Brave new world or evil regime? Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Last time I was in the States I came face to face with the failings of their health care system. We had been out celebrating our 21st birthday and my sister tripped over the front step in the dark. A friend of ours rushed forward to make sure that the storm door didn’t slam shut on her, but while doing so ended up cutting open his eyelid on the very same door.

Now, had the same accident occurred here, we would have packed him up and driven straight to A&E. Yes we would probably have waited a good long while, but at the end of the night his eye would have been properly seen to and on the way to recovery.

Unfortunately we were not at home and my friend (who’s American) had recently been made redundant, losing not only his job but his health insurance. Consequently he has a permanent scar underneath his eyebrow.

I have always, and will always be an advocate for a free National Health Service. Access to health care is a basic human right. Which is why this article in the Guardian today has made my blood boil.

For the self-proclaimed ‘leader of the free world,’ the US has a wholy inadequate 2-tier health care system – for those who can afford the premiums, you can expect the best quality care, but for those who can’t – well need I say any more.

At the very heart of any democracy is the idea that we are all born equal – we all have the same chance in life as any other person. Ok, whilst I am an idealist I am in no way naive. I know this is an unattainable ideal, but structures should be in place to at least assist these goals and at the very least a social welfare system which is representative of the country’s standard of living.

But this in no way means a decline in standards, and having a spending plan doesn’t mean you put a price on human life. If anything not having some sort of NHS devalues lives because it basically states that if you can’t afford the treatment you are in some way unworthy of continuing to live.  As far as I can tell the main argumment is that by having these spending caps in place, and  an octogenarian won’t recieve the same standard of health care as a younger person.

This is utterly ridiculous. Having seen the treatment all four of my grandparents received at the end of their lives, I never ever considered that the nurses and doctors were working any less hard to treat them, than any other patient.  They were, after all, as deserving as the next person to walk through the door.

Health care is always a contentious issue, and I will happily admit that the NHS is far from perfect. But despite its faults and its critics it remains a constant and for that I am eternally grateful.

Finally, to any who remain critical I give you this.

The World Health Organisation ranks Britain’s healthcare as 18th in the world, while the US is in 37th place

Says it all really.

Recession bites! Tuesday, July 7, 2009

This week it’s been impossible to open the paper without seeing at least one article denouncing the likelihood of me graduating with a job in October. With at least 50 graduates applying for every position, the odds are, unfortunately, stacked against me. It’s doom and gloom reading.

But it wasn’t ’til today that the reality of Recession finally hit home.

When I was in Madrid I didn’t get on with my housemates. As a result I used to spend as much time out as possible. My favourite hideaway was a small cafe on the Glorieta de San Bernardo – just opposite the metro station. First discovered on a particularly windy day back in October 2005, we were enticed inside by the prospect of proper toast and jam – not this pan de molde rubbish. 4 months later, when I moved into the city from Majadahonda, I discovered I lived right round the corner and the rest was history.

I’ve been back to Madrid twice since I left in 2006 – both times I was warmly welcomed back by the owners Luis and Jose – and as a result whenever I think of my time in Spain I invariably think first of the cafe, sitting in the corner reading some book or another that I’d picked up from the second hand bookshop round the corner.

Today though, I found out that the cafe closed. It was no longer making any money. There’s no room for sentimentality in a Recession.

With the amount of media coverage dedicated to the effects of the credit crunch here in the UK, it’s easy to put on the blinkers and think that it’s only happening to us. But Spain has been deeply feeling the crunch since the beginning of the year and analysts expect it to be the worst they have faced for 50 years. We are not alone, so why are we seeking out individual solutions.

I’m not an economist, I have no financial background -  save for 6 weeks as a PA in a bank, but it would seem we are all fighting the same battle and yet are fighting against each other. Consequently, it is the little people who suffer.

Dragon slaying, London style! Saturday, May 23, 2009

I’ve always been left feeling slightly embarrassed by overt displays of pariotism – even singing the National Anthem makes me feel uncomfortable. So it’s probably not that surprising to hear I’ve never celebrated St George’s Day.

But a couple of weeks ago [sorry] I found myself shoulder-to-shoulder with the flag waving brigade in the shadow of Nelson’s Column.

It was all in aid of celebrating the huge variety of musical styles that British Folk has spawned. From Northumbria to Dartmoor via India and Zimbabwe, it would seem that Folk is not only still alive and kicking, it is evolving and experimenting, and attracting a whole new audience as a result.

But the celebration has provoked rumbles of discontent in the die-hard folk brigade, and not in the way you might think.

For centuries music has been used to cement ideologies and identities – just look at the Russian composers writing at the time of the Revolution or the hymns sung by anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. ‘Folk’ is no different. Traditionally the music of the people, its songs and tunes have been the people’s reaction to the situation and issues of the age. But more recently its revival in America during the time of the civil rights movement has meant that modern ‘folk’ has had a distinct socialist vibe.

So was it right for Boris Johnson to use the genre, and some of the country’s leading artists, to celebrate a day, which has, for all intents and purposes, been hijacked by the extreme Right? Well in all fairness, there was little politics at the concert itself – it seemed that most people had come to enjoy, what turned out to be a sunny day in London with some awesome music thrown in.

And as for the artists, they did all – in one way or another – keep the ‘protest’ tradition alive – with Bishi raising a round of applause when she came on stage wearing a fabulous dress encorporating both the Indian and Union flags. And her song Indian Skin definitely questionned what it is to be considered British. And with tracks like ‘Rise Up’ it would seem that the Demon Barbers embody the traditional folk spirit in a modern fusion style.

Folk is evolving - it needs to if it’s going to stay fresh. But I would hope it remains a genre ‘of the people’ and a space where we can make sense of the issues which surround us.

I went to the gig in my new role as a ‘contributor’ to the Daily Music Guide. As a result I was able to interview the very wonderful Netsayi.

Listen to my interview below -  or read my review on the site!

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.