I don't mention politics very often
in this space but that isn't because I'm indifferent
to the world outside my imitation ivory
miniature tower. I am aware and I do care, a lot. But
the feelings I have about the injustice, horror, hypocrisy,
deceit, greed, selfishness, violence, insanity and stupidity
of so much that the words 'politics' and 'economics'
embrace are mainly inarticulate anger and outrage. All
I can do is splutter incoherently or cry helplessly so
I prefer to leave it up to more eloquent and knowledgeable
others to write or speak about such things.
But what's happening right here
in London in front of St.Paul's Cathedral, as part
of the current global protests about Mammon's domination
of almost anything you can think of, has made me want
to say my little say.
Whether or not you believe there
is a God or a Mammon is irrelevant. For sure all
the people camped on the steps of St. Paul's are not
believers. But they are certainly convinced that they
belong to a movement which is opposed to a dictatorship:
the powerful dictatorship of money, and those who control
it, over the lives of every person on this planet.
Today's Independent front
page has the headline: God vs Mammon: Britain
takes sides. Interestingly, the debate is now questioning
what the church's role is, what being a Christian
means and whether the clergy, especially those in high-ranking
positions, should take a strong stand (against Mammon)
or sit back and say nothing out of fear of rocking the church
politics boat. So far, two clerics have bravely resigned in protest
against the St.Paul's administration decision to seek a court
injunction for evicting the protesters. There are many letters
from clergy all over the country to newspaper editors,
supporting the protesters and
lamenting St.Paul's Cathedral authorities' attitude. Thus far
the voice which should take the lead - that of Rowan Williams,
Archbishop of Canterbury - has been deafeningly silent.
Surely
this is a golden opportunity for him to define what being
a Christian means and what relevance Christianity
has in this Mammon-led world? If speaking out
in support of the protest will endanger his position
in the church and cause shock waves to ripple
through the halls of hierarchy, well, so be it. Such
a courageous gesture would do more than hundreds of sermons
and conferences to inspire those who have given up on
Christianity for not being Christ-like enough.
El Greco: Christ Drives Merchants
from the Temple
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