The ISA con

So here we have it. Finally a government organisation points out what many of us have known, that the banks are just using the tax break on ISA's for their own benefit, not ours.

Bait rates disappear, as soon - with 3% inflation almost double any interest rates your likely to end up with, will your money.

I can't help but wonder if other tax breaks, like those for pensions don't create the same distortions.

The tax breaks for savers have become tax funded subsidies for the finance industry.

There's something very wrong about that. I can't help thinking that lower general tax rates and less market distortion would be a good thing. If we want to use the tax system to change behaviour how about taxing debt instead ?

What the BBC said and what Ahmadinejad actually said

The BBC really needs to get someone who understand Islam and Christianity to educate its journalists.

What the BBC is reporting is shown below:

( Wednesday, 4 April 2007, 20:24 GMT 21:24 UK )

But this is not what Ahmadinejad appears to have said based on the live translation from his press conference. He spoke about the anniversary of Jesus Christ's ascension. This is not Easter, but Islam's denial of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.


Its another slap in the face for what they see as the West's religion. The BBC supinely translates it into Easter - but why should they ? He didn't mean that. He was restating Islam's superiority and the BBC was either too ignorant of the majority faith of the country it serves or duplicitous in keeping the point quiet.

Perhaps you think I'm over reacting - but the whole of Christianity hangs of the death and resurrection of Christ ( the Christian ascension day is quite some time off). Its makes an argument about GPS read outs in the sea look like a minor irrelevance. Its up there with holocaust denial for its significance coming from the mouth of Ahmadinejad. Imagine a Western leader standing up and denying what Islam says about its prophet ! ( You don't have to imagine just see what happened to the Pope. )

See extract below ( from Answering Islam site on Isa - the name Muslims use for Jesus )

‘Isa did not die on a cross

Christians and Jews have corrupted their scriptures. (Âl 'Imran 3:74-77, 113) Although Christians believe ‘Isa died on a cross, and Jews claim they killed him, in reality he was not killed or crucified, and those who said he was crucified lied (An-Nisa’ 4:157). ‘Isa did not die, but ascended to Allah. (An-Nisa’ 4:158) On the day of Resurrection ‘Isa himself will be a witness against Jews and Christians for believing in his death. (An-Nisa’ 4:159)

From the Christian scriptures - Paul letter to the Corinthians - written before Islam existed, buy people who were alive at the time of Christ. ( underlining is mine)

1 Corinthians 15

The Resurrection of Christ

1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter,^[b] and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

Happy Easter - Man in a Shed.

Update: Let us Reason has a intresting discussion on this last subject here...