Thursday, 3 June 2010

The English Defence League uncovered | UK news | guardian.co.uk

The English Defence League uncovered | UK news | guardian.co.uk

The English Defence League exemplify the camp mentality that Paul Gilroy speaks of. Identity is finished and closed. But more than that, in spite of repeated denials the EDL are dominated by a vile and violent Islamophobia as this article and video from the Guardian reveal....

Sikhism emphasises the sacramental nature of hospitality...unconditional welcome within the Langar....

Islam reminds us of the unity of humanity and the duty laid on all Muslims to work for social justice.....

Christians speak of a catholic community: one diverse worldwide community...Created in the image of the one God.... One race...the human race....

But what difference do such values make to the way people of faith act in thef ace of injustice? Check out the web link below and see what you think. Is this the kind of urban Britain you recognise?

Thursday, 27 May 2010

Remembering the Forgotten



Who remembers you? Who remembers me? Does anyone?
Made in the divine image we need to feel, to sense
that others, our sisters and brothers, remember us.

If we are forgotten we are unheard and unseen and in
a video age we perhaps cease to exist....

In a UK context where are the forgotten people, the
invisible ones? Those who live in the shadows as
asylum seekers, those who live as statistics on
welfare or on neglected outer city estates, those
who make their bed in shop doorways...

Within the Christian tradition we follow a man who
was a refugee, fleeing with his mum and dad to Africa.
We follow a man who had no place to lay his head, a
man executed outside the city wall next to Jerusalem's
rubbish dump...And yet the Church that takes Jesus' name
has become a multinational corporation...What might it
mean if we again became a rootless Kingdom movement?
Might we remember the forgotten ones more clearly,
those like the peoples of the Horn of Africa whom
Ethar Relief support....

Check out their web site and then ask the question
Jesus askes in Matthew 25....When I was hungry/homeless/
naked/a stranger did you feed/welcome/clothe me?



http://www.etharrelief.org/content/about-us

Friday, 21 May 2010

The New Slavery....



http://www.openhorizon.org.uk

In a world where markets have been prised open
by the irresistible power of globalised capitalism
walls keep people in, but mostly out.

And yet people are shifted like cattle, like the
slaves of the Atlantic Triangle...Webs of violence
enmesh us, compromise us, involve us all...Women made
in the sparkling divine image, promised a new life
then sold into the slavery of 'house-servant' for the
new global elite or the abusive spiral of forced
prostitution...Where is God? Where are Her people?



What might the new politics' in the UK have to say
about the trade in human beings, and more to the point
what might the 'new' politicians' do? What should we do?

This web site, sponsored by the Methodist Church in
the UK offers ome ideas....One race, the human race
Check out the site and get active....

Thursday, 13 May 2010

What does in mean to be 'English' in C21?

Here is one take from the singer-songwriter and activist Billy Bragg....