Bob's place

Thirty odd years ago I worked in a public building. At the rear there were some staff-only rooms and, at the end of the corridor by the back door, was Bob’s Room.  By the time that I worked there Bob had long since retired, although I did meet him from time to time as, with his wife, he would drop by for a mug of tea with his former workmates. Though retired, he still felt he belonged. 

His room was full of the junk that builds up over the years, when people like the public areas to be tidy but lack the willpower to throw things away. But a careful look revealed that this room had once been a workshop, equipped with tools, benches and bubbling pots of pearl glue. For Bob had been the caretaker / handyman. 

When Bob retired, he was not replaced. For a start, fewer people had the skills and the interest to turn their hand to the range of practical matters that would occupy Bob’s working day. Health and safety concerns meant that simple plumbing and electrical matters now had to be attended to by qualified practitioners.  It was cheaper to discard any damaged Ercol furniture than to repair it (but don’t throw it away – put it in Bob’s Room!).

However the real reason Bob was not replaced is that this was the beginning of the era of efficiency savings. The stripping-out of the ‘dead wood’ from the system that would help to make public bodies as efficient as their private sector cousins. So now, when a fuse or high-level light bulb needed changing or the back of a seat started to work loose, a manager would raise an order for a maintenance company to come in. Eventually, someone in their 20s would turn up in a company van, make an assessment, cost the job and wait – sometimes weeks - for approval to proceed.  And, in bare economic terms, I daresay there were savings although, heaven knows, Bob’s salary was fairly meagre.

Is there a purpose to this reminiscence?  Archbishop Vincent Nicholls has today added his voice to those who believe that our government’s approach to welfare is increasingly ‘punitive’.  More and more Christians and others of goodwill are both saying this and taking practical steps, such as food banks, to show that the punishment of people on benefits should not be done in our names. Now I believe that welfare reform is much needed and long overdue but it needs to take place in a compassionate way that recognises that we have reached our present state because of society’s choices and our collective failures to do what is right. 

But also – and here’s the relevance of the Bob story – because for the past 30 years so many choices seem to have been made on grounds of financial efficiency alone. Wouldn’t a truly just society ensure that there are places where people can contribute and belong even though, economically, no business case would support that? 

You may say I’m a dreamer; but I’m not the only one. We Christians are here to model an alternative way of living – one that reflects the many hundreds of bible verses that consistently reveal God’s bias towards those shoved to the edges of human society.  The suggestion that we revert to a society which found employment for Bob is economic madness. I am content to be thought naive. But our reaction to what I suggest might be one measure of how far we are colluding with the values of the world around us, which are content to leave millions of people without a way to contribute and belong. 

Moby, The Maltese Falcon and Schindler's List

Like many others I enjoy reading novels, listening to music and watching films. These are all popular forms of our culture yet it would be hard to say that they always sit easily with being a follower of Christ.

For example, I enjoy the rather gory detective novels of Val McDermid – which we also see on the television as Wire in the blood - looking at life through the eyes of psychopaths.

I love films.  I like spy and detective stories, especially the films noirs of the 30s and 40s, like The Big Sleep or The Maltese Falcon.  I like heartwarming, moral (some might say syrupy) tales like It’s a wonderful life or Mr Smith goes to Washington or fun films like (wait for it!) The Wizard of Oz. 

And I have also watched Schindler’s List, and The Passion of the Christ and Shadowlands, though I probably wouldn’t want to see them again.  Films affect people differently.  I saw The Passion at the cinema with a guest, a young Muslim man, who spent the film weeping profusely at what he saw, while in the row in front of us four girls laughed and munched their way through bags of crisps while making and receiving mobile phone calls throughout.

I also like a wide variety of music, including some that more traditional Christians might find strange or even distasteful.  While there are many Christians who think that ‘real’ music finished in 1950 or even 1850, I am interested in the way that modern music – garage, trance and ambient - can speak to the emotions and the mind, even if I find the message it contains requires careful filtering.

I remember as a teenager that the prevailing attitude within the church was that modern culture was something largely to be avoided or shunned.  Christians didn’t listen to rock music.  They didn’t dance or smoke or drink.  We were the people who “came out from among them and were separate”. We removed ourselves from society, finding alternative community and culture behind the walls of our local church. 

But now I am sure that it’s right that the followers of Jesus should engage with culture.  After all, the Jesus that we worship and honour not only created this world; he ordained that we are made in God’s likeness and therefore we should be sub-creators in it. Like us, Jesus was born into a defined culture and worldview; a locatedness in time, space and outlook.  Jesus could not escape or ignore his culture; neither can we stand aloof from ours. 

Which is why I was glad to spend time recently, at his request, sharing an experience with a Christian friend in his 20s. He wanted to explore the spiritual content of the music of Moby, in the style of contemporary music known as ambient electronic.  Moby is a professing Christian whose music and lyrics, though not apparently explicitly Christian, are now used very extensively in modern entertainments and in films.  You may not have heard his name but if you heard just some of his music you would probably recognise it as he is still, I think, among the most licenced of artists for use in films and adverts. My friend asked if it would be possible to explore a sample of Moby’s work and see what conclusions we came to, having experienced this material together.  It was an interesting and challenging project.

Paul’s Letter to the Philippian church can speak into situations where we look our culture hard in the face. Written in his prison cell, Paul is confronted by the realities of living in the first century Roman Empire.  He believes he is in the closing days not only of his ministry but also his life. It is hard to imagine a situation more disturbing to the mind or soul.  But Paul doesn’t focus on his current discomfort or his imminent death.  Instead, he writes to offer encouragement to one of his churches. And at the heart of his message is the belief that Christians may know peace amid the pain and trouble of the world as they focus on the beauty that lies on the other side of what presents as reality in our culture.

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

We too live in a culture that has a dark side. The pain of the world is brought nightly into our living rooms.  Our newspapers’ circulations are sustained by tawdriness.  TV news bulletins lead on disasters.  Bad news is sent by text updates to our phones.  This continuing bombardment of darkness can lead us down a path towards despondency or even despair.

The way of Christ, as taught by Paul, stands in stark contrast to society’s fixation on the negative and narcissistic aspects of modern culture.  If we are to find the peace of God, we need to look beyond our culture to a firmer reality. In place of despondency we are called to celebrate and enjoy all that is good and uplifting.  In our society, this is profoundly countercultural.

As someone once said, whatever else popular culture is it is not trivial, because it is an expression of faith and worship.  If the people among whom we live (and often we ourselves!) are immersed in the culture of our times, in its outlook and its ‘worship’, then clearly we must seek to understand that culture if we are to speak the good news of Christ in relevant ways. 

What Paul is suggesting here is that Christians must guard themselves against simply soaking up the prevailing culture, so that we lose any distinctiveness. So what practical steps for daily life can we draw from this?

Well, firstly, we look for opportunities where we can experience popular culture in the company of friends and family (both Christian and non-Christian) in ways that lead to discussion both of the merit of the work and the values that underpin it. Encourage yourself and others to be discerning of the signs of the times, as reflected in the culture you enjoy together.

Then, remember that not all that culture offers is meaningful or worthy of our attention. Much popular culture can be frothy or vacuous. But don’t be put off:  there are stories, films, music that have depth to them and which contain clues that underpin the lives of others.  Don’t be afraid to sample widely; reject most; revel and immerse yourself in little.

As you do so, enjoy those things which are beautiful and which lead you towards the beauty of God.  And when the Christian looks at hurtful things, as look we must at times, do so with the eyes of one who looks beyond them and sees the Christ who enters into the hurt wanting to transform and remake them into something beautiful.

What did I make of Moby and his music?  Well, of the 18 tracks I sampled, there was a small number that I found moving but mostly I thought the music rather thin and the lyrics inwardly focused upon some dark emotions.  I probably won’t be returning to Moby.  But I have no regrets about sampling.  I now have a basis from which to comment from the perspective of experience (not an uninformed bigotry, as is sadly often the case).  It would be far worse not to engage at all.

Now, when I watch a film, listen to an album, read a novel or view some art I hope I am not afloat on whatever current prevails.  Because I am now grounded in seeking the true, the honourable, the just, the pleasing, excellent and praiseworthy. And reflecting upon such things.

Death in Woolwich

A week ago, an off-duty British soldier was killed on the streets of south London. It seems that his Help the Heroes t-shirt was enough to identify him as a soldier.  The attack was not  directed at him for his own sake. He simply represented the British military and the government; the country and values system that was so hated by the two alleged perpetrators of the murderous attack. The soldier’s name was Lee Rigby.

Already much has been written about this event. I think any speculation by me on what might have led men to commit such an act - to believe that is is somehow justified - would add nothing.  Yet one man’s death on the streets of Woolwich has been noted by friends of mine around the world, each with a different perspective.  I have jotted down here their immediate thoughts and reactions spoken to me on hearing the news.  I have not asked their permission, so the comments are not attributable to named people.

The first is from a Muslim living in the Middle East, who studied in London:

“Disenfranchised, radicalised Muslims have other issues. They don’t exist because they follow a certain faith. The scary bit is, anyone can just walk up to someone on the streets of London and behead them in daylight while others watch....that’s the death of humanity;  it’s very sad.” 

A Muslim living and working in south London:

“Sorry to hear about the recent London killing.  I truly condemn such acts; it is horrific. They should hang these ********……  I think it is important that the government finds out these kind of hidden brainwashing institutes and root them out. These kind of people never let us live peacefully in our old country [Pakistan] and not even here.”

A Christian living in Pakistan, facing the risk of persecution, commented:

“And I got news that a UK army man was slaughtered on the road.  Oh my God.  Please make aware your white [English] people. I don't want to see UK become like [Moorish] Spain [in the middle ages]. Don't repeat the history.  You know what they did in Spain. They killed and had Spanish wives.  Today target was an army man; next would be a civilian and then these things may be common; finally a UK Muslim state.  Sharia Law will be imposed.”

Finally, a Muslim human rights lawyer living in the UK:

“What worries me is the silence of some, and conditional condemnation of others. I’m talking about ordinary individuals, not organisations which issue press releases. I am critical of UK foreign policy but we just cannot shape it out of fear of lunatics. We will see from the government shortly a renewed effort to pass ‘Snooper’s Charter’ styled legislation [enabling intelligence agencies and police to see the content of all emails; until recently the proposed legislation had been withdrawn owing to civil liberties concerns.].”