Categories: uncategorized
Date: 01 December 2011 12:03:23
I look like a lefty (or I did yesterday with my Pensions Justice wooly hat on); I speak/ write like a lefty; I enjoy spending time in spaces occupied (capital and lower case applicable here) by lefties - I am therefore a lefty? No, not in the sense in which the word is increasingly being used. In fact I have realised yet again I am back to being a stranger in a strange land.
I am a Christian who believes in a risen Christ who is returning but I also believe in a Christ incarnate within the world now who meant it when he prayed in the present continuous tense "Your Kingdom Come On Earth As it Is In Heaven". I have different expectations and motivations to most of the "lefties" I am finding myself spending time with and in the terms they use I am more reformist than revolutionary because the revolution I speak of and expect is not linked to the overturning of governments and institutions in the way they speak - the revolution I believe in is a radical revolution of the heart which will see the principles of the bible enacted in our world.
On Tuesday I spent the evening in the wonderful People's Bookshop which Ben is taking from strength to strength and listened to Tim Gee author of Counter Power - a book which will be reviewed when read. The crowd were a bunch of activists and there were some people using the term comrade quite seriously. The discussion revolved around why do some campaigns and social movements succeed whilst others fail and it was interesting, but for me it bought into sharp focus that whilst many of the motivations are shared amongst Christians and Socialists and some anti-capitalists there is a sharp divide. For me it's all about God the creator, Jesus the son and model on earth and the motivation of the Holy Spirit providing the model for a fairer and more just society. Thus, I take seriously why Jesus did not meet the expectations of the zealots and the model that in itself gives us for what Christian action is and isn't about. I realised that this means the end I am working towards is different to the end which others are looking at - my end relates a different type of hope.
That said, we do have much in common - particularly the concern for those around us, aswell as ourselves. This was what yesterday was all about. The fact is that the government is spending to continue developing and owning weapons of mass distruction whilst cutting the basic incomes of the poor. Single parents working within the public sector will be particularly badly hit by the pay cut (for that is what it is) that Osborne introduced. I am not getting into that today...for a range of reasons yesterday was way too emotional for me - alot of it had to do with the way it opened up proper grieving of my mum. Just want to say how inspiring I found it walking along the road in Gateshead with the demo seeing people lining the streets clapping in support of us.
Also popped into see the Occupy Newcastle peeps. Things have been difficult for them due to the nature of having the good, the bad and the ugly coming together in new campaigns but they have some exciting plans under discussion having been inspired by Occupy Edinburgh - we'll have to see what happends. They remain in my thoughts and prayers and also seem to understand my situation of having the teaching at the moment and so not being able to be there with them.
All a waffly post which does not fully articulate what I wanted to but actually currently not feeling 100% and so managing a post is enough.