Just when I thought I'd have a quiet morning enjoying the early Autumnal sun and feeling all was right with the world I find a news item about Rowan and the excesses that contaminate the banking classes. Hesitantly (sorry Rowan but when I do understand what you have written I find myself perhaps wishing I hadn't)) I begin to read that RW fears that the financiers feel no "repentance" for the excesses which led to the economic collapse. Encouraged, I press on. "The government should have acted to cap bonuses. Right on, go for it Ro'.
Do, or can financier's feel 'repentance' I wonder? In fact, having met so many people who have lost homes, jobs and aspirations recently, I was beginning to doubt that those in the financial even 'feel' regarding anything. But repentance for what? For taking a shed load of money (in excess of £85bn as I understand it) so they could continue whilst the Army cuts regiments from the Royal Signals and other branches feel the budgetary constraints that this bale out has brought? For using taxpayer's money to underwritten the excesses of a bonus culture and a lifestyle that would make the court of Louis XIV look poverty-stricken?
When we have the freedom to act without having a result, or at least a result that in some way touches us, we tend to through off all caution. I recall an experiment where people were asked to (apparently) put large amount of current through patients. Regardless of what they did, they felt nothing - the patient got it all and as a result caution and common-sense were thrown off. Isn't this what Rowan is speaking of here?
Roll the dice and when you win you pocket the winnings. Roll the dice again and when you lose, the taxpayer pays. It's a can't lose game, unless of course you're the taxpayer or one of the lower echelon ants in the farm that is finance.
Of course there hasn't been repentance, for this comes when one is faced by one's own errors and shortcomings (which we Christian call 'sin'). Better still it comes when one realises just how badly one has acted or sees, or feels, the results of the actions one has taken. Then it is felt rather than imposed, for in fact, it can't be imposed anyway. The trouble is that this is part of our societal confusion between justice and revenge. Between making aware and merely condemning.
Real reform, like repentance, has indeed been very limited. To really change or repent one needs to find something (or someone) to compare oneself with and to have a standard to measure oneself by. This standard is not gold, nor silver, nor any precious metal for although (as Ps 115:4 has it) "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands," only Jesus is an adequate standard and measure. Not the gold standard but the GOD standard!
Rowan is right when he says this crisis is a lesson that "economics is too important to be left to economists" but he stops short. He forgets to mention that this crisis also demonstrates that the running of a nation requires more than mere political rhetoric and dogma. We don't need high-sounding words running our nation (or the world), we need a mind fixed upon heavenly things and a desire for a land that sees equity for all, a place of security for the oppressed, a place of social justice for the downtrodden and a culture that rewards and honours labour, commitment and care rather than the pursuit of possessions, status and power.
It's easier for a camel to enter the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Now they can enjoy their riches but then the cries of those they have defrauded, cheated and cast out of home, employment and hope will ring in their ears.
Feel like repentance is an option now guys?
And to all my ex-colleagues and friends. There are days when I still miss lunch from Benjys - hear the words and repent while you can ;) because He (God) loves you too!
V
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