The idea was to show Christmas around the world, with the emphasis on people celebrating it. Assisting in this was the Melbourne Age, which ran a series of photos front page top and many of these are below:
Hanoi
The Vatican
Moscow
Bethlehem
Haiti
Iran
Afghanistan
Melbourne
U.S.A.Excellent but where was Britain? We had a family get together today, presumably most Brits did, so where are the photos of the celebrations of last night on the web?
Oh, here it is:
Oh, here it is:
LondonDissatisfied, I google-pictured "Christmas celebrations UK 2008" and came up with a few naked women, shots of "traditional Christmas wallpaper" and pics of light festooned shops like Harrods and Regent Street stores. I tried various combinations of the words.
No, no, I don't want pics of shops and shops and shops and shops. I want pics of people out celebrating Christmas, as Christmas, in Britain. You know, people in the squares, singing carols and so on. They have to be there. The Brits must have been out celebrating the holiday, surely, like the rest of the world.
Here's what I found:
Birmingham
Phew, that's better.
Except for one thing - those signs were all exhorting people to shop, with slogans like "Buying makes you happy". There wasn't one thing about ... er ... Christmas.
You know ... Christ-mas? Anyone remember it?
Irritated, I now started on the online dailies - the Guardian, BBC news, the Telegraph ... and here was a typical front page:
No, no, I don't want pics of shops and shops and shops and shops. I want pics of people out celebrating Christmas, as Christmas, in Britain. You know, people in the squares, singing carols and so on. They have to be there. The Brits must have been out celebrating the holiday, surely, like the rest of the world.
Here's what I found:
BirminghamPhew, that's better.
Except for one thing - those signs were all exhorting people to shop, with slogans like "Buying makes you happy". There wasn't one thing about ... er ... Christmas.
You know ... Christ-mas? Anyone remember it?
Irritated, I now started on the online dailies - the Guardian, BBC news, the Telegraph ... and here was a typical front page:
No, no, Britain, not "log on to Christmas sales" please but "celebrating Christmas".
Hello, anyone out there who remembers Christmas in Britain?
Hello?
Anyone there?
There will be some from me in a bit ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe have been grumbling about all that news telling people to shop on Chrismas day!
They are hiding the truth again. Who has the power to intervene at UN level?
ReplyDeleteWhen secularism became the new God we lost something precious in our land.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christ-Mass James.
James - when Christianity became the new religion 'we lost someting precious in our land'
ReplyDeleteThank whatever God you believe in that there are still pockets in the country that is England that still remembers its most ancient roots.
Thank whatever God you believe in that there are still pockets in the country that is England that still remembers its most ancient roots.
ReplyDeleteVery true but in England, that's a concept which is difficult to pin down. For example, before England were regions and one was Northumbria. Before that were Bernicia and Deira.
Just which roots are we talking about?
Concerning religion, Christianity was pretty well imposed from above - or at least a version of it which suited the controlling outlook of authority [chained bibles in Latin etc.] and the people had what the priests told them.
Plus their old pagan roots which also had priestly direction. Anyone with a sense of history of the land cannot dismiss the pagan roots and they permeate even today, especially today, when Christianity is under serious assault.
If the pagan roots take hold again, then Christianity goes back to what it was before - a state subversive way of life whom even the pagans will turn on.
The thing about Christianity is that the wrong people got hold of it and used passages from it to justify their actions. The Gospels are far more about tolerance, kindness, faith, hope and charity at a personal level but this aspect is prevented from coming out.
In such a world as that, the Pagans' priestly class comes across as a tad intolerant, especially in the matter of sacrifices. At least, with a Christian tradition, pagans are allowed to practise. Can you imagine that under Sharia?
The thing about Christianity is that the wrong people got hold of it and used passages from it to justify their actions.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that is Dogma and people quite easily fall into that trap.