I have waded through a few emails, all of which have sought to show me how we are, rather than how I seem to think they are.
The first group seek to point out that Christians are marginalised in every walk of life. We are "No longer the force we were and are thus marginalsed and ignored." They were the biggest group, so I'll address them first . .
Think I've dealt with this (to death) but one last nail (hopefully) in this argument has to be that we are where we have, in the main, placed ourselves with our particular brand of 'authority'. Where we should have taken a lead, we have been silent (or worse still, sat on the fence and sold that special brand of fudge that Christians are so good at making). It is for this reasons that we are so rarely listened to.
There is 'stuff' going on all over the world and yet when Rowan (or some other Christian worthy) speaks it is rarely relevant or even accessible. Lives are in disarray and we re-arrange the deck chairs on a sinking ship.
If Christians are marginalised, how can it be that when I look at the things that are happening in our community, the prime movers, those engaged with the needs of the community, those who are in partnership with the local and county council, number a great many Christians?
At ground level, where the need is (and the work done) we see Christians engaged and welcomed, respected and supported by the secular world.
Could it be that we want to be marginalised so that we might garner the sympathy vote to bolster the less desired place we feel we occupy. Could it be that those who are marginalised most are those who do least and want the highest esteem?
Is that the model Jesus brings us? Nah, don't think so.
Jesus came to this world, God made man to 'serve', that is to be a 'servant' and we know that servants don't get the money, they don't get the recognition their services perhaps demands, but the reward is in serving (not being afforded 'rights' and not being listened to as an authority).
So, let's be honest and admit that we don't have the position, power, authority or deference shown to us that the clerics of days gone by had.
Halle-blinking-lujah! We aren't called to be the ruling classes, but the serving classes. The days of 'father knows best' have, thankfully, gone and now we look to partnerships and to being Church together.
If you want to prove you're marginalised, it's easy - just go out and find someone to make a point against - works every time.
But if you want to see just how respected and valued we (Christians) are - get off your behindside and engage with the needs around you, love the unloveable and serve like Jesus taught us.
Friday, 8 April 2011
A Prayer and Anthem for the wedding
It appears that when the CofE released the prayer for the Royal wedding they missed out the final anthem. So here's the prayer (and a very good one it is indeed) and the ditty (to be sung to a familiar tune which like the original appears to be by that great writer and composer 'anon'):
The Prayer
God of all grace,
friend and companion,
look in favour on William and Catherine
and all who are made one in marriage.
In your love deepen their love
and strengthen their wills
to keep the promises they will make,
that they may continue
in life-long faithfulness to each other;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Song
God save our gracious Gran,
and of course Phil (her old man),
God save our Gran.
Please don't forget our Dad,
Even though he's kind of sad,
And whilst married to my Mum, was bad,
God save our Gran.
Please may we break the mould,
Shown to us by the old,
Long may we last.
May we live faithfully,
Not like the other three,
And save the family tree,
God help our Gran!
(Sounds a bit druidic to me ;) )
Happy and joyous Friday and end of term!
ps. Where's my invite??
The Prayer
God of all grace,
friend and companion,
look in favour on William and Catherine
and all who are made one in marriage.
In your love deepen their love
and strengthen their wills
to keep the promises they will make,
that they may continue
in life-long faithfulness to each other;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Song
God save our gracious Gran,
and of course Phil (her old man),
God save our Gran.
Please don't forget our Dad,
Even though he's kind of sad,
And whilst married to my Mum, was bad,
God save our Gran.
Please may we break the mould,
Shown to us by the old,
Long may we last.
May we live faithfully,
Not like the other three,
And save the family tree,
God help our Gran!
(Sounds a bit druidic to me ;) )
Happy and joyous Friday and end of term!
ps. Where's my invite??
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Jonah Jim's modern day miracle story
Paula writes:
On Sunday 20th March our son drowned in the rain water that had filled our previously drained garden pond. Incredibly our dear friend (a paed nurse) was at our house for Sunday lunch. She battled and eventually resuscitated him.
The amazing paramedics took over and fought to keep him alive until we got to the local hospital
where a very large resus team took over and battled for seven hours to stabilise him.
The expert CATS (Children's Acute Transport Service) took over and transferred him to the Intensive Care Unit at Great Ormond Street.
We were told two weeks ago today that Jonah was brain damaged. He was in a coma for over fifty hours which felt like a lifetime to us. When he eventually came out despite initially appearing very distressed and a very different little boy he quickly went from stength to strength once on the Neurology ward. We were told that his expected stay on the ward could be anything from three months to a year depending on his severity.
Less than six days later we were transferred back to the local hospital and only remained there for a further three nights due to the blood clot which is a side effect from the coma.
Today we rejoice that Jonah is one hundred percent the cheeky and mischievous little lad that he was when he woke up on that Sunday morning. His restoration to health has baffled medics and for this we give all the glory to God.
We thank you our friends and family who have held our son in your hearts and prayers and passed it on to your family and friends to do the same. We estimate that over 10,000 people lifted our little boy to Him. For this we thank you.
Who says I only do 'doom and gloom'?
The words of John's Gospel (chapter eleven) sum it up nicely:
"This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
Praise the Lord or what?
On Sunday 20th March our son drowned in the rain water that had filled our previously drained garden pond. Incredibly our dear friend (a paed nurse) was at our house for Sunday lunch. She battled and eventually resuscitated him.
The amazing paramedics took over and fought to keep him alive until we got to the local hospital
where a very large resus team took over and battled for seven hours to stabilise him.
The expert CATS (Children's Acute Transport Service) took over and transferred him to the Intensive Care Unit at Great Ormond Street.
We were told two weeks ago today that Jonah was brain damaged. He was in a coma for over fifty hours which felt like a lifetime to us. When he eventually came out despite initially appearing very distressed and a very different little boy he quickly went from stength to strength once on the Neurology ward. We were told that his expected stay on the ward could be anything from three months to a year depending on his severity.
Less than six days later we were transferred back to the local hospital and only remained there for a further three nights due to the blood clot which is a side effect from the coma.
Today we rejoice that Jonah is one hundred percent the cheeky and mischievous little lad that he was when he woke up on that Sunday morning. His restoration to health has baffled medics and for this we give all the glory to God.
We thank you our friends and family who have held our son in your hearts and prayers and passed it on to your family and friends to do the same. We estimate that over 10,000 people lifted our little boy to Him. For this we thank you.
Who says I only do 'doom and gloom'?
The words of John's Gospel (chapter eleven) sum it up nicely:
"This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
Praise the Lord or what?
The Spiritual Influence
A couple of weeks back at the annual conference of the Christian Broadcasting Council, Michael Nazir-Ali issued a warning regarding totalitarianism and the threat it represented with regard to conscience. The reality is that it is neither threat, nor 'encroaching' danger, but a clear and present reality as we see both private and public life legislated, regulated and generally controlled.
People of no faith make decisions regarding faith and the part it plays, or more accurately doesn't play. People with little, skewed or no obvious moral standards make rules and decide what is right. What we have is the blind and insane driving the bus and ruling the asylum respectively!
The outworking of this is, as Nazir-Ali rightly says, that we are no longer in a free society but in "An ideology that is seeking to impose its views on us.” Were we in a free society we might have a hope, but this hope is gone as we lose the moral and spiritual values that once valued what was good and right for the hedonistic, self-serving secular society that many crave.
We no longer value that which is good. We no longer have a respect for the sanctity of human life. We know the price of everything and the value of nothing and thus have become shallow and cynical (Thank you Mr. Wilde, just as you rightly identified it!).
We are driven by fear and the desire for a 'quiet life', hence the fact that none will challenge the more aggressive forms of religious group and yet will stand tall at the weak and meek groups, like the Christians. Our society picks its fights and denies that which might make it stop and look in the mirror.
Failing families? The answer is to give the family a place of pride and to offer it support. The traditional parents (married and working at a life-long bond), children brought up in a stable and loving environment (which is about relationships, not income, educational standards and possessions. Oddly, from within this comes a nurturing that encourages aspirations and a culture of self-development and attainment.
Criminal Activity? As unpopular as it seems, there is an answer to this. 'STOP IT!' So many of those I meet today have a morality that supports and defends 'dodgy' ways. The ends justify the means and who cares if the rules are just a little broken as long as we get what we want?
Life? I listened with interest and despair at a broadcast where families spoke of the 'kindness' of euthanasia. It was kind on them because they didn't want to keep visiting. It was kind on them because it was costing a great deal to keep the focus of the care being cared for. It was kind on the aged relative, because their 'useful' life had come to an end and they were no longer in possession of a 'quality of life'.
Faith brings a commonality of purpose and a value for life. Christian faith has done that in the UK for a very long time and I have come to the conclusion that the erosion of Christian values and the decline in our society with regards to family, vales, standards and morality appear to me to be the result of the other.
Faith brings a tolerance (it's people looking for an excuse for their greed who use 'religion' as the reason for war). Faith isn't about being religion but is, in the Christian context, about having a relationship with the Maker and a respect (and tolerance - that word again) for others.
This is why people can burn Korans. This is why people murder and plot evil. They don't know the Maker - they just want things as they, and the god of their making, want them - and this is death.
Pax
People of no faith make decisions regarding faith and the part it plays, or more accurately doesn't play. People with little, skewed or no obvious moral standards make rules and decide what is right. What we have is the blind and insane driving the bus and ruling the asylum respectively!
The outworking of this is, as Nazir-Ali rightly says, that we are no longer in a free society but in "An ideology that is seeking to impose its views on us.” Were we in a free society we might have a hope, but this hope is gone as we lose the moral and spiritual values that once valued what was good and right for the hedonistic, self-serving secular society that many crave.
We no longer value that which is good. We no longer have a respect for the sanctity of human life. We know the price of everything and the value of nothing and thus have become shallow and cynical (Thank you Mr. Wilde, just as you rightly identified it!).
We are driven by fear and the desire for a 'quiet life', hence the fact that none will challenge the more aggressive forms of religious group and yet will stand tall at the weak and meek groups, like the Christians. Our society picks its fights and denies that which might make it stop and look in the mirror.
Failing families? The answer is to give the family a place of pride and to offer it support. The traditional parents (married and working at a life-long bond), children brought up in a stable and loving environment (which is about relationships, not income, educational standards and possessions. Oddly, from within this comes a nurturing that encourages aspirations and a culture of self-development and attainment.
Criminal Activity? As unpopular as it seems, there is an answer to this. 'STOP IT!' So many of those I meet today have a morality that supports and defends 'dodgy' ways. The ends justify the means and who cares if the rules are just a little broken as long as we get what we want?
Life? I listened with interest and despair at a broadcast where families spoke of the 'kindness' of euthanasia. It was kind on them because they didn't want to keep visiting. It was kind on them because it was costing a great deal to keep the focus of the care being cared for. It was kind on the aged relative, because their 'useful' life had come to an end and they were no longer in possession of a 'quality of life'.
Faith brings a commonality of purpose and a value for life. Christian faith has done that in the UK for a very long time and I have come to the conclusion that the erosion of Christian values and the decline in our society with regards to family, vales, standards and morality appear to me to be the result of the other.
Faith brings a tolerance (it's people looking for an excuse for their greed who use 'religion' as the reason for war). Faith isn't about being religion but is, in the Christian context, about having a relationship with the Maker and a respect (and tolerance - that word again) for others.
This is why people can burn Korans. This is why people murder and plot evil. They don't know the Maker - they just want things as they, and the god of their making, want them - and this is death.
Pax
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Akira Press - Some Progress
This blog entry has been retrospectively amended as a gesture of goodwill towards the press as they seek to move forward from their earlier teething problems.
Unless the LORD builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
May God indeed always be the builder in all that we seek to do.
Pax
Unless the LORD builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
May God indeed always be the builder in all that we seek to do.
Pax
A bit of a hop
Having taken the 'first step' we find ourselves having to 'hop' in that, as was pointed out extremely well (and with some good examples), the society in which we find ourselves leans towards some people being, "More equal than others!"
I was given examples of some groups being afforded more concessions than others through fear of appearing, or worse still being labelled, 'racist' or 'anti-Islamic, had they said 'No' to something. The other side of this coin is that to say 'No' to members of our 'own' society (or to member of the national faith i.e. Christian) would just be being honest and 'normal'.
And so it transpires that when concessions are made to (as a 'for instance') Islamic groups, those who make the concessions are being racist (a situation which in today's society needs to be addressed), those who make the decisions are acting against the natural sense of justice and fair play. The antonym of Xenophobia is, of course, tolerance and this is what freedom of speech and choosing how we live is all about.
Being a member of a faith, gender, orientation or any of people group often leads the members of it to assume that they have some 'god-given' right to be treated differently and this is no the case. The fact that any of us might have a faith, or no faith, does not confer upon us the right to become a 'special case'. The problem is two-fold in that where a religious group is also considered to be 'ethnic' (whether this be because of country of origin or because of the observance practices) we find the ghetto mentality (and reality) becoming established and because of the concentrations of one people groups (ethnic, religious or whatever) we find temples, mosques and the like peppering the area and establishing 'no go zones'.
As a Cockney I have experienced this on a number of occasions and in a number of places, here's just a few:
The Jewish community in Stamford Hill (and the more well off cousins in Hendon and Ilford)
The Bangladeshi community around the Bethnal Green area
Brick Lane, Slough, Southall and the like.
I have been in places where caste wars were to be found, where a Sikh speaker was shot dead over the Punjab issue, where various sects within Islam were often to be found fighting and more besides.
Why, because people didn't want 'them' living next door and so supported the establishment of the very communities they now fear as being ghettos.
People are free to take a pop at what I believe. They are free to put banners denying what I consider to be true and labelling it as cobblers! This is what freedom of speech is about. When Jesus was portrayed in a way that upset many Christians, it was 'art'. When the same thing happened with the religion being Sikh, the theatre pulled the performance immediately because of the (much smaller) demonstration and complaints form 'community' leaders.
I happen across books that proclaim Christ and Christianity to be a load of BS every day. Do the writers have to go into hiding? Do the Christians pronounce death threats? No, of course not. But when other religions do so, we tut and make excuses for them. Why, because we're being racist! "They' don't know any better! "They're' just a bunch of ignorant savages with an ignorant and primitive, uncultured faith.
I have a right to be Christian. Another has a right to be Islamic. Still another has a right to be a humanist, or secularist or whatever they so wish. I have a right to practice my faith, other have a right to practice their lack of it. How we work this out, how we debate, dialogue and challenge the attitudes and belief (or non-belief) of others is part of the journey and the hallmark of a balanced and tolerant society.
The fear shown by some in challenging something because it's 'Islamic' or 'ethnic' or 'Gay' or 'Christian' (well actually there's no fear in challenging Christians, they appear to be an easy target and fair game for all) is actually destroying our nation's balance, culture, tolerance and exhibiting injustice and prejudice.
Prejudice is wrong, whether it is positive or negative. It is wrong!
making decisions through fear of reprisal is wrong, this is capitulation and we have seen too much of it in our nation. Equal values, level playing fields, respect for all and accountability and tolerant, honest challenging, and decision making is the only way this nation will be saved from slipping into the mire.
Oddly, this is the message of the God of the Christians and the Jews.
Pax
I was given examples of some groups being afforded more concessions than others through fear of appearing, or worse still being labelled, 'racist' or 'anti-Islamic, had they said 'No' to something. The other side of this coin is that to say 'No' to members of our 'own' society (or to member of the national faith i.e. Christian) would just be being honest and 'normal'.
And so it transpires that when concessions are made to (as a 'for instance') Islamic groups, those who make the concessions are being racist (a situation which in today's society needs to be addressed), those who make the decisions are acting against the natural sense of justice and fair play. The antonym of Xenophobia is, of course, tolerance and this is what freedom of speech and choosing how we live is all about.
Being a member of a faith, gender, orientation or any of people group often leads the members of it to assume that they have some 'god-given' right to be treated differently and this is no the case. The fact that any of us might have a faith, or no faith, does not confer upon us the right to become a 'special case'. The problem is two-fold in that where a religious group is also considered to be 'ethnic' (whether this be because of country of origin or because of the observance practices) we find the ghetto mentality (and reality) becoming established and because of the concentrations of one people groups (ethnic, religious or whatever) we find temples, mosques and the like peppering the area and establishing 'no go zones'.
As a Cockney I have experienced this on a number of occasions and in a number of places, here's just a few:
The Jewish community in Stamford Hill (and the more well off cousins in Hendon and Ilford)
The Bangladeshi community around the Bethnal Green area
Brick Lane, Slough, Southall and the like.
I have been in places where caste wars were to be found, where a Sikh speaker was shot dead over the Punjab issue, where various sects within Islam were often to be found fighting and more besides.
Why, because people didn't want 'them' living next door and so supported the establishment of the very communities they now fear as being ghettos.
People are free to take a pop at what I believe. They are free to put banners denying what I consider to be true and labelling it as cobblers! This is what freedom of speech is about. When Jesus was portrayed in a way that upset many Christians, it was 'art'. When the same thing happened with the religion being Sikh, the theatre pulled the performance immediately because of the (much smaller) demonstration and complaints form 'community' leaders.
I happen across books that proclaim Christ and Christianity to be a load of BS every day. Do the writers have to go into hiding? Do the Christians pronounce death threats? No, of course not. But when other religions do so, we tut and make excuses for them. Why, because we're being racist! "They' don't know any better! "They're' just a bunch of ignorant savages with an ignorant and primitive, uncultured faith.
I have a right to be Christian. Another has a right to be Islamic. Still another has a right to be a humanist, or secularist or whatever they so wish. I have a right to practice my faith, other have a right to practice their lack of it. How we work this out, how we debate, dialogue and challenge the attitudes and belief (or non-belief) of others is part of the journey and the hallmark of a balanced and tolerant society.
The fear shown by some in challenging something because it's 'Islamic' or 'ethnic' or 'Gay' or 'Christian' (well actually there's no fear in challenging Christians, they appear to be an easy target and fair game for all) is actually destroying our nation's balance, culture, tolerance and exhibiting injustice and prejudice.
Prejudice is wrong, whether it is positive or negative. It is wrong!
making decisions through fear of reprisal is wrong, this is capitulation and we have seen too much of it in our nation. Equal values, level playing fields, respect for all and accountability and tolerant, honest challenging, and decision making is the only way this nation will be saved from slipping into the mire.
Oddly, this is the message of the God of the Christians and the Jews.
Pax
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
A word from our Sponsor!
A couple of things struck me this morning (from the daily office):
Jeremiah 18.1-12
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
But they say, ‘It is no use! We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil will.’
The Collect of the day
Merciful Lord,
absolve your people from their offences,
that through your bountiful goodness
we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins
which by our frailty we have committed;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for Jesus Christ's sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Got my passport stamped - off to meeting in Cardiff
Talk soon,
Pax
ps. Jesus asked me to tell you He loves you and would love to chat more.
Jeremiah 18.1-12
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
But they say, ‘It is no use! We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil will.’
The Collect of the day
Merciful Lord,
absolve your people from their offences,
that through your bountiful goodness
we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins
which by our frailty we have committed;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for Jesus Christ's sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Got my passport stamped - off to meeting in Cardiff
Talk soon,
Pax
ps. Jesus asked me to tell you He loves you and would love to chat more.
Monday, 4 April 2011
First step
One of the biggest shocks to shape the ministry in the place I find myself today is the realisation that I am not called by God to drag people into the church building but to get the Church out of it. I am not called to 'bring people back' to church, because they've never been there and so return is impossible. I am called to bring God's blessing where it is already to be found, merely pointing the recipients to what is already there and effecting an introduction between the two parties.
What I, and those with whom I stand, am called to is to be light in the darkness of everyday reality and salt which brings flavour to be bland and bleak consumer society. I do this in the privileged surroundings of a nation whose Christian history has made it tolerant, and welcoming, of people from other nations and faiths. It is good and right that we have always, in the main, exercised religious tolerance, save a 'bit of a problem' with Rome exacerbated by some of our bloodier monarchs and will hopefully continue in this trend.
What would be a great sadness is for us to lose our birthright, nationally and as Christians, through the abuse of our welcome or the fear of legislators and those in authority. The guide is that all who inhabit our land, do so within the laws of this land and whilst there is warrant for people to have their own legal bodies for such issues as divorce (as an arbitration body ie. sharia and beth din), the law of this land is supreme and has absolute authority.
The means by which this is enabled is for those who are Christians to make proper, balanced and informed stands.
When I lived in West London, it wasn't the 'ethnics' who called for Christmas to be cancelled and the money that would have been used for decorations to be sent to a women's cooperative in South Africa. It was the council who wanted to promote their own agenda (non-Christian) and used to support this, the misinformation that the reason was the 'other faiths'.
Oddly, it was the Sikhs, Hindus and other non-Christian faith groups who pushed the council into funding the lights and saved Christmas. It was other faiths who spoke out about the importance of Christ and Christmas. The Christians were silent. Christians (weak, nominal or dechurched) showed themselves to be weak and impotent and to generally be people of 'no faith'.
When, as a member of a SACRE (Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education) we were asked to approve the dropping of formal religious assemblies within the borough's schools, the CofE (having the casting block vote) supported this every time. The voices of dissent for such action came from, yes - you have guessed - the member of the 'other faith' groups but of course, their voices went unheeded.
Where we find ourselves today is the heritage from such realities as this. From the legacy of people who were willing to have a 'meek shall inherit the earth approach' that was modelled on the doormat!
There is still time to embrace people of other faiths as just that. People who have other beliefs. We don't have to do services together (for as I understand it, all gods do not lead to the one same God) and we don't have to agree (another of the curses of multifaith and ecumenical gatherings). We are different faiths and so, although we will find areas of ethical behaviour that coalesce the reality remains that we are very different - and this is right!
When a church wanted to build a new building to accomodate them and their community work, restrictions were placed by the council on parking, noise from the building, light polution and a host of other issues. When the same council was asked to approve the building of a mosque in the very same area, no such restrictions were applied. It is this obvious bias and lack of equality which causes some to claim that other faiths and other tongues are afforded more rights that our native tongue and faith.
The reason for the decisions? The council didn't want to appear as if they were 'prejudiced' and so exhibited to all the fact that they were.
Lesson the first - open-handed, open-hearted, seeking equality and equity for all, regardless. Jew or Gentile, Muslim or Sikh, Secular Humanist or Theist. This is living biblically and is the way by which the kingdom (of God) will be won and the state of our country maintained.
Ex 22: 21 "You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt."
Lev 19:33 "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him."
Zec 7: 10 "Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other."
God's words, not mine. If you don't agree, take it up with Him!
Pax
What I, and those with whom I stand, am called to is to be light in the darkness of everyday reality and salt which brings flavour to be bland and bleak consumer society. I do this in the privileged surroundings of a nation whose Christian history has made it tolerant, and welcoming, of people from other nations and faiths. It is good and right that we have always, in the main, exercised religious tolerance, save a 'bit of a problem' with Rome exacerbated by some of our bloodier monarchs and will hopefully continue in this trend.
What would be a great sadness is for us to lose our birthright, nationally and as Christians, through the abuse of our welcome or the fear of legislators and those in authority. The guide is that all who inhabit our land, do so within the laws of this land and whilst there is warrant for people to have their own legal bodies for such issues as divorce (as an arbitration body ie. sharia and beth din), the law of this land is supreme and has absolute authority.
The means by which this is enabled is for those who are Christians to make proper, balanced and informed stands.
When I lived in West London, it wasn't the 'ethnics' who called for Christmas to be cancelled and the money that would have been used for decorations to be sent to a women's cooperative in South Africa. It was the council who wanted to promote their own agenda (non-Christian) and used to support this, the misinformation that the reason was the 'other faiths'.
Oddly, it was the Sikhs, Hindus and other non-Christian faith groups who pushed the council into funding the lights and saved Christmas. It was other faiths who spoke out about the importance of Christ and Christmas. The Christians were silent. Christians (weak, nominal or dechurched) showed themselves to be weak and impotent and to generally be people of 'no faith'.
When, as a member of a SACRE (Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education) we were asked to approve the dropping of formal religious assemblies within the borough's schools, the CofE (having the casting block vote) supported this every time. The voices of dissent for such action came from, yes - you have guessed - the member of the 'other faith' groups but of course, their voices went unheeded.
Where we find ourselves today is the heritage from such realities as this. From the legacy of people who were willing to have a 'meek shall inherit the earth approach' that was modelled on the doormat!
There is still time to embrace people of other faiths as just that. People who have other beliefs. We don't have to do services together (for as I understand it, all gods do not lead to the one same God) and we don't have to agree (another of the curses of multifaith and ecumenical gatherings). We are different faiths and so, although we will find areas of ethical behaviour that coalesce the reality remains that we are very different - and this is right!
When a church wanted to build a new building to accomodate them and their community work, restrictions were placed by the council on parking, noise from the building, light polution and a host of other issues. When the same council was asked to approve the building of a mosque in the very same area, no such restrictions were applied. It is this obvious bias and lack of equality which causes some to claim that other faiths and other tongues are afforded more rights that our native tongue and faith.
The reason for the decisions? The council didn't want to appear as if they were 'prejudiced' and so exhibited to all the fact that they were.
Lesson the first - open-handed, open-hearted, seeking equality and equity for all, regardless. Jew or Gentile, Muslim or Sikh, Secular Humanist or Theist. This is living biblically and is the way by which the kingdom (of God) will be won and the state of our country maintained.
Ex 22: 21 "You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt."
Lev 19:33 "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him."
Zec 7: 10 "Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other."
God's words, not mine. If you don't agree, take it up with Him!
Pax
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