll post that.

ä ö ü Ä Ë Ö Ü ß ê î Î â  ă Ă Ş Ţ Ç ş šŠ ţ ç Á É Í Ó Ú á é í ó ú À à è Ő ő ű ñ ï ë Ł ź ¡ ć ï æ û
Αα Ββ Γγ Δδ Εε Ζζ Ηη Θθ Ιι Κκ Λλ Μμ Νν Ξξ Οο Ππ Ρρ Σσς Ττ Υυ Φφ Χχ Ψψ Ωω ᾲ ᾴ ῂ ῄ ὶ ί ῦ ώ ύ

Release International Prayer AlertFriday, July 9, 2010

NIGERIA – Further attacks on northern Christians leave at least seven dead

At least seven people have been killed in fresh attacks on Christian communities in Kaduna and Plateau states.

Release partner Stefanos Foundation reports that seven Christians were killed and five others injured when militant Fulani Muslims raided Kizachi Dawai Chawai village in Kaduna on July 3.

The gunmen, who were dressed in military uniforms, surrounded the village and started shooting indiscriminately, according to village chief Yakubu Dawai. The dead included a primary school teacher and mother of six. Five Christian homes were burnt down.

The next day, assailants armed with guns and machetes invaded Ganawuri community near Jos in neighbouring Plateau State. Three Christians are feared dead. A spokesman for the Nigerian military said the attackers were suspected Fulani Muslims from Kaduna.

Christians in and around Jos have been fearful of more violence since raids on three villages on March 7 left up to 500 people dead, including many women and children (Prayer Alert, March 16, 2010).

Stefanos Foundation reports that Boko Haram militants, who attacked Christians in Bauchi and Maiduguri last July (Prayer Alert, August 11, 2009), have threatened further attacks on Jos.

(Sources: ASSIST News Service, International Christian Concern, Stefanos Foundation)

- Ask God to comfort Christians affected by these latest attacks. Pray that they will know God as their 'ever-present help in trouble' (Psalm 46:1).
- Pray that the Nigerian authorities will ensure that the military carry out their full responsibilities and protect Christian communities from further attack.