Hate mail, Atheist buses and Facebook…. Friday, February 6, 2009

Has the Christian community have forgotten what it is to Love?

[Ed. I have been trying to write this blog (in various guises) for a while, but I have never really known how to phrase it. I am sure that some may find the contents slightly uncomfortable, but if you could refrain from condemning me to an eternity of flaming torment I would appreciate it. So here goes.]

Let love be your only debt! If you love others , you have done all that the Law demands.

Romans 13:8

Since Richard Dawkins unveiled his new “Atheist” bus back in December there has been no shortage of religion-based stories. From calls to make Thought for the Day a more inclusive forum to Papal warnings about the Facebook phenomenon, to  Dr Rowan Williams supporting the disestablishment of the CofE, it would seem that the entrance of the Routemaster has brought our religious consciousness to the fore.

Unfortunately, for some this spiritual awakening has been moulded into a force for hate.

“They tell me to burn in hell and good riddance.”

David Attenborough

A recent article published in the Guardian has revealed that around half of Britons do not believe in Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, with 22% believing in a Creator or some sort of intelligent design.

[Ed. This is neither the time or place to get into a discussion over the various theories surrounding the creation of the universe, but if anyone is interested in finding out my personal thoughts, please click here.]

In a digital age it takes a lot to move someone to put pen to paper, it takes more time and is less comodious than the computer. In other words you’d have to be overcome by a huge wave of emotion, which, in this case, must be Anger.

Last month the Frontline club rescreened “America’s most hated family” in which Louis Theroux follows the Phelps family as the wage a hate war against America. All in the name of God.

The CofE is often accused of watering down the Bible in order to be inclusive, but if this is true then the religious Right are guilty of ignoring the teachings of Christ by continuing to pursue hate campaigns.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets [c] are based on these two commandments.

Matthew 22: 37-40

Anger, hate, condemnation – not really compatible with a God of Love, are they?

So much to do with Religion is political. The various denominations of the Christian Church are entrenched in a battle for supremacy and it seems that the message of Christ is the ultimate loser.

I will never agree with those like the Phelps family who would quicker condemn than offer a helping hand. I do not worship a God who is vengeful or quick to judge but one who gave His life so that we might have a meaningful relationship. So if you want to send hate mail to David Attenborough or protest at a funeral pleae don’t do it and still call yourself a Christian.

Before I finish I wan’t to quickly refer back to Dawkins’ big red bus. At school I was told there are 3 types of belief. There are those who believe wholeheartedly in a specific God, those who believe that there is a “divine” presence but aren’t really sure as to what it is and those who believe without doubt that there is no higher power what-so-ever. Believers, Agnostics and Atheists. So what was with the “probably?” If you are going to take your message to the people on the side of a London Routemaster it’s always best to say it with confidence. Then we can have a reasoned argument.

Darwin vs Genesis: How do I balance the two? Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Balancing a belief in God with a scientific mind is hard. Genesis 1 says that the Earth was created in 7 days. Some religious scholars put the creation of the Earth, and by proxy. the universe at around 6 000 years ago. Scientists, however, put this at more like 10 bn years ago. So how do I balance this, and still keep my faith?

7 days

As a Christian I have been taught that the Bible is God’s Word – it is our direct line to Heaven. Consequently, whenever we need guidance we are advised to pray, read and then pray again. This I understand and accept, but how should I interpret the words that I read?

Given that I speak neither Greek nor Hebrew, the words contained within my Bible are one removed from the original text. And as with all translations, the English words chosen to replace those of the original language have already changed the meaning, albeit very slightly, of the original text.

So with regards Genesis 1 are we talking 7 periods of 24 hours or 7 epocs?

Intelligent design

I first heard of The God Theory at the Planetarium in Montreal. At first I didn’t agree with it, and I am still not sure – I like the idea of “aliens,” and I still can’t reconcile myself with the idea that, in an infinite  universe, we are the only ones here. It seems incredibly arrogant.

However, having said that. this piece of video almost perfectly explains my own beliefs.

In his Watchmaker Analogy, William Paley suggests that if you were to find a watch in the field you would automatically know that it had been made and then placed in the field. It had not naturally appeared there. The Teleological Argument suggests that the proof of God’s existence is in the complex balance within which life on Earth is possible.

1. X is too complex, orderly, adaptive, apparently purposeful or beautiful to have occurred randomly or accidentally.
2. Therefore, X must have been created by a sentient, intelligent, wise, or purposeful being.
3. God is a sentient, intelligent, wise, or purposeful being.
4. Therefore, God exists.

As much as I believe in evolution, I cannot believe that it all happened purely by chance. The delicate balance which is needed for life to exist, in my mind, points directly to some designer. I don’t think that it was all created, merely nutured.

Parents give their children the building blocks necessary to succeed in life, but they can’t live our lives for us . It is their job to supply us with what we need and then nudge us in the right direction whenever it might look like we might be lost. In the same way I believe that God gave the Earth the building blocks needed for live to thrive, and then has played the Parent role ever since.

Philanthropists with Ragged Trousers… Sunday, February 1, 2009

When I first arrived in Falmouth for my interview I couldn’t help but notice an incredibly steep set of stairs leading up the hill from the Moor. Suitably named “Jacob’s Ladder”, the stairway consists of 111 steps  and was built in the 1840s to allow access to the businesses on top of the hill.

But why am I telling you all this?

Well I scaled the heights to Heaven yesterday and who did I find at the top but Julian Gaskell and his band of Ragged Trousered Philanthropists!

Back in October I stumbled upon this band purely by accident – they were supporting 3 Daft Monkeys at the Princess Pavillion on Hallowe’en – but I was hooked as soon as they began their set. (Which, due to a lorry load of treacle being spilt on the A30, was about an hour late!)

They describe themselves as klezmer-punk-gypsy enthusiasts, which might explain why frontman Julian Gaskell frequently changed his instrument of choice. But in layman’s terms they are one of those bands which you can’t listen to and stay standing still.

With obvious Eastern European influences, the band have created their own folk variant. It is energetic and unforgiving so if you get a stitch  because you drank your Grandma’s too quickly, they won’t slow it down! But then again I don’t think you’d want to. The strong beat made it impossible not to tap your foot.

The ground bassline also added elements of jazz to the overall effect, but the use of folk instruments  – the accordion, harmonica and banjo-  kept the music well within the Roots genre.

In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have chosen the above video. Being a cover it isn’t representative of the true talents of the band as they have a large repetoire of their own compositions – including one called A Ja Taka Dzivocka, which they claim was once shortlisted by the Czech’s as their entry for Eurovision! In a way I kinda hope that this is true – Eurovision could really use a kick up the backside by the raggedy trousered crew!

[Ed. Please take it is as read that I am not currently following Andrew Lloyd Webber's attempt to find us a Eurovision hopeful, and I really wish he would stop farting around with Saturday evening TV and write a new musical!]

But anyways, back to the band in question.

Impossible to describe they may be and you can forget about pinpointing a genre, but sometimes you need that in a band. No, they will never be mainstream, but who cares -  if I let the top 40 decide my playlist I would be forced always to listen to substandard creations. These guys are innovative, crazily talented and above all full of passion for the music that they create. And judging by the amount of people jumping along to Yuppie Flats at the end of their set, it is a sound which has found a place on the Falmouth music scene!