Saturday, 14 February 2009
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Women Clergy
I suppose I shouldn't bring religion into my blog because, as with politics, you're going to offend someone. However, at risk of upsetting you, I've just two issues to get off my chest.
I read yesterday, that the Church of England debated once again on the subject of female bishops; should they be permitted or not? Apparently the General Synod will now allow a draft law to be amended, which may or may not allow women to be ordained as bishops but not before 2014.
I have absolutely nothing against this and welcome the inclusion of more females into the church. There it is. My first issue resolved. But the second issue, of more importance to me personally is to halt the the removal of all that is sacred from the liturgy.
I used to be a regular Sunday church goer but over the years, as the Church of England modernized, I drifted away. I would like to see the church to return to its symbolic roots. No more of these modern sing-along and rock and roll concert, services and definitely no more holding of hands with all and sundry. Does this embarrassing physical connection with perfect strangers really bring us to spiritual harmony?
So let's have more of the female bishops, archdeacons and sundry paid and unpaid female clergy. They can't do a worse job than the males whom we have entrusted with our religion for the past 2000 years. But, please ladies, let's get back to the traditional sacred ceremony.
I read yesterday, that the Church of England debated once again on the subject of female bishops; should they be permitted or not? Apparently the General Synod will now allow a draft law to be amended, which may or may not allow women to be ordained as bishops but not before 2014.
I have absolutely nothing against this and welcome the inclusion of more females into the church. There it is. My first issue resolved. But the second issue, of more importance to me personally is to halt the the removal of all that is sacred from the liturgy.
I used to be a regular Sunday church goer but over the years, as the Church of England modernized, I drifted away. I would like to see the church to return to its symbolic roots. No more of these modern sing-along and rock and roll concert, services and definitely no more holding of hands with all and sundry. Does this embarrassing physical connection with perfect strangers really bring us to spiritual harmony?
So let's have more of the female bishops, archdeacons and sundry paid and unpaid female clergy. They can't do a worse job than the males whom we have entrusted with our religion for the past 2000 years. But, please ladies, let's get back to the traditional sacred ceremony.
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
No Demand for Reading Material.
An illuminating conversation between two sales girls, which I recently overheard in an Oxford Street store.
“Oi! Mandy! What’s this then?” Holding up the strip of embossed leather to her colleague.
“Oh that! It’s a book marker.”
“What’s it for then Mandy?”
“It’s for books.”
“Ow’dj mean?”
“If you read a book you stick it inside and it keeps your page.”
“Eh? Do you read books then Mandy?”
“Nah! But some people do.”
“Wierd!”
“Oi! Mandy! What’s this then?” Holding up the strip of embossed leather to her colleague.
“Oh that! It’s a book marker.”
“What’s it for then Mandy?”
“It’s for books.”
“Ow’dj mean?”
“If you read a book you stick it inside and it keeps your page.”
“Eh? Do you read books then Mandy?”
“Nah! But some people do.”
“Wierd!”
Monday, 9 February 2009
Who am I going to turn to, now that my former role models in the financial world are in disgrace. Alan Greenspan, ex US Fed boss, Adam Applegarth, former Northern Rock CEO, Sir Fred Goodwin, Royal Bank of Scotland and Andy Hornby (HBOS), to mention but a few. These are just a handful of what I will call the "Midas Boys",” who have turned the financial world up-side and down. What I need to urgently know is who and where are the new geniuses who are going to lead us out of the unholy mess give us our jobs and our confidence back.
Only twelve months ago, I would wander the City, in jealous awe of those sharply dressed, yuppies, who I believed had the financial world at their fingertips. In restaurants, I would sit on the next table to them, straining my ears in hope for gleaning a crumb of insider information. I would sidle up next to a group of them in the bar, hoping for a drop of precious advice.
Well that’s all over now. I can’t even see a dark pin striped suit without getting irrationally irritated. But the one good thing is that restaurants are now destitute of many of those arrogant, overloud traders and, in the bars and pubs, can be once again heard the common sense of your average man in the street.
Only twelve months ago, I would wander the City, in jealous awe of those sharply dressed, yuppies, who I believed had the financial world at their fingertips. In restaurants, I would sit on the next table to them, straining my ears in hope for gleaning a crumb of insider information. I would sidle up next to a group of them in the bar, hoping for a drop of precious advice.
Well that’s all over now. I can’t even see a dark pin striped suit without getting irrationally irritated. But the one good thing is that restaurants are now destitute of many of those arrogant, overloud traders and, in the bars and pubs, can be once again heard the common sense of your average man in the street.
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