Charlie Hebdo and free speech

A French magazine which until recently ago was unknown to the vast majority of the UK public, has, in the past few days, become headline news around the world.  Charlie Hebdo (French for Weekly Charlie) is a French satirical magazine.  On 7 January, two masked gunmen forced their way into the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris and killed 12 people, including the editor and several contributors.  It is believed that the attack was in response to a number of controversial cartoons featuring the prophet Muhammad.  A tragic and desperately sad event, and my heart goes out to the family and friends of all those involved.

It has been interesting to witness how the British media has responded, with countless hours given over to TV and radio coverage of the tragic events and the subsequent search for the perpetrators.  A vast amount of column inches have been written, and politicians from around the world were (quite rightly) quick to issue words of condemnation, many joining in the March for Unity which took place in Paris at the weekend.

The staff of Charlie Hebdo who were killed in last week’s massacre have been lauded in some quarters as heroes and martyrs for free speech.  Of course, free speech is something which we value very highly in our democratic system.  Yet I fear that sometimes it is used to justify almost any vitriolic or offensive language.  The apparent reality is that some of the material which appeared in Charlie Hebdo could be not only very highly offensive, but also racist.  The magazine was written with an intention to shock.  As Jordan Weissmann commented, “Charlie Hebdo’s work was both courageous and often vile.”  Free speech is a fine ideal, but is it an ideal above all others?  If so, where might it lead?  I am troubled, for example, by a quote from Stephen Fry, which highlights the issue very well:

“It’s now very common to hear people say, ‘I’m rather offended by that.’  As if that give them certain rights.  It’s actually nothing more … than a whine.  ‘I find that offensive.’  It has no meaning.  It has no purpose; it has no reason to be respected as a phrase.  ‘I am offended by that.’ Well, so f****g what?’”

The implication of Fry’s comments is that we should be free to say or write whatever we like, taking no account of who might be offended by our words.  Yet at the same time, comedian and TV personality Sue Perkins expressed in a recent article her concern that some male comedians are making jokes about rape.  She comments, “It’s not all right to make rape jokes.”  I’m sure that most people would agree, but how does this tie in with the apparent ‘holy grail’ of free speech?  Does our desire for free speech give the green light to any vile or offensive language?  My opinion is that if Stephen Fry’s comment becomes the standard by which society thinks and behaves, we will have reached a desperately sad state.

The Bible has some relevant words to say on the issue:

‘Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.’  Ephesians 4:29

‘There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.’  Proverbs 12:18

‘What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.’  Matthew 15:11

Free speech is really important.  It is vital that we should have the right to criticise what is wrong in society, and to speak out on issue which concern us  (Jesus regularly exercised his right of free speech to criticise the religious establishment of his day!)  But surely, in a civilised society, we also have a responsibility to consider the consequences of what we say or write.  The old “sticks and stones” saying really is a load of codswallop!  This is clearly not a black and white issue, but it’s one which we need to seriously consider before we reach a point of no return.

The eyes have it!

It is a long-standing tradition in my wider family that we meet together one day soon after Christmas each year.  Having four elder sisters and a younger brother, our family gatherings over the years have been great opportunities to meet together, catch up on family news, and generally enjoy lots of fun and laughter.  Together with children and grandchildren, we have met in quite large numbers over the years.

One of the traditions of our gatherings is that we play games.  Usually several members of the family will bring a game, sometimes home-made.  For this year's gathering, one of my sisters had prepared a sheet on which had been printed images of the eyes of various members of the family.  The challenge was to identify which pair of eyes belonged to which member of the family.  It was interesting that some of us were very good at "eye recognition", whilst others really struggled.  My two-year-old granddaughter, Beth, loved the game and delighted in pointing out the eyes which she recognised!

Preachers and other public speakers are often told how important it is to make eye contact with those to whom they are speaking.  I have known some preachers over the years that have seemed to be preaching to the ceiling, and appeared desperate to avoid eye contact at all cost!  Even in one-to-one conversations, there are people who seem to find it difficult to direct their gaze to the person with whom they are having the conversation.

When someone is speaking or listening to you, and they make eye contact, it is an indication that they are paying attention to the conversation.  If their eyes begin to wander, you are tempted to wonder where their attention has also wandered.  I was intrigued to see on TV recently the piece of Banksy artwork featuring a young couple.  Although they were in an embrace, their eyes were fixed on their mobile phones.  It was clear where their attention was directed!

If we are to take seriously the importance of real communication, and to treat others with respect, then eye contact must be an important element.  There are lots of instances in the Gospels were we read about Jesus making eye contact with people.  Just one example is in the incident where a rich young ruler is in conversation with Jesus.  Jesus immediately recognised that the man's wealth has a stranglehold on him, but nevertheless the Gospel writer Matthew tells us, 'Jesus looked straight at him with love..'

If our eyes drift, we are in effect giving the impression that we have lost interest in the conversation (and the person).  If our whole attention is focused on a person, indicated by the direction of our gaze, then we are showing that we value them.  In the game at the family party I did OK, but didn't manage to score 100%.  Maybe not a bad New Year's resolution to make more effort to focus on the eyes?

What Stephen Hawking hasn't yet discovered

I was very interested to read about the forthcoming release of the film, ‘The Theory of Everything’, which details the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his first wife, Jane.  In the film, Hawking is shown as a young man who is sporty, witty and charming, and, of course, a genius.  But at the age of 21 he is diagnosed with a terminal illness which threatens to rob him of his faculties.  Jane is determined to stand by him as he faces this awesome struggle, despite the warnings of her father that, “this will not be a battle, Jane, this is going to be a very heavy defeat.”

Jane is apparently lady with a deeply held Christian faith.  Stephen, on the other hand, has been quoted as saying:

"We are such insignificant creatures on a minor planet of a very average star on the outer suburbs of one of a hundred thousand million galaxies.  So it is difficult to believe in a God that would care about us or even notice our existence."

And, of course, logic is on his side.  It is almost inconceivable that, should there be a God, he would deign to concern himself with humankind!  In fact, we find very similar thoughts in the words of David in Psalm 8:

‘When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?’

Yes, it truly is almost beyond belief that God should interest himself in our little planet.  Yet the wonderful, amazing, mind-boggling truth is that God, in his infinite love for human beings, came to planet earth as one of us through the birth of Jesus Christ!  As The Message translation puts it:

‘The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighbourhood.’  (John 1:14)

The creation which Stephen Hawking and others study is truly amazing.  But far, far more wonderful is the truth that the One who brought it all into being loves each one of us, and longs that we might know him and love him.

‘How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear his coming;

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still

The dear Christ enters in.’

In danger of missing the point

With each passing year I find myself longing in ever greater measure to throw off many of the modern "trappings" of Christmas and return to the simplicity of celebration.

The run up to Christmas in our consumer society seems to be increasingly filled with busyness, activity, stress, and pressures of many kinds.  The Money Advice Service reckons that something like £26 billion will be spent in the UK on festive celebrations this year.  Companies do their very best to create TV adverts which will temps us to "spend, spend, spend."  The eBay ad, for example, tells us "When you're ready, come and get it.  It's a great big world and it can all be yours."  The truth is, it's an impossible, illusory and potentially dangerous dream.

I love this time of the year, but with so much else going on right now, I find myself struggling at times to focus on the message which lies at the heart of the Advent/Christmas season.  Someone recently asked Sue whether we are ready for Christmas and she replied that we don't even know for certain where we will be living on Christmas Day!  Our house move seems to be imminent but we don't yet have a date.  The house is currently full of boxes and we are living in semi-organised chaos, so we have no idea how Christmas will pan out if we are still here, with family visitors due to arrive!

Then, of course, we are having to handle the ongoing situation with our grandson Max having been in and out of hospital in recent weeks.  The deadline for sending Christmas cards will soon have passed.  Added to that are all the preparations for special Christmas services and events, and other matters which require attention.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, because I still feel tremendously blessed in so many ways, and I am still loving the Advent journey.  It's just that I find myself far too easily tempted to take my attention from the simple yet glorious heart of Christmas - the birth of God's Son, Jesus Christ.  That is why I love the advertising campaign from churchads.net which aims to remind people where Christmas really starts: with Christ.  I have watched this so many times to help me refocus:

Help us, O God, not to miss the point of this season, but to fix our hearts and minds on the One whose birth we celebrate.  May we know his peace in our hearts, now and always.  Amen.

All the lonely people...

One of the churches of which I am privileged to be Minister is New Parks Methodist Church.  The church building is situated on a large council estate.  Within the last year or so, a recognition arose that in some ways the church had become detached from the community which it sought to serve.  Rather than come up with some ‘great ideas’ which might not work, a decision was taken to meet regularly to pray and try to listen to what God was saying (always the best place to start!)

A number of members of the church family have met together week by week, committed to waiting until God gave them a clear vision of the way forward.  In the meantime, links were being made with various community groups.  After a number of months of praying and listening, a strongly held belief arose that God was challenging the church to address the needs of some of the lonely people in their community, and to offer opportunities for friendship to those who feel isolated. 

There is no doubt that loneliness is a huge issue in the UK. The following is an extract from an article in The Guardian:

...Three months ago we read that loneliness has become an epidemic among young adults. Now we learn that it is just as great an affliction of older people. A study by Independent Age shows that severe loneliness in England blights the lives of 700,000 men and 1.1m women over 50, and is rising with astonishing speed.

Social isolation is as potent a cause of early death as smoking 15 cigarettes a day; loneliness, research suggests, is twice as deadly as obesity. Dementia, high blood pressure, alcoholism and accidents - all these, like depression, paranoia, anxiety and suicide, become more prevalent when connections are cut. We cannot cope alone...

...A government study in June revealed that Britain is the loneliness capital of Europe. We are less likely than other Europeans to have close friends or to know our neighbours…

A desperately sad state of affairs.  As I pondered the issue, into my mind came the well-known Beatles song, “Eleanor Rigby”, which includes the haunting lyrics, “All the lonely people, where do they all come from?”  

I found and listened to a version of the song on YouTube.  As I listened, I read some of the comments which others had left.  One comment really struck me:

“I was listing to this song and looking through the comments and I have finally realised that I am all alone and I don't know where I belong.”

The New Parks project is still in its early stages, but I know it reflects God’s heart for those in desperate need of love and friendship.

My septimana horribilis

In November 1992 The Queen gave a speech at Guildhall to mark the 40th anniversary of her Accession.  In it, she referred to recent events as part of an 'annus horribilis' (a Latin phrase meaning ‘horrible year’).  Several events within her family that year had caused the Queen considerable anguish.  I failed miserably in my Latin exams at school, but I believe that aspects of the past seven days in my life could rightly lead me to describe the week as ‘septimana horribilis.’

Early last week we received news that our nearly 3-year-old grandson Max had been taken into hospital.  It was discovered that he had an extremely low platelet count, a condition which could be quite serious.  I visited him in hospital and prayed for him.  It seemed that he was making some progress, but then the following day his condition deteriorated.  His platelet count had dropped further, he was being very sick, and the medical staff were very concerned that he might be bleeding into his brain.  Of course, this could potentially be life-threatening.

Around the time this was all happening, I was working on my sermon for the following Sunday morning.  The theme was “Hope”, and the Bible reading was the account of the visit to Mary by the angel Gabriel in Luke1:26-38.  One element of the sermon was how this young girl, Mary, despite the shocking message given to her by the angel, was able to see hope for the future and reach out in faith to God, believing that the impossible would take place just as God had said.  She heard very clearly the angel’s words, ‘The Lord is with you.’

Mary had a choice, and she chose to trust God.  As I pondered her response, I found myself really challenged.  I had been into the hospital and prayed for Max, yet now he was getting worse and his young life seemed under threat.  I don’t mind admitting that I shed a few tears as I thought about the suffering of our beautiful little grandson.  When we are faced with really tough situations, we all have a choice.  We can give up on God, we can try managing in our own strength, or we can believe and trust God.  I knew all along that I couldn’t with any integrity preach what I didn’t believe, and I resolved to reach out to God in faith as Mary had done.  I thank God that Max is now home again, though his parents have been told to do what they can to keep him from hurting himself because of his condition (no easy task with an energetic youngster!)

The fact that later in the week I ended up in A&E myself, and had to have various tests, injections and scans, is another not very pleasant element to last week which I haven’t space to relate in full!  Thankfully I was ultimately given the all-clear.

Though in some respects last week was pretty horrible, I feel, nevertheless, tremendously blessed in many ways by the experience.  I have been reminded what an amazing family and very good friends I have, and that it is loving and supportive relationships which really matter in life.  I have been reminded also of the power of prayer; so many of our family members and friends stood by us during our difficult week, and we felt lifted on a wave of prayer.  And of course I have experienced again the love and faithfulness of God.  He doesn’t promise that life will always be easy or trouble-free, but he does promise in every situation we face, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’  And that makes all the difference in the world.