Brilliant, George! There is a connection between Too Foreign and the Cry of Dereliction. I have a slightly different take from yours on the small boats, in that I don' t think most of those in the boats are all that needy and there's a good reason to discourage the villains who make millions from the business. But yes, behind these tens of thousands of fit young men with the money to pay for their Channel passage there are hundreds of millions - billions? - of poor people, our brothers and sisters, who deserve a better life. Food, clean water, shelter, decent work, decent living standards, education, safety of life and property, and the rule of law. It's our duty as Christians, as fellow humans, to find ways to help them obtain these things we take for granted in our own country. Which takes us to your Meta-narrative Desire, I think. On this day Jesus completed His task on the cross, and we here must carry on. Sorry, I don't have an easy answer, but then there probably aren't many of those. Have a blessed and very happy Easter.
Thanks so much Patrick. You nail it (if that's the right verb for Good Friday) in terms of our responsibilities. You're right that we differ a bit - I think the Albanian thing is a useful distraction and, anyway, I can't blame young people for seeking a better life in better economies. And we need the employment. Can't argue with you on the traffickers though - we need safer and more efficient routes and better and more compassionate processing. Thankyou for taking the trouble to write and I wish you and yours a peaceful Low Saturday and a joyous Easter. G
Brilliant, George! There is a connection between Too Foreign and the Cry of Dereliction. I have a slightly different take from yours on the small boats, in that I don' t think most of those in the boats are all that needy and there's a good reason to discourage the villains who make millions from the business. But yes, behind these tens of thousands of fit young men with the money to pay for their Channel passage there are hundreds of millions - billions? - of poor people, our brothers and sisters, who deserve a better life. Food, clean water, shelter, decent work, decent living standards, education, safety of life and property, and the rule of law. It's our duty as Christians, as fellow humans, to find ways to help them obtain these things we take for granted in our own country. Which takes us to your Meta-narrative Desire, I think. On this day Jesus completed His task on the cross, and we here must carry on. Sorry, I don't have an easy answer, but then there probably aren't many of those. Have a blessed and very happy Easter.
Thanks so much Patrick. You nail it (if that's the right verb for Good Friday) in terms of our responsibilities. You're right that we differ a bit - I think the Albanian thing is a useful distraction and, anyway, I can't blame young people for seeking a better life in better economies. And we need the employment. Can't argue with you on the traffickers though - we need safer and more efficient routes and better and more compassionate processing. Thankyou for taking the trouble to write and I wish you and yours a peaceful Low Saturday and a joyous Easter. G