Selling off the banks

OK, I'm no fan of the Tory Party. But even so, wouldn't most thinking people of whatever political persuasion think that George Osborne's announcement about offering people shares in the nationalised banks at a discount suspect?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/21/osbourne-sell-bank-shares-public

1. Given the high level of taxes people are having to pay / going to have to pay to reduce the borrowing that went to bail out the banks in the first place, don't we already own the banks anyway?

2. If you really want to buy share sin the banks you can do so now via the stock market.

3. How prudent is it to encourage people to be investing in a risky sector of the economy?

4. Do any of really want to endure those dreadful privatization advertising campaigns again like we did in the 80s and 90s? You remember the British Gas one "If you see Sid tell him"

Think again George.

Haiti - where was God?

Haiti. Where was God?

Hours after the earthquake struck Haiti with such terrible effects, American tele - evangelist Pat Robertson said that a "pact with the devil" brought on the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Robertson has a track record for saying this kind of thing, having once said that Hurricane Katrina, that did so much damage to New Orleans, was a punishment from God.

200 years ago the French were using Haitian people as slaves. A voodoo priest called Boukman lead a group of Haitians in a revolt. He started this revolt by conducting a ceremony where a pig was sacrificed. (Pat Robertson’s pact with the devil.) After many deaths the French captured Boukman, executed him and crushed the rebellion. Historians consider this to be the start of the Haitian revolution.

So, is Pat Robertson right? No. God is not punishing one million people because Boukman, in 1791, cut a pig’s throat and made some voodoo pact with the devil. Come on.

You cannot pin this earthquake on God. We must learn what Job eventually learned. That as good and great as you might be or the Haitian people might be, no one has an exclusive and closed relationship with God. There is nature and nature means chaos which at any moment can intrude. And Satan and all the evil he inspires had nothing to do with whipping up this earthquake or any other natural disaster.

But where is God when terrible tragedies befall us?

In the Book of Job, Job wants to know why he has suffered. Why God has allowed this to happen? He finally gets his answer when God visits him from out of a storm and asks Job 86 questions. 25% of the questions in the book of Job are asked in four chapters where God is interrogating Job. Listen to some of the questions:

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you understand. Do you have an arm like God's, and can your voice thunder like his? Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?

Job is silenced and he realizes he is only a man, that he cannot possibly comprehend the meaning of the events around him.

So where was God during the earthquake in Haiti? I do not believe that God was in the belly of the earth. He did not cause this to happen. I'll tell where God was. He was there in the last moments as loved ones called out under the rubble to say I love you; I'm not going to make it. He is there in the soldiers’ camouflage headed toward the islands on our ships. He is there behind the Haitian trying to find his neighbour’s children. He is there when the rescuers pulled out a child trapped for days. He is behind the scalpel and the syringe. He is near the heart of all who in the face of this tragedy love their neighbour. He is there to welcome home those who turn to God in repentance, not for answers, but because in the end tragedies teach us that we are mortal and fully dependent upon Him.

David

(With acknowledgement to Brett Blair at www.eSermons.com)

Happy Christmas

I greatly enjoy Charles Dickens’ books. I can’t claim to have read them all but I have read a few. I inherited this interest from an aunt who was a passionate fan of Dickens and on her death she left me a set of the complete works of Dickens. So I’ve felt duty bound to read my way through them ever since.

One of the most famous of Dickens’ stories is of course “A Christmas Carol”. Even if you haven’t read the book, you will be familiar with it through the numerous films and TV dramatisations over the years. And perhaps you have a favourite version. Maybe the classic version with Alastair Sim from 1951. There is a new Disney version out at present. However, my personal favourite is “A Muppet Christmas Carol” which stars (of course) The Muppets and Michael Caine.

It is surprisingly faithful to the book and Michael Caine is a good Scrooge. It came out originally in 1992 and we discovered it when Tom was about 4. We bought it on video and have since got it on DVD. And it is now part of our family tradition to sit and watch it together at some point in the run up to Christmas.

As you will know, the idea behind A Christmas Carol is for Scrooge (who is a cold hearted money lender) to change after being shown Christmas scenes from the past, the present and the future.

After being shown a glimpse of a future Christmas (which includes seeing his own grave stone) in the book Scrooge says these words:

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"

And Scrooge vows to change his life from that moment on.

So what did Dickens mean by that phrase “I will honour Christmas in my heart?” I feel he meant that Scrooge would adopt the values that the infant Christ brought to our world through his birth. Love for fellow human beings. And not just for Christmas and always.

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all the world,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Christina Rosetti 1830 - 1894

I wish you a happy and joyous Christmas.

Remember, Remember

November is a month of remembrance. We start on 5^th November:

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

Though it is questionable now 400 years on whether the events of November 5^th 1605 are recalled by many people in any detail. Certainly children now seem more preoccupied with Halloween at this time of the year rather than Penny for the Guy.

But of course the other remembrance in November is that of 11^th November and the Sunday preceding it, in which the servicemen and women who have died in war and conflict are remembered.

For me this year’s Remembrance service will be very poignant. In my role as volunteer police chaplain I have tried to attend many of the repatriations for the fallen being brought home from Afghanistan. Sadly, I now know the routine all too well. I hear the news of a death on the news and then know that typically, about 5 or 6 days later, I will receive an email from the police telling when the ceremony will take place. I then join the ranks of ex servicemen, fire fighters, police officers and members of the public that gather at Gable Cross Police station for the cortege to come past on the way to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

On 14^th July, 8 young men were repatriated and that event made the international news. But somehow what is most saddening is to see a single coffin returning. One ex serviceman called Jack, who I have got to know well said to me on one such occasion “It’s sad to see a poor wee laddie on his own parted from his friends”. And I know what Jack meant.

Back in August, the funeral of Britain’s last veteran from the First World War – Harry Patch – took place. Having recently read Mr Patch’s biography I was moved by his comments that he believed war was organised murder. And in referring to the First World War he said "It was not worth it, it was not worth one let alone all the millions.”

I am sure many of us feel the same about Afghanistan. It is not worth the lives of the over 200 men and women from this country (let alone the hundreds from other countries and the thousands of civilians.)

Almighty God, help us to remember and learn the lessons of the past: the cost of war, the price of peace, the scope of human depravity and the extent of human sacrifice. Remind us of all we owe, lest we forget. We ask it in the name of Christ. Amen.

David (Prayer adapted from “Prayers for all seasons” by Nick Fawcett 1998.)

People don't want a Christian funeral

Father Ed Tomlinson an Anglican, Forward in Faith vicar (i.e. doesn't like women priests) has said in a blog that funerals are becoming too non Christian. I agree. But he gives the reason as being that people want to use secular music and doggrel poems instead of having music associated with a requiem mass.

He then goes on to say that And I am further concerned that an opportunity for evangelism is slipping through our fingers. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6881679.ece

What is up with this guy? Doesn't he realise that his attitude will put off people?

I despair!

Climate Change - The Wave 5th December 2009

We went to a rally in the centre of Swindon on Saturday to protest against claimte change. The rally was organised by Swindon Churches Together and had been well publicised. But only around 40 people turned up.

Good speeches by a rep from Christian Aid, one of the local MPs and a local minister.

But I get the sense of apathy about this most important of issues.

As Christians we believe we are stewards of this planet. SO we need to move from apathy and make our voices heard.

Join the campaign. Come to The Wave rally in London on 5th December. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/Countdown-to-Copenhagen-climate-change/climate-march-london.aspx

British Airways poor customer service

A couple of weeks ago we booked flights to California for next summer flying with British Airways. We were a bit reluctant to fly BA as it seems BA has a tendency to lose bags, go on strike, etc etc. And in fact we could have flown Air New Zealand for about the same price. But we thought we'd fly BA and do our bit for Blighty.

2 days later BA announce that it has introduced an extra charge for passengers who want to pre book their seats up to 10 days before flying. From what I can tell this charge would work out at maybe an extra £60 each.

I wrote to Willy Walsh the BA CEO to complain not thinking for a moment my complaint would be dealt with properly. Well, yesterday I received a letter from BA Customer Services which is basically a rehash of their original press release. In other words not answering my letter at all. However, the letter informs me that BA have introduced this new arrangement in response to "customer demand".

Tell me. What customer wants to pay more for something that they should be able to do anyway? BA will have had almost £2000 of my hard earned money for a year and in order for me to sit with my family on a flight I have to pay more for the privilege.

Yes customers may want to be able to select their seats more than 24 hours beforehand. But who in their right mind wants to pay a fee for doing so? No doubt some people with more money than sense.