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Brian Houston resigns from Hillsong amid more scandal

<p dir="ltr">Brian Houston’s reign as the head of Hillsong Church has come to a shocking end, after it was announced he resigned from the global megachurch.</p> <p dir="ltr">The church’s founder resigned as Global Senior Pastor after an internal investigation into two incidents involving Brian found he had breached the church’s code of conduct, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/hillsong-church-brian-houston-resigns-as-head-of-megachurch/f4ead2f0-5292-418f-a38a-5c579ee2680b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dear Church, we would like to advise you that Pastor Brian Houston has resigned as Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church and the board has accepted his resignation,” a statement from the church read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Irrespective of the circumstances around this, we can all agree that Brian and (his wife) Bobbie have served God faithfully over many decades.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We ask that you continue to pray for them, and the entire Houston family, during this challenging time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The church revealed last week that Brian had breached its moral code following the investigation.</p> <p dir="ltr">He allegedly sent inappropriate text messages to a staff member a decade ago, and entered a woman’s room at a conference in 2019 after mixing medication and alcohol.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The first issue was approximately a decade ago and involved inappropriate text messages from Pastor Brian to a member of staff, which subsequently resulted in the staff member resigning,” last week’s statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the time, Pastor Brian was under the influence of sleeping tablets, upon which he had developed a dependence.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hillsong said Brian apologised to the staff member and received help from the church for his use of sleeping pills.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Following an in-depth investigation, it was found that Pastor Brian became disoriented after a session at the Hillsong Conference, following the consumption of anti-anxiety medication beyond the prescribed dose, mixed with alcohol,” the statement said of the second incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This resulted in him knocking on the door of a hotel room that was not his, entering this room and spending time with the female occupant.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Although members of the church were likely rocked by the news on Wednesday afternoon, this moment has been a long time coming for critics of the church and its leader.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brian Houston‘s resignation as Global Senior Pastor of the church comes just a month after he stepped down as the church’s figurehead last month while facing charges of concealing historic child sex abuse offences committed by his father, Frank.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence of another person in October last year, pleading not guilty to the charges after he returned to Australia from the US.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hillsong’s external legal counsel gave the board advice regarding the current charge I’m facing and that it would be best practice for me to step aside completely from church completely during court proceedings,” Brian previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">These aren’t the first scandals Hillsong has been embroiled in either, with accusations of homophobia, celebrity pastor infidelity, and the accepting of millions in tax-free donations from attendees being just a few.</p> <p dir="ltr">“With that tax-free status must come greater responsibility. If you don’t pay taxes, like you and me, then you ought to be more accountable,” former Senator Nick Xenaphon told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/hillsong-church-critic-reacts-to-leader-brian-houstons-resignation/fe878186-9fa6-4b1b-adf1-345478595282" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Obviously there’s a lot to unravel here but if you’re the leader then the buck must stop with you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With Brian’s resignation, Phil Dooley and his wife Lucinda have now taken over leading the church.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, it’s still possible that this will simply be an interim measure until a new leader is appointed.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0b1858bb-7fff-6b2b-a4e0-f89b17a71040"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Hillsong founder's daughter rants against media scrutiny

<p>The daughter of Hillsong founder Brian Houston has attacked the media in an online rant, while defending the religious group's party that outraged Australia. </p> <p>Laura Toggs, one of Brian's two children, is a pastor of Hillsong's "youth ministry" along with her husband Peter, and the pair are believed to be the key organisers of the recent youth camp in Newcastle. </p> <p>The event <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/absolutely-double-standards-hillsong-accused-of-breaching-health-order">caused outrage</a> across Australia, as music festivals and concerts were cancelled due to a new public health order, yet the event was allowed to go ahead on a religious basis as attendees were filmed partying maskless. </p> <p>Hillsong Church later apologised for the "<span>perception that we were not playing our part to keep NSW safe ... we sincerely apologise to the community at large."</span></p> <p><span>Despite their apology, Laura Toggs took to Instagram to slam the media in the wake of the controversy against the religious group. </span></p> <p><span>"I have watched the media willingly disregard any fairness for the sake of click-bait and to suit whatever profit they make off their agendas," she wrote.</span></p> <p><span>She labelled the media coverage of the event as "disgusting", "horrible", "immoral" and "low", and went on to claim the news outlets were "destroying peoples' lives one cheap headline at a time."</span></p> <p><span>While Ms Toggs didn't share any of the "disgusting" news articles that seemingly slated her event, she said it was "heartbreaking to watch people believe the lies".</span></p> <p><span>She went on to tell her followers that if they wanted to fill their minds with these sources, "then go ahead and buy into whatever s*** they spoon feed you."</span></p> <p><span>"But if you want truth to frame your heart and soul and mind, let the Bible be your source of wisdom and truth and guidance."</span></p> <p><span>After sharing a video that addressed the camp party, she told followers she was "mad".</span></p> <p><span>"I'm mad at the media reports that made our youth camps not only a national disgrace but an international news story."</span></p> <p><span>Laura continued on her rant by claiming the government has changed the rules on the organisation due to "media pressure", and not because of rising Omicron cases. </span></p> <p><span>"There is a clear agenda to drag Hillsong through the mud and to destroy our name," Ms Toggs claimed.</span></p> <p><span>After the public backlash of the event, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said Hillsong would escape a fine for the camp part, but said the organisers should face the consequences of flouting Covid restrictions. </span></p> <p><span>Laura ended her rant by urging her followers to "turn off the news, turn to the Word of God".</span></p> <p><span>As news of the event broke, Mr Perrottet said that he understood why the camp party angered so many Australians.</span></p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"I echoed the frustration and anger other people right across the state felt," he said.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"Even if technically it was within the rules, it certainly wasn't in the spirit of the rules. If we have to tighten loopholes, we will."</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"><em>Image credits: Instagram @lauratoggs @hillsong</em></p>

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“Absolutely double standards”: Hillsong accused of breaching Health Order

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australian artists have </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/outrage-over-hillsong-video-showing-crowds-singing-dancing-nsw-085606215.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">expressed their outrage</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> after footage of people singing and dancing at a Hillsong event emerged online, despite new restrictions banning these activities from happening in NSW.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some have pointed out that Hillsong’s Wildlife Summer Camp, a three-day “summer camp” held near Newcastle, looks similar to a music festival - where singing and dancing have been prohibited.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846808/hillsong2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8b1806a689dd4ef182e72a7825f6258c" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hillsong has been accused of breaching the Public Health Order banning singing and dancing at recreational facilities. Image: @hillsongyouth (Instagram)</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images and videos from the event show teenagers dancing to religious music - with many appearing to be unmasked - sparking outrage from the entertainment industry, which has seen many scheduled events cancelled in wake of the state’s rules.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Music festivals across the country have also been forced to be cancelled or postponed, prompting claims that Hillsong being allowed to hold such an event is a “double standard”.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Seeing all the artists, promoters, staff and vendors in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NSW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NSW</a> suffer after having outdoor events cancelled and then seeing THIS happening right now in NSW for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hillsong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hillsong</a> is disgusting, a huge gut punch to the already suffering industry. Absolute double standards. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NswPol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NswPol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nswcovid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nswcovid</a> <a href="https://t.co/fi5pyQZnrr">pic.twitter.com/fi5pyQZnrr</a></p> — Leon Sjogren (@Leonsjogren) <a href="https://twitter.com/Leonsjogren/status/1481460688032010241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Music producer Leon Sjogren wrote on Twitter: “Seeing all the artists, promoters, staff and vendors in NSW suffer after having outdoor events cancelled and then seeing THIS happening right now in NSW for Hillsong is disgusting, a huge gut punch to the already suffering industry.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Absolutely double standards.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the new restrictions on singing and dancing last week, telling reporters the activities would be prohibited in indoor venues from January 8 until January 27.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the Public Health Order, singing and dancing aren’t allowed at places such as music festivals, nightclubs, major recreation facilities, hospitality venues, and entertainment facilities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, weddings, music classes, and churches are exempt.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although Hillsong defended the event, telling the ABC it was “not similar to a music festival in any way”, NSW Health has requested that the organisation “stop singing and dancing”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Our camps involve primarily outdoor recreational activities including sports and games,” Hillsong said in a statement to the national broadcaster.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846809/hillsong1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ddd8f167cd714df785dde4fc56b5a6e6" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite footage showing unmasked teens singing and dancing, the religious organisation says it was not breaching the Public Health Order banning those activities. Image: @hillsongyouth (Instagram)</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The organisation added that they “follow strict Covid procedures” and “adhere to government guidelines”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, a statement from NSW Health accused the organisation of breaching the Public Health Order, as “singing and dancing at a major recreation facility” is prohibited.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Health Minister Brad Hazzard said: “While the Order does not apply to religious services, it does apply to major recreational facilities and this event is clearly in breach of both the spirit and intent of the Order, which is in place to keep the community safe.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other Australian artists have also taken aim at the event, with rapper Illy criticising the banning of singing and dancing at festivals but not in churches.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You can postpone all our festivals and gigs, you can say no to dancing in clubs for the next 50 years, and you can make singing and shouting in public illegal except in sermons and the cricket for some reason,” he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I can handle the singing, the dancing, and the no mask wearing at this Hillsong festival last night, even though it’s illegal for the entire arts industry to do the same. But playing“turn down for what” in 2022?! Too far. <a href="https://t.co/byOWufUaWa">pic.twitter.com/byOWufUaWa</a></p> — Illy (@illyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/illyal/status/1481461459368701960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“FYI I’m for everyone’s religious beliefs. The post is a joke, aimed at the latest horse s*** double standard the music industry is ONCE AGAIN having to face. Not attacking religion at all.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others said the rules should apply to everyone, religious or not.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The double standard applied to this Hillsong event vs other indoor or outdoor music festivals makes NO sense at all,” one critic shared on Twitter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You risk a big increase in Covid infections &amp; prolonging this pandemic for all of us. The same rules need to apply to everyone.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images / @hillsongyouth (Instagram)</span></em></p>

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Hillsong founder will “set the record straight’ on new charges

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brian Houston, the founder of the Hillsong Church, has said he will fight to clear his name after he was charged with allegedly concealing information about child sex abuse committed by his father.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Police will allege in court the man knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring that to the attention of police,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His father, Frank Houston, was a Pentecostal Christian pastor who faced multiple allegations of child sex abuse in the years leading up to his death in 2004.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frank Houston admitted to the abuse at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, which occurred several decades ago in Australia and New Zealand.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before the abuse became public, Frank Houston was allowed to retire from the church.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brian Houston was charged following a two-year investigation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After police served his Sydney-based lawyers, Mr Houston, who received an exemption to leave Australia with his wife during the pandemic, released a statement concerning the allegations.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“These charges have come as a shock to me,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a statement, Hillsong said it was “disappointed” that Mr Houston had been charged.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[We] ask that he be afforded the presumption of innocence and due process as his right. He has advised us that he will defend this and looks forward to clearing his name,” the church said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Given that this matter is now before the court, neither Pastor Brian or Hillsong Church will be making further statements.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We thank all who are part of our church for their support and prayers at this time.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Houston will be required to appear before a Sydney magistrate at Downing Centre Local Court on October 5.</span></p>

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“Completely deluded”: Fiery backlash after Israel Folau linked Aussie bushfires to abortion and same-sex marriage

<p>Ex-Wallabies star Israel Folau ruffled feathers after claiming that the bushfires that have devastated Australia and left six dead are God’s punishment for legalising abortion and same-sex marriage.</p> <p>The 10-minute recording has Folau, 30, saying that the timing of the bushfire crisis is no coincidence, but a taste of God’s judgement should nothing change.</p> <p>“I’ve been looking around at the events that’s been happening in Australia, this past couple of weeks, with all the natural disasters, the bushfires and the droughts,” he says.</p> <p>He then reads from the Book of Isaiah in the Bible: “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore, earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.”</p> <p>Folau continued with his sermon, saying that it’s okay to “murder” unborn children.</p> <p>“The events that have happened here in Australia, in the last couple of years – God’s word says for a man and a woman to be together … they’ve come and changed this law,” he says.</p> <p>“Abortion, it’s OK now to murder, kill infants, unborn children.”</p> <p>“Look how rapid these bushfires these droughts, all these things have come in a short period of time. Do you think it’s a coincidence or not?</p> <p>“God is speaking to you guys. Australia, you need to repent and take these laws and turn it back to what is right.”</p> <p>Many have hit back at his comments, including a Twitter account run by “God”.</p> <p>“Don’t tell me how to do My job, Izzy. I don’t go to your job and … oh wait, you don’t have a job anymore,” the Twitter account “TheTweetofGod” wrote.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Don't tell me how to do My job, Izzy. I don't go to your job and... oh wait, you don't have a job anymore.<br /><a href="https://t.co/B9nnjYNg5l">https://t.co/B9nnjYNg5l</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/smh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smh</a></p> — God (@TheTweetOfGod) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTweetOfGod/status/1196232777676386305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">18 November 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Hillsong Church Founder Brian Houston tweeted a message of support to Australians impacted by the bushfires, with a shot at Folau saying:</p> <p>“Pray for your Nation, don’t condemn it.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Pray for your Nation, don’t condemn it. 🇦🇺<br /><br />John 3:17.<br />“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” <a href="https://t.co/MWT0cSGXB3">https://t.co/MWT0cSGXB3</a></p> — Brian Houston (@BrianCHouston) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianCHouston/status/1196323979134263297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">18 November 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Ex-Ireland rugby player Allan Quinlan told<span> </span><em>Off The Ball</em><span> </span>that Folau has “lost the plot”.</p> <p>“It’s becoming sad at this stage. This guy is obviously completely deluded,” Quinlan said. “It’s shocking bulls*** that he is continuously preaching to people. Some will argue that it is just him preaching in his church, but he knows it is going to get out.</p> <p>“I’d say now, aside from believing any of this stuff, he’s damaging his case against Rugby Australia even more so, and I don’t think he’ll ever win that case.</p> <p>“People talk about free speech, but this is crazy speech. He’s saying it is out of love, but people have died here – Jesus, did you ever hear such crap in all your life?! There’s no way back for this guy now.”</p> <p>Even Prime Minister Scott Morrison denounced the comments from Folau.</p> <p>“I thought these were appallingly insensitive comments,” Morrison said to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/fiery-reaction-after-israel-folau-links-australian-bushfires-to-same-sex-marriage/news-story/35d07139e6ba4b69fae67a3388071a97" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p>“They were appalling comments and he is a free citizen, he can say whatever he likes. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have regard to the grievous offence this would have caused to people whose homes have been burnt down.</p> <p>“And I’m sure to many Christians around Australia for whom that is not their view at all and who’s thoughts and prayers, let me stress, are very much with those who are suffering.”</p>

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“Absolutely monstrous”: Child abuse victim speaks out against PM’s friendship with Hillsong founder

<p>WARNING: This story is graphic.</p> <p>In an emotional interview with<span> </span><em>The Sunday Project</em>, Brett Sengstock opened up about the abuse he suffered at the hands of Hillsong pastor Frank Houston.</p> <p>Frank repeatedly raped Sengstock over five years from the age of seven, and it wasn’t until the age of 16 that he broke his silence to his mother about the abuse.</p> <p>His mother then carried her son’s secret for twenty years before telling church elders about what went on.</p> <p>Sengstock has now revealed how it was handled by Hillsong Church founder and Frank Houston’s son Brian Houston, who is a close friend of Prime Minister Scott Morrison.</p> <p>There’s been intense media scrutiny on the Hillsong Church over the way that Brian dealt with the sins of his father, which included not reporting the incident to police.</p> <p>Brian is also being investigated by the NSW police for failure to disclose his father’s child sexual abuse.</p> <p>“We were big in the church and had strong ties in the church and Frank Houston came over to a Christian camp,” Mr Sengstock told <em>The Sunday Project </em>host Lisa Wilkinson. “Then he came back to my family’s house.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Last month US media reported the White House vetoed one of Scott Morrison’s guests for Donald Trump’s state dinner. This raised lots of questions, which still haven’t been answered. 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/ivcXdzpkt2">pic.twitter.com/ivcXdzpkt2</a></p> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1188371475528597504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">27 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“One night Frank Houston came in and climbed on top of me and started choking me and turned me over and I passed out. And he raped me. This went on repeatedly for days during that week.</p> <p>“And me and Brian Houston would play on the sand together and Frank would rape me again. Late in the night, back on top of me.”</p> <p>Mr Sengstock said that the abuse continued whenever he encounted Frank Houston as well as at Sengstock’s home in Coogee.</p> <p>After the abuse became known in the 1990’s, Frank contacted Sengstock and offered him $10,000.</p> <p>“Brian Houston facilitated the money but said something to me that rocked me to this day,” Mr Sengstock told<span> </span><em>The Sunday Project</em>. “He said, ‘You know, this is all your fault. You tempted my father.’”</p> <p>Brian has denied he’s ever said this and admitted that the day he confronted his father about the abuse was “the worst day of my life”.</p> <p>”My father, you know, he did some very evil things but there is no way he tried to blame the boy. He took it upon himself,” Mr Houston previously told the <em>Today </em>show.</p> <p>Brian said that he “did not have time” to speak to<span> </span><em>The Sunday Project</em>, and in a statement, the Hillsong Church confirmed the abuse.</p> <p>“The victim was a 36 year old adult when this abuse became known … (and) did not want Pastor Brian or others to go to the police.</p> <p>“At no time did Pastor Brian attempt to dissuade anyone including the victim from going to the police.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Last month US media reported the White House vetoed one of Scott Morrison’s guests for Donald Trump’s state dinner. This raised lots of questions, which still haven’t been answered. 2/2 <a href="https://t.co/Grw0nqC6G8">pic.twitter.com/Grw0nqC6G8</a></p> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1188371033352556545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">27 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Scott Morrison has a great friendship with Brian Houston but has flatly refused to answer whether or not he wanted Brian to attend a state dinner hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House.</p> <p>It doesn’t help matters that Scott and his wife Jenny were warmly welcomed to the Hillsong conference by Brian Houston, much to the horror of Sengstock.</p> <p>“It was shocking,” he said. “I couldn’t believe the audacity. Here’s the PM of this country on stage with Brian Houston, who is currently under investigation by the NSW Police, for concealing crimes of his father and they’re up there with their arms around each other. I am absolutely lost for words.</p> <p>“The national apology (to child abuse victims), what was the points in doing it?</p> <p>“It was a scam. I think publicly he did it to appease all the abuse survivors in this country. As for backing it up with anything, it’s absolutely monstrous. An absolute disgrace.”</p>

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