Alien or Exile?

Many exiles because of him

Aliens or Exiles?  As Christians, we readily have a sense alienation from the world around us.  The moral fog, the social and political loss of direction, the cultural confusion.  And in sense – we do not belong here.  But we confuse being an alien with being an exile?  We criticise the way of the world about us, and that bolsters our own perspective? Yet at the cost of stealthily boosts self-righteousness.  We gripe.  Yet, don’t we have a hope, elsewhere?

The Bible talks of Aliens, and of Exiles.  Alienation?  Marx used the term to talk about the worker having no ownership and personal sense of value in his/her work.  Alas, still with us in the 21^st century as was in the 19^th.  Cultural alienation – Durkheim’s “Anomie”, the loss of connection with each other and the breakdown of common understanding norms, values, etc.  Easily a greater plague in the 21^st century then when he wrote in the 19^th.

What’s Driving Us?

I had the opportunity before Christmas to go along to a motoring safety course. And was really surprised at the psychological perspective it took.  Nothing on stopping distances, hardly anything on driving distances. Little on the law.

Sure there was quite a bit reminding us of how much of The Highway Code that we thought we knew, has over the years been forgotten, never learned, or is new since we took the test.  The focus was on how we see ourselves.  Yes, three hours of motoring introspection.  Was it dull?  No. Read on

Daniel Is Dead

Daniel is dead.  Jerry is now quaking for his son.  Daniel was 16.  Jerry is a drug dealer and in prison.

Dan Spargo-Mabbs lived in Croydon. The family are regular members of their church, Emmanuel South Croydon. Dan used to run free errands for the elderly people to whom he delivered papers. He also helped out church members with gardening and odd jobs.  You’d be happy to have the family round for dinner.  Fathers – you’d be happy for your 16 year old daughters to date him.

On Friday 17th January 2014, Dan persuaded his mum to let him go to a local party with friends. As Dan was usually responsible, mum agreed. But they went to an illegal rave instead. It was the first time he’d been to a rave. At the rave Dan

Death of the Ladies Men

Don Draper and Leonard Cohen, two contemporaries, born in the 1930’s.  Both lovers of cigarettes, women and sharp suits.  Ah, the women.  And so many of them too.  I am drawn to both Don and Leonard.  Both know there is more to life than the nonsense swirling around us.  Both reached out to women, in Don’s case for the mother he never had.  In Leonard’s case, looking for God The Father, as his own died when he was just 9.

Our Future Now (1)

Le Pen, Trump, Putin as Crusaders

So Donald has Trumpit the Brexit. Nigel (Farage) told us in the early hours that 2016 opens a new era.  Indeed.  For what?  In a British pub in Moscow last night, I saw them sit up and cheer Trump.  A painting is brought in, of three mounted Crusaders.  But the portraits are of Marie Le Pen, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.  It is derived from a famous painting of Adolf Hitler as a mounted knight in armour, holding a standard, searching for The Holy Grail.  A crusade you want to be part of?

No mistake – this is epochal.  We are all revolting against the elites that patronised us for years now.  Popular disgust is being captured and