Sunday Meditations

Still stuck indoors, this time because my arm aches from that fall and I resist the joy of walking in the rain to meet people.  So, I read the sheet for today and fine three interesting, possibly connected readings.  I say possibly because the reading follow the Anglican liturgy and these do not always make sense to me, they do not always fit together, so why use them I say?

Anyway, in Ezekiel 2:1-5 we see the young man respond to coming face to face with God.  Not unnaturally he falls on his face.  The supernatural reality of God is often ignored by many.  Their God is one cut down to a size that fits their understanding.  Sadly, our God is way beyond us and we, the created creatures, have to face that reality and bow down to his supernatural being.  How marvellous that that being is 'Love,' otherwise we would all have been destroyed long ago.  

The meeting with God is not accidental, Ezekiel did not 'just happen to be in the area at the time.'  No, this was God calling on a man he knew thoroughly and to whom he would give a task.  God knows all about those he calls.  Nothing about us can surprise him now.

Ezekiel's job was simple.  Here he was in Babylon, miles from Jerusalem where the people had been sent after God called the Babylonians to destroy the city in 586 BC.  Yet the strange thing was the Israelites did not consider they had done anything wrong!  Sin was not recognised and the move to Babylon was not understood as punishment, in spite of what the prophets had told them.  

Now Gods call was to Ezekiel to speak to an 'obstinate and stubborn people' as Gods prophet, and he would know what had happened to previous prophets!  Abuse and even death for some.  He is being sent to a rebellious people who will not listen.  How is that for a job description?  'See those people, they will not listen, but go speak to them and be rejected anyway,' says God.  Of course you might get hurt...

The thing is Ezekiel obeyed.

Mark 6:1-6.  The thing about leadership is a good leader goes first into any battle.  He does not ask his men to do what he has not done or is unwilling to do, he leads from the front.  Having sent prophets to the people at the right time God takes human flesh and walks among us himself.

He now takes on the responsibility of confronting sinful rebellious people face to face, and even worse, he does this among those he grew up with in Nazareth.  

The Mark passage is very short and does not contain the passage read by Jesus in the synagogue.  Isaiah 61.

'The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.' 

Jesus then stated this passage has been fulfilled today, something which astonished them, but then his words indicated he would also bring in the Gentiles.  This led to a reaction, mentioning his background as a mere carpenter and now telling them he was something great!  The gentile bit was the end for them.  They attempt to kill him but he walks through them and leaves.  A prophet is without honour is his own house indeed.  His family did not support him at the time.   

The supernatural God appearing as a man, not quite the messiah they expected, and talking about the gentiles was not a good way to make friends in such a village.  Jesus of course would have expected a reaction, did he not know them, but he was surprised just the same at their lack of faith.  I wonder if this indicates their faithfulness to the Jewish faith up to that time?

Note how Jesus obeyed the call to preach. 

Mark 6:7-13.  Jesus moves on but sends out his 12 disciples two by two, with clear instructions.  He gave them power over demons, power to heal the sick, and permission to preach repentance.  This was their chance to learn how to depend on the supernatural power of God rather than their own abilities.

They took nothing with them but God himself, and their needs would be met on the way.  What a lesson in apostleship!  Some would reject, some listen, some healed, some demons removed.  That is the world Jesus wishes all of us to participate in, not a s such preachers but in daily life.

Note how the disciples obeyed and went out.

Do I believe him?  Would I go out?

Do I trust him daily when in Tesco or on the bus?  Is this supernatural God not around when I need healing?  Or have I just not listened to him again?  And am I willing to be rejected by family, friends, and neighbours for following Jesus when the world is against him?

Are all 'Toffs' Bad?

This appeared on Twitter today, not quite hidden among the masses of posts dwelling on the election result.  Much has been made re the 'Toffs' in cabinet with little idea of real life in the nation today, so it was interesting to look at the totals of 'Toffs' in each parliament since 1945.

Atlee of course was himself a 'Toff,'  his school followed the Victorian habit of sending 'schoolboys' into rough areas to improve education needs and other aspects of life in what was often real slum like conditions.  Clem found his life there.  He remained in the East End of London, becoming a local councillor, then MP for the area, and before the war leader of the Labour Party.  Of course during the Great War he served, as an officer, at Gallipoli and elsewhere.  When the war came he remained in charge of the Labour Party, and took the role of Deputy Prime minister when Churchill was touring the world.  Many enjoyed this as his manner was that of an efficient manager, with no monologues to offer the cabinet!  After the war he led the greatest improvement in UK life that there has been in a short, and bankrupt, time.  If only he was around today!

Few 'Toffs' in his cabinet, many had come from the factory floor through the unions, and quite a few had reached university.  The attitudes at the time are revealed in the 'Toffs' actions after Labour lost power.  Churchill, an excellent war leader, was at heart a Liberal, and did not reverse much that the 'socialists' had introduced.  Indeed, he sent one 'Toff,' Harold MacMillan the housing secretary, to build 3 million houses between 1951 and 1953.  This he completed!  I see no chance of the Tory leaders after 2010 considering this action.  

Many see the 1950s as a glory period, and in some ways they are correct.  For a start I was born (cheer loudly at the back), and in 1953 we moved into a brand new corporation flat at a rate of £1 7/1d a week.  To the parents this was not just expensive but also luxury!  

The 'Toffs' of the 1950s remained 'Toffs.'  They did not pretend to be working class, they remained themselves, and until MacMillan was ridiculed, by privately educated comedians on 'That Was The Week That Was,' little changed.  After these 'Toffs' came the pretend working class Harold Wilson.  I'm not sure which was more honest.     

Comparing the attitudes to the 1950s 'Toffs' with those from 2010 reveals men who fought in one war, supported the nation during a second, with a long period of depressions in between.  The Boris cabinet contained men who while young did not wear uniform, instead they played 'Punk' records and trashed Oxford restaurants while laughing at the plebs.  Social conscience, an understanding of what their policies led to, and an understanding of human nature and life itself was absent from the majority of Conservative Cabinet members during this time.  Self and money was all, and now kicked out by the people, a people that did not rush to support Labour, they run off to find high paid jobs still unaware of real life.  Look out for all sorts of ex-Tory MPs appearing in well paid quangos near you soon.  Their appreciation of public need will have not developed any by the time they float off with another fat pension from that job.

As for Keir's mob we wait and see.

    

New Blood, Same Story

So the new boy is greeted by the old boy after the previous boy had run off to California.  How jolly.

A massive vote, but actually smaller than it appears.  Less people turned out to vote at this election than at any other previously.  Many Tories remained at home, similarly many SNP would not vote for this lot or the opposition.  Many just got fed up with all of them.

The truth is no-one voted for Labour, they voted against the Tory and SNP.  Clearly the Labour vote stood strong but all others fell apart.  This included many Labour members being imported from England to represent the party.  Even Cowdenbeath & Kirkcaldy voted for Labour and an English female MP!  Quite what Willie Gallaher, the Communist MP from 1935 - 195 would have thought about that is not clear.   

The SNP fell apart because of the 'Stonewall' love in.  Putting men guilty of rape in women's prisons because the 'identify' as a woman and allowing such men to use female toilets has not gone down well outside of activists, and many remain within the party.

Our Home Secretary won his seat once again.  The 'Reform' wide eyed loons failed to remove him, though they did dent his majority, and far too many Tories forgot what he had done to them and came out, possibly at night when twilight fell.  Now, he retains his job of ignoring us and fighting for the leadership of the rump of the Tory Party.  Soon the main names will dominate the pages, I hope they all lose!

Enough, it's over now, we await the cabinet, we await the press attacks, we await the future.  I remain glad Jesus is still in control and he has seen much worse than this before.

VOTE!

 

Well I stumbled round to vote this morning, no-one there!

I thought at 10 am ish it would be busy but, there were only 3 or 4 came in.

There was a queue before 7 they said, however, and I think the Tories have remained indoors here to lose their unpopular home secretary.  

I voted 'Braintree Working Class Communist' though I think he may not win...

How unusual to find a polling station empty.  Normally, General Elections bring out the crowds.  The early morning rush of people heading for work is one thing, possibly all local workers heading to the factories maybe?  That sounds good for Labour anyway.

The middle morning is when the women come shopping, and Thursday is the quiet day around here, but so few were appearing, I guess the normal Tory voter has not come out.  That is bad for the MP but, he has become unpopular as he was only interested in being a senior cabinet member and not a run-of-the-mill MP.  His famed refusal to answer emails has annoyed many.

Now I say writing to an MP will not bring a result.  You may get an answer, copied from central office probably, but that does not matter.  What matters is getting as many people as possible to contact the MP about a situation and letting him know what the locals are saying re that situation.  He may not answer, but he will pass this on to central office.  

So, we await the result.  Not much point in waiting up.  Labour will win.  It is just wondering how many seats they will gain, which famous MP will be gone, who will survive, and how the SNP and ALBA will do in Scotland.  I hope for many ALBA seats.  We wait and see.

One thing is clear, nobody who thinks expects much 'change' in spite of the claims made for that.  One Tory removed and another takes their place.

And Happy 4th July to the USA by the way.  

Fall for Haggis

 

Some people, especially in England that colonial empire building nation that lives in a delusion of grandeur, some people do not believe that the Haggis is a wild creature found only in Scotland.  I am pleased to see that some nature lovers have gone out to prove them wrong.  

Haggis cultivation was something the farming side of the family undertook, though as they were mostly border farmers there were few such creatures to be found around Duns.  The shearing for the wool was indeed an art, I believe one of the Fife coal miners used to do this after working a shift down the pit.

It was not done in Edinburgh, the Morningside lassies thought such things beneath them.

What with overdoing things recently and ending up unable to walk, or indeed cross the room without holding on to furniture, my life is really blessed.  It is indeed, especially today when I managed to make it to Sainsburys and back.  I was pleased.  While I had run out of everything I did manage by baking biscuits as there was no bread, and enjoy a variety of Green Tea, as there was no milk.  I was happy and content in spite of it all. 

Today, I thought I must try and make the shop just to ensure I can make it as I must wander the long way round tomorrow and enter my vote against the present MP and hopefully see him fall.  He has lost much support in recent days and has been striving hard to be noticed this week.  At least one man noticed him and gave him a bollocking!  Hopefully the blue tick people will show their contempt by remaining indoors or voting for the Reform man, that will reduce his chances.  

Then I can pop over to visit Tesco to gather the things I avoided getting today as that would have been to much to carry.  

Well, I may not bother with Tesco, as when I retuned happily from Sainsburys I fell flat on my face, damaged an arm, got several bruises and muscle strains that will be working themselves out tomorrow, and maybe the PTSD will have gone by then.  

Isn't life good!

The Difficult Choice

I woke this morning to be greeted on Twitter with many more Tory Party bots, Labour promises, SNP Stonewall love in, and ALBA promising real independence.  It was a bit much for early morning. 

However, 'change' is indeed needed, though I do not see this from Labour.  For 14 years the Conservative Party has deliberately run down social services, the NHS, the probation service, including a failed privatisation, the prison service, no wonder it is overcrowded, sold of the magistrates courts, and refused to increase the lawyers wages at that level, alongside wages everywhere else.  

All the while vast amounts of money has been taken out of the country to Tory donors be they big business or private health care, or in the case of PPE requirements merely friends of a Tory MP.  Corruption on an international scale, and this on top of Brexit, the stupidest thing any nation has ever done.

What chance Labour will change this?  

Clem Attlee, our greatest Prime Minister, would ensure the poor were considered before anything else. Taxing the rich, of which he was one, and doing his best to see housing, medical, and schooling needs were met.  Will this Labour do this?  I doubt it.

Starmer has taken almost £200,000 from private health companies, Wes Streeting much the same, all are paid for by big business and all support the Freeports and SEZs which will dominate the nation for the next ten years.  

Do they care about society?

A shadow chancellor who 'struggles to pay bills' while earning over £100,000 and has a husband on £170,000 struggles?  What chance then has the public.  It is clear there is no desire to amend the Tory attack on the poorest, benefits will be attacked once again, while the new MPs collect their winnings from Israeli lobby groups and private health companies.  The people do not matter.

Then on top of this the entire Labour Party will enforce men dressed as women making use of women's spaces while the entire nation opposes this.  Drag acts before primary schools kids will be encouraged, and any perversion will be regarded as normal under Labour.

Christians and Muslim who oppose, well certainly Christians, they are too scared of Muslims, those who oppose these things will become criminals in this deranged world.  Schoolteachers, ministers, vicars, any who follow truth will be attacked while confusion is allowed free reign.

The future is not bright under Labour, one set of Tories will go and another will take over.  The people will still suffer social deprivation while they fill their pockets.