Has anyone read about the America soldier’s killing HUMAN BEINGS for sport in Afghanistan? The story, I think, has been overshadowed by the disaster in Japan and our own misfortunes at home but I think it still deserves a place in the media (particularly when we’re more than happy to put a member of parliaments gallivanting misconducts as headline news!!!!). The guardian has recently done a piece, originally exposed in Spegiel. Have a read of the guardian article here. We might be concertrating our prayers and thoughts (and activism) on Japan and Christchurch at the moment but we need to remember that the Middle East should still be on the radar and that there are still countless heinous crimes occurring in that region at the moment.
Archive for March, 2011
So I’m reading a book of T.S. Eliot’s essays at the moment (how’s that for a pick-up line) and in one of the essays he casually refers to such widely-known examples from literature as ‘the knocking on the gate in Macbeth’, and ‘the opening scene of Hamlet, being one that everyone knows’; and makes passing reference to ’Faulconbridge from King John’ and that character of Moliere’s who expressed his surprise at being told he spoke prose (he believed he did not speak prose – he only talked).
I shudder to think that if I had not had the luck of having Macbeth as one of the only 4 Shakespeare plays we were taught at high school, and if I hadn’t been fortunate enough to attend a performance of Hamlet in Form 5, I wouldn’t have the slightest idea of what he was referring to. I am still unacquainted with Faulconbridge.
My parents can still quote the odd line of poetry from their school days “I wandered lonely as a cloud..” – but I was never shown that literary field of daffodils, and most of the high school students I talk to have never heard of Wordsworth.
What struck home as I read further into T.S. Eliot’s writings is that we’re losing a lot of things we shouldn’t lose.
We say kids need purpose in life; I say they first need books. Particularly some Shakespeare and Eliot, Dante, Plato and so on. And most importantly, if none of these, then the Bible. Good literature broadens the mind so wonderfully well; it gives one a sense of perspective of one’s lifetime in the context of history, and lets you see that you’re not alone in your thoughts, fears, anxieties, and struggles. In fact it gives you knowledge and understanding to cope with these things better. And along with Religion, it helps one to see clearly their purpose in life and how to achieve it.
Soon we won’t have teachers to teach these texts anymore, because no-one will be familiar with them – and what a travesty that will be.
22
Mar
Breaking with Blighty?
With the advent of Prince William to our shores last week, the impending marriage of same, and the continual bleating of Australians on this topic, it’s time Being Frank delved into the murky world of Republic v Monarchy debate. Should New Zealand finally and formally sever ties with Liz (Windsor, not Bennett)?
Opinions differ on the merits of severing ties with the motherland (Great [sic] Britain, not Hawaiki), but for the life of me I just can’t fathom the generally petulant and usually discordant views espoused by the republican side of this debate. It all seems rather strange. Here are some thoughts on this issue, as Marty sees it:
Reasons to retain our ties with England
1. The New Year’s Honours list (not to mention Queen’s Birthday Honours List).
I mean, come on, we all knew what OBE and MBE meant, and they sound cooler than NZOM, or ONZ, let’s be honest. It’s always important, too, that honours are decided by an impartial, imperial outside observer. Everyone knows Sir Ed Hillary KBE (Knight Commander of the British Empire)…but ONZ? Seriously, it sounds like a form of adhesive.
2. What about military honours?
What on earth would Willie Apiata do with his Victoria Cross…change it to the Bolger Cross for valour? The Victoria Cross has history, and it’s our history too, just as much as it is English history.
3. Anglicanism
For Catholics in New Zealand, I think it’s vitally important for ecumenical relations with the Anglican Communion to retain the Head of that Communion as the Constitutional Head of the country. I hate to think how many years’ hard work in the field of ecumenical endeavour would be simply brushed aside by the rash decision to become a republic.
4. The Flag
And won’t somebody think of the flag?! The poor thing’s been through a few incarnations already, and imagine the stink we’d have if everyone got in on the action! Maori design or no Maori design? Do we make it reflect our more diverse culture, and review it every 5 years? Canada got it right back in 1965. Too hard to put maple syrup on the flag, so chuck a maple leaf on instead. Genius!
Maybe we could put a paua fritter on it. Or, if we prefer animals, maybe some crossed tiaha transfixing a moa? Or better still, a Haast eagle, if we can find a flag big enough. Or do we just make it black? Easy on public days of mourning, but what about our great Waitangi Day celebrations? We can hardly have a black flag for those now can we? We can’t have a flag of mourning on Waitangi Day.
5. Te Tiriti o Waitangi
And that raises another issue. What about the Treaty of Waitangi? What effect would a rash decision to become a republic have upon our founding document? I shudder to think how the rights and privileges of Maori would be trampled by vulgar republicans once the crown were removed from the equation.
And remember, last of all, the conclusion of that famous speech of Patrick Pearse, uttered in 1915:
They think that they have pacified Ireland. They think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half. They think that they have foreseen everything; think that they have provided against everything, but the fools, the fools, the fools! – they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.
Jolly good show.
Like so many other Kiwis, I took some time out on Friday afternoon to watch the National Memorial Service for the Christchurch Earthquake. It was very moving, some incredible speeches and singing, and a great turnout from brave Christchurch residents.
I also thought it was pretty awesome of Prince William to come all the way down for it, as well as dignitaries from Australia and other nations. It certainly makes you feel a little better being part of the international family.
In distant contrast, one of the worst aspects of this disaster has been these so-called “predictions” of Ken Ring – the “Moon Man”. His astrology-based prediction of a massive earthquake yesterday sent thousands of Cantabrians packing for the weekend – in fear of another shock.
Interestingly enough when the public heat came on him, Ring backed down.
After his terrible recklessness, the former pet paw reader Ring is as popular as tapeworms.
Even if for one moment we accept that Ring has the gift of the guesswork, his blatant misuse of it is morally irresponsible and irreprehensible. He used his ‘gift’ (and I use that term loosely) without responsibility and it led to fear-mongering. Anyone can come out and say, “People are going to die tomorrow” and be correct on some level. But people, no matter what gifts they possess, have a responsibility, an accountability of the highest regard, to use their gifts wisely and for the public good.
Ring fails on all counts.
It’s also another reason why good Christians shouldn’t rely on faith alone; analyzing religion and applying one’s reason is crucial. It’s what separates good Christian churches from oppressive, dangerous cults. God didn’t just give us a heart to believe with, he gave us a brain to examine and question.
For what it’s worth, I liken Ring to Nostradamus – a man who’s ‘predictions’ only come true after the occurrence. A sort of post-diction. His prophecy of September 11 was pulled apart by rationalists and theologians alike.
I hope the same occurs to Ring’s predictions.
St Anthony of the desert, pray for us.
First of all, my apologies for a lack of creativity in the title of this post, and next week’s (in advance). It is the night before my flight and my brain is slowly shutting down :)
This week – ‘poverty’, but not just any poverty, voluntary poverty which takes after the poverty of Christ himself. “The ultimate measure of evangelical poverty is that God is man’s only real treasure” – I can’t remember where I found this quote but I think that it really says it all.
St Augustine said, “Too little doth he love Thee, who loveth anything [along] with Thee, which he loveth not for Thy sake”. Well said, St Augustine!
St Gregory the Great used the comparison of religious to athletes training for climbing a mountain – they must not only equip themselves for the task of scaling the heights, but must also strip themselves of all excess weight.
The Code of Canon law says that religious “must be poor both in fact and in spirit”. To live this vow fully both types of poverty must be balanced. Religious should not think that ‘poverty of spirit’ can take the place of factual poverty. The same is true of the opposite, observing legal directives concerning ownership of material possessions but lacking a true spirit of poverty, is an equally concerning issue.
Voluntary poverty is a witness, a powerful witness, to the fact that someone is willing to leave everything for the Lord’s sake (especially in these days when materialism can be extreme).
Now I don’t want to criticise, but I know more that one or two religious who like to gather material goods (especially technology). I also sometimes visit religious who live in very nice homes with very nice furnishings and services such as Sky TV. I’m wondering where the idea of poverty is in those houses. Maybe they have very good reasons…I’m curious to find out.
19
Mar
Life in the fast lane
On St Patrick’s day (at staff drinks) I was blessed to be able to have a great conversation with a long time friend of mine about Catholicism and Orthodox Catholicism. We trained at teachers college together and he is a devout Romanian Orthodox, which I have known for a while, but an in depth conversation had never taken place.
Anyway, the discussion turned to Lent and fasting when I said that I was happy to have a few drinks and break my fast because of the Feast of St Patrick. I asked him about fasting in the Romanian Orthodox tradition and I was greatly inspired by his response.
They fast for the major feasts like we do, but also in preparation for the Assumption, which I hadn’t heard of Catholics doing. They also fast solidly on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year – like many Catholics in NZ used to, and few do today.
So, think about fasting, perhaps do some reading on it if you are not sure what to do. And without pride, discuss it with those around you. I think humble sharing about how we fast can inspire others to do the same.
But rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed
- 1 Peter 4:13
Oh, and for today’s important St…..
An Ancient Prayer to Saint Joseph
O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me all spiritual blessings through thy foster Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, so that, having engaged here below thy heavenly power, I may offer thee my thanksgiving and homage.
O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath.
18
Mar
“Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that’s remotely true! Facts, schmacks.”
So I read Marty’s post earlier in the week about the corrupt Bishops. To be honest, I only read the title and scanned the rest to get the gist of it. Seemed to be something along the lines of priests being allowed to get away abuse of children (sorry Marty if this wasn’t totally the gist of your writeup…). To me it’s not so much corruption but just arrogance that they thought they could get away with it by just moving a few people around. The short-sightedness of this (and other) similar actions taken by the Church with regards to the abuse scandals astounds me. It’s almost as if they believed that by answering to a higher power, they can disregard the laws of the land.
The Church has shot itself in the foot quite a lot over the course of history. It’s little wonder that many see it in a negative light.
That said, the Church does do a lot of good which is sometimes masked by the controversy it creates. I like having a ‘higher power’ to turn towards when things get rough, or in times of need, or when guidance is needed. Ok some people say there’s no God and really the prayers are just are form of positive reinforcement, or some sort of placebo. But it’s better to be on the safe side right?
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