Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 August 2008 19:59:49
Can I just check today isn't 1st April. Right - checked and so my next reaction has to be WTF? Ok, so what is it that I've been reading now that has been giving me a complete headf**k. It's this article by Julie Burchill" in the Guardian. Now, we all know that Burchill has a reputation for being outrageous, but.....well this article has all the signs of authenticity rather than shock journalism.
At this point I better explain for anybody who isn't familiar with Julie Burchill that she's a former NME journalist who has written a range of rather provocative, and sometimes erotic, articles and books over the years. She's a proper punk rock feminist and to some extent an icon for those of us who are around a certain age. Anyway she's come out as being a Christian and not some fluffy spiritual sort, but a religious one who has discovered God through simple personal experience over the years rather than "being a lost and found sob-story" who has been saved through a pre-packaged programme. As a result what is presented here is a cringe free Christianity, that's old skool authentic and believes in and appreciates the old testament God, aswell.
Now I do have some issues with some of the anti-Islamic undertones which could be argued to be contained within the article but this is somewhat countered later on when she says she can't wait for a leader of her denomination who comes from a non-majority ethnic group. Have to say at this point I had to double take because whilst Sentamu is generally accepted as a great bloke she also specifically mentioned Nazir-Ali as a possibility. Now, this struck me as slightly strange bearing in mind the position Burchill generally takes on gender and sexuality issues and the Bishop of Rochesters views. Let's not forget he was the leading English evo bishop to boycott Lamberth.
However, overall I have to say I found the article refreshing. Not only did she clearly come out as a Christian she broke the taboo regarding death and the positive feelings that we can have when somebody we love dies. Don't get it wrong, it's not saying that we want our parents to die, but....when they do go it can be positive on a range of levels for them aswell as us. It also points out the obvious of it is natural and right for us to face our parents deaths; everybody dies and as age is normally a key factor parents normally die before their children.