I have just come across this sermon preached by Margaret Thatcher to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1988.
Reading recently, I came across the starkly simple phrase:
"Christianity is about spiritual redemption, not social reform".
Sometimes the debate on these matters has become too polarised and given the impression that the two are quite separate. But most Christians would regard it as their personal Christian duty to help their fellow men and women. They would regard the lives of children as a precious trust. These duties come not from any secular legislation passed by Parliament, but from being a Christian.
But there are a number of people who are not Christians who would also accept those responsibilities. What then are the distinctive marks of Christianity?
They stem not from the social but from the spiritual side of our lives, and personally, I would identify three beliefs in particular:
First, that from the beginning man has been endowed by God with the fundamental right to choose between good and evil. And second, that we were made in God's own image and, therefore, we are expected to use all our own power of thought and judgement in exercising that choice; and further, that if we open our hearts to God, He has promised to work within us. And third, that Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when faced with His terrible choice and lonely vigil chose to lay down His life that our sins may be forgiven. I remember very well a sermon on an Armistice Sunday when our Preacher said, "No one took away the life of Jesus , He chose to lay it down".
I think back to many discussions in my early life when we all agreed that if you try to take the fruits of Christianity without its roots, the fruits will wither. And they will not come again unless you nurture the roots.
But we must not profess the Christian faith and go to Church simply because we want social reforms and benefits or a better standard of behaviour; but because we accept the sanctity of life, the responsibility that comes with freedom and the supreme sacrifice of Christ expressed so well in the hymn:
"When I survey the wondrous Cross, On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride."
May I also say a few words about my personal belief in the relevance of Christianity to public policy—to the things that are Caesar's?
The Old Testament lays down in Exodus the Ten Commandments as given to Moses , the injunction in Leviticus to love our neighbour as ourselves and generally the importance of observing a strict code of law. The New Testament is a record of the Incarnation, the teachings of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Again we have the emphasis on loving our neighbour as ourselves and to "Do-as-you-would-be-done-by".
I believe that by taking together these key elements from the Old and New Testaments, we gain: a view of the universe, a proper attitude to work, and principles to shape economic and social life.
We are told we must work and use our talents to create wealth. "If a man will not work he shall not eat" wrote St. Paul to the Thessalonians. Indeed, abundance rather than poverty has a legitimacy which derives from the very nature of Creation.
Nevertheless, the Tenth Commandment — Thou shalt not covet—recognises that making money and owning things could become selfish activities. But it is not the creation of wealth that is wrong but love of money for its own sake. The spiritual dimension comes in deciding what one does with the wealth. How could we respond to the many calls for help, or invest for the future, or support the wonderful artists and craftsmen whose work also glorifies God, unless we had first worked hard and used our talents to create the necessary wealth? And remember the woman with the alabaster jar of ointment.
I confess that I always had difficulty with interpreting the Biblical precept to love our neighbours "as ourselves" until I read some of the words of C.S. Lewis. He pointed out that we don't exactly love ourselves when we fall below the standards and beliefs we have accepted. Indeed we might even hate ourselves for some unworthy deed.
None of this, of course, tells us exactly what kind of political and social institutions we should have. On this point, Christians will very often genuinely disagree, though it is a mark of Christian manners that they will do so with courtesy and mutual respect. What is certain, however, is that any set of social and economic arrangements which is not founded on the acceptance of individual responsibility will do nothing but harm.
We are all responsible for our own actions. We can't blame society if we disobey the law. We simply can't delegate the exercise of mercy and generosity to others. The politicians and other secular powers should strive by their measures to bring out the good in people and to fight down the bad: but they can't create the one or abolish the other. They can only see that the laws encourage the best instincts and convictions of the people, instincts and convictions which I'm convinced are far more deeply rooted than is often supposed.
Nowhere is this more evident than the basic ties of the family which are at the heart of our society and are the very nursery of civic virtue. And it is on the family that we in government build our own policies for welfare, education and care.
You recall that Timothy was warned by St. Paul that anyone who neglects to provide for his own house (meaning his own family) has disowned the faith and is "worse than an infidel".
We must recognise that modern society is infinitely more complex than that of Biblical times and of course new occasions teach new duties. In our generation, the only way we can ensure that no-one is left without sustenence, help or opportunity, is to have laws to provide for health and education, pensions for the elderly, succour for the sick and disabled.
But intervention by the State must never become so great that it effectively removes personal responsibility. The same applies to taxation; for while you and I would work extremely hard whatever the circumstances, there are undoubtedly some who would not unless the incentive was there. And we need their efforts too.
Recently there have been great debates about religious education. I believe strongly that politicians must see that religious education has a proper place in the school curriculum.
In Scotland, as in England, there is an historic connection expressed in our laws between Church and State. The two connections are of a somewhat different kind, but the arrangements in both countries are designed to give symbolic expression to the same crucial truth: that the Christian religion — which, of course, embodies many of the great spiritual and moral truths of Judaism — is a fundamental part of our national heritage. And I believe it is the wish of the overwhelming majority of people that this heritage should be preserved and fostered. For centuries it has been our very life blood. And indeed we are a nation whose ideals are founded on the Bible.
Also, it is quite impossible to understand our history or literature without grasping this fact, and that's the strong practical case for ensuring that children at school are given adequate instruction in the part which the Judaic-Christian tradition has played in moulding our laws, manners and institutions. How can you make sense of Shakespeare and Sir Walter Scott, or of the constitutional conflicts of the 17th century in both Scotland and England, without some such fundamental knowledge?
But I go further than this. The truths of the Judaic-Christian tradition are infinitely precious, not only, as I believe, because they are true, but also because they provide the moral impulse which alone can lead to that peace, in the true meaning of the word, for which we all long.
To assert absolute moral values is not to claim perfection for ourselves. No true Christian could do that. What is more, one of the great principles of our Judaic-Christian inheritance is tolerance. People with other faiths and cultures have always been welcomed in our land, assured of equality under the law, of proper respect and of open friendship. There's absolutely nothing incompatible between this and our desire to maintain the essence of our own identity. There is no place for racial or religious intolerance in our creed.
When Abraham Lincoln spoke in his famous Gettysburg speech of 1863 of "government of the people, by the people, and for the people", he gave the world a neat definition of democracy which has since been widely and enthusiastically adopted. But what he enunciated as a form of government was not in itself especially Christian, for nowhere in the Bible is the word democracy mentioned. Ideally, when Christians meet, as Christians, to take counsel together their purpose is not (or should not be) to ascertain what is the mind of the majority but what is the mind of the Holy Spirit — something which may be quite different.
Nevertheless I am an enthusiast for democracy. And I take that position, not because I believe majority opinion is inevitably right or true—indeed no majority can take away God-given human rights — but because I believe it most effectively safeguards the value of the individual, and, more than any other system, restrains the abuse of power by the few. And that is a Christian concept.
But there is little hope for democracy if the hearts of men and women in democratic societies cannot be touched by a call to something greater than themselves. Political structures, state institutions, collective ideals—these are not enough.
We Parliamentarians can legislate for the rule of law. You, the Church, can teach the life of faith.
But when all is said and done, the politician's role is a humble one. I always think that the whole debate about the Church and the State has never yielded anything comparable in insight to that beautiful hymn "I Vow to Thee my Country". It begins with a triumphant assertion of what might be described as secular patriotism, a noble thing indeed in a country like ours:
"I vow to thee my country all earthly things above; entire, whole and perfect the service of my love".
It goes on to speak of "another country I heard of long ago" whose King can't be seen and whose armies can't be counted, but "soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase". Not group by group, or party by party, or even church by church — but soul by soul — and each one counts.
That, members of the Assembly, is the country which you chiefly serve. You fight your cause under the banner of an historic Church. Your success matters greatly — as much to the temporal as to the spiritual welfare of the nation. I leave you with that earnest hope that may we all come nearer to that other country whose "ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace."
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Persecuting Christians. The spirit of Herod lives on
I reprint this news item from the Barnabas Fund.
Anti-Christian persecution is often focused on Christian festivals, and the last few weeks have seen attacks in at least eight countries, both around the Western Christmas Day on 25 December and the Eastern Christmas Day on 7 January. Tension was particularly high this season in Shia contexts (e.g. Iran and parts of Iraq) because the main Shia festival of Ashura, which moves with the Islamic calendar each year, almost coincided with Christmas, falling around 27 December.
The Western New Year on 1 January is also a frequent focus of anti-Christian violence, as it is believed by many in other parts of the world to be a Christian festival.
The following overview includes only reported incidents that were apparently timed deliberately to coincide with Christmas or New Year events. At least six Christians were killed in Egypt and three in Iraq.
December 16 – Iraq: Two car bombs were detonated near churches in Mosul causing extensive damage, wounding nearby schoolchildren and killing at least three Christians. The minister of one of the churches said “Words cannot describe what has happened ... but we will pray in the streets, in homes, in shops. God is everywhere, not just in churches.”
December 17 – Iran: A meeting of 70 converts from Islam to celebrate Christmas and New Year was raided by 15 police officers, and two leaders were arrested.
December 18 – Indonesia: A new church building in Bekasi Regency, near the capital Jakarta, which was almost finished and scheduled to be ready by Christmas, was attacked by a mob of motorcyclists (men, women and children) who came armed with kerosene. Despite the damage, police and government authorities urged the church minister not to cancel the planned Christmas service.
December 23(?) – Iraq: On or before this date Christians in Basra were warned by Shia Muslims that they were not to celebrate Christmas in any way apart from attending church. This was owing to the main Shia celebration during the Islamic month of Muharram, which in 2009 began on 18 December, with the climax celebration around 27 December.
December 23 – Iraq: Two churches were damaged in separate bomb attacks in Mosul, killing at least three people. Iraqi Christians saw the December bombings as timed to coincide with the Christmas season. A senior church leader later said in his Christmas service, “My dear people, your attendance to the church is the best gift you provide to our new born Child at Christmas regarding the dangerous situation of our city Mosul.”
December 24-25 – Pakistan: A massive government security operation protected Christians attending Christmas services. In some areas, other Christmas celebrations were scaled down or cancelled on police advice because of security concerns. Intimidating text messages had been circulating threatening Christians with “a special gift at Christmas”, which led to the increased security precautions.
December 25 – Iraq: A mob of armed Shabaks (a Kurdish minority group) attacked the Christian-majority town of Bartilla, near Mosul in northern Iraq. They took over the entry check-point for more than five hours and tore down Christmas decorations in the shops. They also tried to enter a church in the middle of the market to perform the Ashura self-flagellation ritual inside the building. The church was successfully defended by its security guards, but four Christians including a policeman received gunshot wounds.
December 25 – Zimbabwe: A cathedral in Harare and three churches were raided by police. Police burst into a communion service in the cathedral, beat up worshippers and forced them out of the building.
December 25 – China: Police arrested several elderly Christians in Korla City, Xinjiang province, as they gathered to celebrate Christmas. A 71-year-old woman was thrown roughly against a police car. In another incident, police raided the home of an ailing Christian woman who is confined to her bed. They seized Bibles and other Christian literature and publicly burned them in a bonfire outside her home.
December 26 – Algeria: Christians arrived for a Christmas service in the city of Tizi-Ouzou to find the entrance to their church blocked by a group of approximately 20 Muslims. The group had congregated to protest against the new church building in their neighbourhood and shouted, “This land is the land of Islam! Go pray somewhere else."
January 2 – Algeria: A group of Muslims stormed a service at the same Tizi-Ouzou church that was the focus of protests on 26 December. They punched the pastor and knocked to the ground a church member who was trying to capture the events on camera. Later that evening the church was broken into. Contents were vandalised and set on fire.
January 6 – Egypt: Six Christian worshippers and a security guard were killed by three gunmen during a Christmas Eve service in the town of Nag Hamadi. This attack followed threats to the bishop who was leading the service, apparently because of his protests about the large-scale anti-Christian violence in the neighbouring town of Farshoot in November. The violence was triggered by a report that a Christian man had sexually abused a Muslim girl.
January 7 – Iran: Christian leader Keyvan Rajabi was arrested because he had led Christmas and New Year services at his church in Iran.
January 8 – Egypt: Further anti-Christian violence broke out in the town of Bahgoura, near to Nag Hamadi and Farshoot, where a Muslim mob armed with swords and gas cylinders looted and torched Christian-owned homes, shops and cars. One woman died after being overcome by fumes when her home was set alight. Residents from the village also report that water and electricity were disconnected during the fires, and when the fire brigade arrived, 90 minutes after being called, the vehicles that came had empty tanks.
In addition at least eight Christian churches and a Christian school in Malaysia have been attacked by firebombs during the period 8 January to 11 January. One church was partly gutted, but thankfully the remaining buildings suffered little damage. The anti-Christian violence was apparently a response to a controversial ruling on 31 December by a Malaysian judge, which determined that a Malaysian Christian newspaper had the right to use the word “Allah” when referring to God. “Allah” is the word for God in the Malaysian national language. The government will appeal against the ruling.
Anti-Christian persecution is often focused on Christian festivals, and the last few weeks have seen attacks in at least eight countries, both around the Western Christmas Day on 25 December and the Eastern Christmas Day on 7 January. Tension was particularly high this season in Shia contexts (e.g. Iran and parts of Iraq) because the main Shia festival of Ashura, which moves with the Islamic calendar each year, almost coincided with Christmas, falling around 27 December.
The Western New Year on 1 January is also a frequent focus of anti-Christian violence, as it is believed by many in other parts of the world to be a Christian festival.
The following overview includes only reported incidents that were apparently timed deliberately to coincide with Christmas or New Year events. At least six Christians were killed in Egypt and three in Iraq.
December 16 – Iraq: Two car bombs were detonated near churches in Mosul causing extensive damage, wounding nearby schoolchildren and killing at least three Christians. The minister of one of the churches said “Words cannot describe what has happened ... but we will pray in the streets, in homes, in shops. God is everywhere, not just in churches.”
December 17 – Iran: A meeting of 70 converts from Islam to celebrate Christmas and New Year was raided by 15 police officers, and two leaders were arrested.
December 18 – Indonesia: A new church building in Bekasi Regency, near the capital Jakarta, which was almost finished and scheduled to be ready by Christmas, was attacked by a mob of motorcyclists (men, women and children) who came armed with kerosene. Despite the damage, police and government authorities urged the church minister not to cancel the planned Christmas service.
December 23(?) – Iraq: On or before this date Christians in Basra were warned by Shia Muslims that they were not to celebrate Christmas in any way apart from attending church. This was owing to the main Shia celebration during the Islamic month of Muharram, which in 2009 began on 18 December, with the climax celebration around 27 December.
December 23 – Iraq: Two churches were damaged in separate bomb attacks in Mosul, killing at least three people. Iraqi Christians saw the December bombings as timed to coincide with the Christmas season. A senior church leader later said in his Christmas service, “My dear people, your attendance to the church is the best gift you provide to our new born Child at Christmas regarding the dangerous situation of our city Mosul.”
December 24-25 – Pakistan: A massive government security operation protected Christians attending Christmas services. In some areas, other Christmas celebrations were scaled down or cancelled on police advice because of security concerns. Intimidating text messages had been circulating threatening Christians with “a special gift at Christmas”, which led to the increased security precautions.
December 25 – Iraq: A mob of armed Shabaks (a Kurdish minority group) attacked the Christian-majority town of Bartilla, near Mosul in northern Iraq. They took over the entry check-point for more than five hours and tore down Christmas decorations in the shops. They also tried to enter a church in the middle of the market to perform the Ashura self-flagellation ritual inside the building. The church was successfully defended by its security guards, but four Christians including a policeman received gunshot wounds.
December 25 – Zimbabwe: A cathedral in Harare and three churches were raided by police. Police burst into a communion service in the cathedral, beat up worshippers and forced them out of the building.
December 25 – China: Police arrested several elderly Christians in Korla City, Xinjiang province, as they gathered to celebrate Christmas. A 71-year-old woman was thrown roughly against a police car. In another incident, police raided the home of an ailing Christian woman who is confined to her bed. They seized Bibles and other Christian literature and publicly burned them in a bonfire outside her home.
December 26 – Algeria: Christians arrived for a Christmas service in the city of Tizi-Ouzou to find the entrance to their church blocked by a group of approximately 20 Muslims. The group had congregated to protest against the new church building in their neighbourhood and shouted, “This land is the land of Islam! Go pray somewhere else."
January 2 – Algeria: A group of Muslims stormed a service at the same Tizi-Ouzou church that was the focus of protests on 26 December. They punched the pastor and knocked to the ground a church member who was trying to capture the events on camera. Later that evening the church was broken into. Contents were vandalised and set on fire.
January 6 – Egypt: Six Christian worshippers and a security guard were killed by three gunmen during a Christmas Eve service in the town of Nag Hamadi. This attack followed threats to the bishop who was leading the service, apparently because of his protests about the large-scale anti-Christian violence in the neighbouring town of Farshoot in November. The violence was triggered by a report that a Christian man had sexually abused a Muslim girl.
January 7 – Iran: Christian leader Keyvan Rajabi was arrested because he had led Christmas and New Year services at his church in Iran.
January 8 – Egypt: Further anti-Christian violence broke out in the town of Bahgoura, near to Nag Hamadi and Farshoot, where a Muslim mob armed with swords and gas cylinders looted and torched Christian-owned homes, shops and cars. One woman died after being overcome by fumes when her home was set alight. Residents from the village also report that water and electricity were disconnected during the fires, and when the fire brigade arrived, 90 minutes after being called, the vehicles that came had empty tanks.
In addition at least eight Christian churches and a Christian school in Malaysia have been attacked by firebombs during the period 8 January to 11 January. One church was partly gutted, but thankfully the remaining buildings suffered little damage. The anti-Christian violence was apparently a response to a controversial ruling on 31 December by a Malaysian judge, which determined that a Malaysian Christian newspaper had the right to use the word “Allah” when referring to God. “Allah” is the word for God in the Malaysian national language. The government will appeal against the ruling.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Scarecrow
I have just finished the Michael Connelly novel, "The Scarecrow", the second of my Christmas books. A smashing read. What I like about these stories is that there is a set of characters who appear in the novels, but not all of them are in all the books. Harry Bosch is not in this one, but he is in the next, 'Nine Dragons', which I will start tonight.
Following the example of Jesus. 1 Peter 3:8-12
When did you last wash your brother's feet? In Biblical days you wouldn't have been complaining that the Council hasn't gritted the roads or put enough salt down, you would have been more likely to complain about the mule droppings, excrement, urine, vomit, mud and other ordure that contaminated them. If you were a trainee slave you would be given the task of washing the feet of the guests, who were not well-booted against the muck, but used to walk about with open sandals (if they were not bare-footed).
You certainly would not have expected your host to take off his outer garments, wrap a towel around his waist and take a bowl of soapy water and wash your feet. Yet that is just what Jesus did at the Last Supper. It may have looked like humility then, but when you consider that this was the Maker of the Mountains, the Overseer of the Oceans, the Creator Himself; how much more does his humility seem?
Earlier in 1 Peter we had this command: "To this you were called because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."
Being submissive is one of the lessons that we have to learn, and I more than most. My last intemperate post, for example, shows that I still have a long way to go. But living in constant rebellion, being against most things, being a critic, part of his infernal majesty's opposition, can be a wearing and destructive lifestyle. Listen to what Peter has to say about it:
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
Do you remember the song from "White Christmas" sung by Rosmary Clooney, "Sisters, there were never such devoted sisters"? It contained the line, "Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister." This is how we must 'love as brothers'. It's not, 'my country right or wrong' but our love for other Christians must take precedence over other loves - love of country, love of local football team, even love on non-Christian members of our own family.
We have to be both sympathetic and compassionate. Although both these words come from the same root, they have slightly different meanings. Sympathy implies sharing in the sufferings, weeping with those who weep. Compassion is more that gut-wrenching ache when you see a brother suffering. The difference is not great and we are to do both. When we see our brother suffering we suffer with him and have pity on him - both should be a spur to action. Remember the Good Samaritan! Don't walk by on the other side.
Finally, be in harmony and show humility. There are many things to fall out about in churches - it is usually the flowers or the music. But prefer you brother's view to your own. Those who are truly humble don't fall out with anybody.
It is easy enough to be nice to like minded people. Here comes the difficult part. "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing".
Revenge is forbidden to Christians. Here's a heath tip. Giving up revenge does wonders for your blood pressure. Has someone cut you up at a roundabout? Don't honk your horn and make rude gestures. Just wish him a happy accident at his next encounter and let it pass. I remember remonstrating with a pedestrian who had just jumped out in front of me, nearly getting himself killed. He was high on drugs and was in no mood to listen. he just punched me on the nose and walked off.
This life is terribly unfair and if you spend your time chuntering after justice, you will find yourself in an early grave. Far better to leave vengeance to the Lord and regard this life as training for heaven. Develop that contrite and humble spirit. Blessed are the peacemakers, said Jesus, for they will be called the sons of God.
I have been challenged over my assertion that God will not listen to the prayers of husbands who treat their wives badly, but here it is again. 'The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'
I know that if once you are saved, you are always saved, and I know that our righteousness is as filthy rags and once we have been covered with the righteousness of Christ we can't improve on it, but once we have been converted, the Holy Spirit gets to work on us to train us in following the example of Christ. If we rebel and sin the more so that grace may more abound, then the Lord is telling us here that he won't listen to our prayers.
We were called so that we might inherit a blessing. What were we called to? Repentance and faith. Repentance means a change in our thinking. We no longer put ourselves first. It is not merely an assent to a particular doctrine, but a change in our way of life. We live by faith - content that the Lord is in control, ready to leave the consequences to him and to spend our lives as imitators of Christ.
You certainly would not have expected your host to take off his outer garments, wrap a towel around his waist and take a bowl of soapy water and wash your feet. Yet that is just what Jesus did at the Last Supper. It may have looked like humility then, but when you consider that this was the Maker of the Mountains, the Overseer of the Oceans, the Creator Himself; how much more does his humility seem?
Earlier in 1 Peter we had this command: "To this you were called because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."
Being submissive is one of the lessons that we have to learn, and I more than most. My last intemperate post, for example, shows that I still have a long way to go. But living in constant rebellion, being against most things, being a critic, part of his infernal majesty's opposition, can be a wearing and destructive lifestyle. Listen to what Peter has to say about it:
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
Do you remember the song from "White Christmas" sung by Rosmary Clooney, "Sisters, there were never such devoted sisters"? It contained the line, "Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister." This is how we must 'love as brothers'. It's not, 'my country right or wrong' but our love for other Christians must take precedence over other loves - love of country, love of local football team, even love on non-Christian members of our own family.
We have to be both sympathetic and compassionate. Although both these words come from the same root, they have slightly different meanings. Sympathy implies sharing in the sufferings, weeping with those who weep. Compassion is more that gut-wrenching ache when you see a brother suffering. The difference is not great and we are to do both. When we see our brother suffering we suffer with him and have pity on him - both should be a spur to action. Remember the Good Samaritan! Don't walk by on the other side.
Finally, be in harmony and show humility. There are many things to fall out about in churches - it is usually the flowers or the music. But prefer you brother's view to your own. Those who are truly humble don't fall out with anybody.
It is easy enough to be nice to like minded people. Here comes the difficult part. "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing".
Revenge is forbidden to Christians. Here's a heath tip. Giving up revenge does wonders for your blood pressure. Has someone cut you up at a roundabout? Don't honk your horn and make rude gestures. Just wish him a happy accident at his next encounter and let it pass. I remember remonstrating with a pedestrian who had just jumped out in front of me, nearly getting himself killed. He was high on drugs and was in no mood to listen. he just punched me on the nose and walked off.
This life is terribly unfair and if you spend your time chuntering after justice, you will find yourself in an early grave. Far better to leave vengeance to the Lord and regard this life as training for heaven. Develop that contrite and humble spirit. Blessed are the peacemakers, said Jesus, for they will be called the sons of God.
I have been challenged over my assertion that God will not listen to the prayers of husbands who treat their wives badly, but here it is again. 'The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'
I know that if once you are saved, you are always saved, and I know that our righteousness is as filthy rags and once we have been covered with the righteousness of Christ we can't improve on it, but once we have been converted, the Holy Spirit gets to work on us to train us in following the example of Christ. If we rebel and sin the more so that grace may more abound, then the Lord is telling us here that he won't listen to our prayers.
We were called so that we might inherit a blessing. What were we called to? Repentance and faith. Repentance means a change in our thinking. We no longer put ourselves first. It is not merely an assent to a particular doctrine, but a change in our way of life. We live by faith - content that the Lord is in control, ready to leave the consequences to him and to spend our lives as imitators of Christ.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Maldives
The Maldives have been much in the news recently because of a perceived risk of rising sea levels drowing the islands as a result of 'climate change'. Western holidaymakers fear that their 'island paradise' may be swamped.
Far from being a paradise, the Maldives are Hell on earth. Did you know that no Christian may be a citizen there? By law all citizens must be Muslims. Legislation is now going through their parliament to ban the building of Christian churches there. There are a small number of Maldivian Christians. A severe crackdown in 1998 resulted in some being imprisoned and tortured. They continue to be carefully watched, as well as discriminated against and ostracized.
We heard of the outrage when the Swiss people voted to ban Minarets from Switzerland, but nothing has been heard in the world's media about this disgraceful persecution. I suggest that Christians no longer holiday there, do not contribute to charities that send aid money there and burn all the carbon they can to drown the place (although I don't think this will work).
Added after cooling down (13th Jan):
I apologise for my intemperate language. Hell? Well one definition is the complete absence of God. In seeking to have a pure Moslem state they seek to exclude God. Don't believe what you read about our all worshipping the same God. There is only one God and unless you accept him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who rose from the dead to save mankind, then you worship a different God; and since there is only one God, Moslems who do not accept Jesus as God worship a God who is not a God.
Burning carbon to drown the place? It's not going to happen. Surely by now enough doubt has been thrown on the whole anthropogenic global warming myth for most people without a vested interest to reject it.
By the way you might be interested in this press report from China Daily:
Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed and the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Tuesday pledged to work closely on climate change and other global issues. Nasheed said his country appreciated the important and active role played by China in the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference held last month.
He said the Maldives is looking forward to strengthening its cooperation with China in dealing with global issues including climate change.
Nasheed said his country respects China's sovereignty and core interests, adding that the Maldives will not do anything that might hurt China's core interests and the two countries' relationship.
Yang said China will continue to work closely with the Maldives on climate change and other issues, promoting the interests of developing countries including those of Small Island Developing States.
The two leaders said they were satisfied with the good relationship between the two countries and pledged to promote the cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, tourism and fishing.
Yang also held talks with Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed in the visit.
Yang arrived here Tuesday afternoon on his way of paying official visits to five African nations and Saudi Arabia. He is expected to leave Maldives Wednesday morning to continue his tour.
I believe China has a military base in the Maldives, established with the help of Pakistan, from which to confront India.
Do you still want to take your holidays there?
Far from being a paradise, the Maldives are Hell on earth. Did you know that no Christian may be a citizen there? By law all citizens must be Muslims. Legislation is now going through their parliament to ban the building of Christian churches there. There are a small number of Maldivian Christians. A severe crackdown in 1998 resulted in some being imprisoned and tortured. They continue to be carefully watched, as well as discriminated against and ostracized.
We heard of the outrage when the Swiss people voted to ban Minarets from Switzerland, but nothing has been heard in the world's media about this disgraceful persecution. I suggest that Christians no longer holiday there, do not contribute to charities that send aid money there and burn all the carbon they can to drown the place (although I don't think this will work).
Added after cooling down (13th Jan):
I apologise for my intemperate language. Hell? Well one definition is the complete absence of God. In seeking to have a pure Moslem state they seek to exclude God. Don't believe what you read about our all worshipping the same God. There is only one God and unless you accept him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who rose from the dead to save mankind, then you worship a different God; and since there is only one God, Moslems who do not accept Jesus as God worship a God who is not a God.
Burning carbon to drown the place? It's not going to happen. Surely by now enough doubt has been thrown on the whole anthropogenic global warming myth for most people without a vested interest to reject it.
By the way you might be interested in this press report from China Daily:
Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed and the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Tuesday pledged to work closely on climate change and other global issues. Nasheed said his country appreciated the important and active role played by China in the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference held last month.
He said the Maldives is looking forward to strengthening its cooperation with China in dealing with global issues including climate change.
Nasheed said his country respects China's sovereignty and core interests, adding that the Maldives will not do anything that might hurt China's core interests and the two countries' relationship.
Yang said China will continue to work closely with the Maldives on climate change and other issues, promoting the interests of developing countries including those of Small Island Developing States.
The two leaders said they were satisfied with the good relationship between the two countries and pledged to promote the cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, tourism and fishing.
Yang also held talks with Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed in the visit.
Yang arrived here Tuesday afternoon on his way of paying official visits to five African nations and Saudi Arabia. He is expected to leave Maldives Wednesday morning to continue his tour.
I believe China has a military base in the Maldives, established with the help of Pakistan, from which to confront India.
Do you still want to take your holidays there?
Vitamin D and cancer, particularly CLL
When I started my series on vitamins I intended to deal with the question of vitamin D and CLL, but I got sidetracked. I have seen a number of comments on various sites about using vitamin D3 to slow down CLL so I guess I should write about it now.
Vitamin D is a precursor to a hormone that controls calcium metabolism. There are two major forms: vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, and vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. Vitamin D2 is made naturally by plants, and vitamin D3 is made in animals. In humans D3 is made in the skin when it is exposed to UVB irradiation. Both can also be synthesized.
The active form is 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, or calcitriol, which can be made in the body from either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3. the functions of vitamin D are:
To help improve muscle strength and immune function.
To reduce inflammation.
To promote the absorption of calcium from the small intestine.
To helps maintain adequate blood levels of the calcium and phosphate needed for bone formation, mineralization, growth and repair.
Most people get the vitamin D they need through sunlight exposure. It is also present in the diet. Foods containing Vitamin D include fatty fish, fish liver oil, and eggs, with smaller amounts in meat and cheese. Most dietary vitamin D comes from fortified foods, such as milk, juices, yogurt, bread, and breakfast cereals. A serum level of calcitriol lower than 15 ng/ml (37.5 nmol/L) is generally considered inadequate for a healthy person to maintain bone health and normal calcium metabolism, but some experts suggest that the optimal level may be as high as 80 nmol/L. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies has developed the following recommended daily intakes of vitamin D: Birth to age 50 - 5 µg (200 iu); 51-70 - 10 µg (400 iu); 71+ 15 µg (600 iu). The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that older adults, people with dark skin, and people exposed to insufficient sunlight should consume extra vitamin D (25 µg, or 1,000 iu) from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.
The proven problems of insufficient vitamin D are rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Excessive vitamin D intake increases calcium levels which can lead to the deposit of calcium salts in soft tissues of the body, such as the kidneys, heart, and lungs and high blood levels of calcium. Patients with high calcium levels can get heart rhythm abnormalities, changes in mental status, pain, conjunctivitis, loss of appetite, fever, chills, thirst, vomiting, weight loss and if unchecked they can lead to coma and death.
Is there any evidence that vitamin D prevents cancer? Well yes, there is some, though it is far from conclusive. First, there are epidemiologic studies which show an inverse relationship between sunlight exposure and the rates of incidence and death for certain cancers. There may be many reasons for this, but one possibility is that more sunlight leads to more D3 being produced.
When cancer cells are cultured in the laboratory vitamin D promotes their differentiation and apoptosis and it slows their proliferation.
Randomized clinical trials designed to investigate the effects of vitamin D intake on bone health have also provided evidence that higher vitamin D intakes may reduce the risk of cancer. One study involved nearly 1,200 healthy postmenopausal women who took daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D (28 μg vitamin D, or 1,100 iu) or a placebo for 4 years. The women who took the supplements had a 60 percent lower overall incidence of cancer). This was an incidental finding since the principle end point was fracture incidence; it was not designed to measure cancer incidence. This limits the ability to draw conclusions about the effect of vitamin D intake on cancer incidence.
Observational studies to determine whether vitamin D reduces the risk of particular cancers, have been carried out but they have yielded inconsistent results. Information about dietary intakes was obtained from the participants through questionnaires, diet records, or interviews. Such information is not very reliable. Of course it is possible to measure blood levels of vitamin D to avoid reliance on individuals' memories but vitamin D levels in the blood can vary seasonally and with the laboratory technique used to measure them so if only a single measurement of vitamin D is made (as was the case in most studies) interpretation is difficult.
To fully understand the effect of vitamin D on cancer, new randomized trials will need to be carried out, but there is disagreement on what dose of vitamin D to use.
Let's look at individual cancers. Although the studies are inconsistent, epidemiologic studies of the association between vitamin D and the risk of colorectal cancer have provided some suggestion of protection.
In the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the diet, medical history, and lifestyle of more than 120,000 men and women were analyzed. Men with the highest intakes of vitamin D had a slightly lower risk of colorectal cancer than those with lowest intakes, but among women there was no difference. When this study was pooled with 9 other studies there was still a difference between men with the highest and lowest intakes, but it was no longer statistically significant.
In the Women's Health Initiative randomized trial, vitamin D supplementation did not reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer, though this study has been criticized by enthusiasts because of too low a dose and too short of duration.
Among the 16,818 participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, those with higher vitamin D blood levels (≥ 80 nmol/L) had a 72 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer death than those with lower vitamin D blood levels (< 50 nmol/L).
Since most colorectal cancers develop from pre-existing adenomas, any interventions that reduce the risk of adenoma development or recurrence are likely to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Several large studies have investigated the association of vitamin D intake or serum status with adenoma risk.
A cohort from the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored Polyp Prevention Trial (PPT) was evaluated for the association of vitamin D intake with recurrence of colorectal adenomas in individuals who previously had one or more adenomas removed during a qualifying colonoscopy. PPT was a multicenter randomized clinical trial to determine the effects of a diet high in fiber, fruits, and vegetables and low in fat on adenoma recurrence. The detailed dietary information obtained during the trial allowed the researchers to investigate the association between additional dietary factors and adenoma recurrence. Total vitamin D intake (that is, from dietary sources and supplements combined) was not associated with a reduced risk of adenoma recurrence. However, individuals who used any amount of vitamin D supplements had a lower risk of adenoma recurrence.
In another study, the vitamin D intakes of 3,000 people from several Veterans Affairs medical centers were examined to determine whether there was an association between intake and advanced colorectal neoplasia (an outcome that included high-risk adenomas as well as colon cancer). Individuals with the highest vitamin D intakes (more than 16 μg, or 645 iu, per day) had a lower risk of developing advanced neoplasia than those with lower intakes.
A pooled analysis of data from these and a number of other observational studies found that higher circulating levels of vitamin D and higher vitamin D intakes were associated with lower risks of colorectal adenoma. Inverse associations were seen with both dietary and total vitamin D intake but not with supplemental vitamin D intake. However, the associations with dietary intake were not statistically significant.
Another large, NCI-sponsored randomized, placebo-controlled trial explored the effects of calcium supplementation and blood levels of vitamin D on adenoma recurrence. Calcium supplementation reduced the risk of adenoma recurrence only in individuals with vitamin D blood levels above 73 nmol/L. Among individuals with vitamin D levels at or below this level, calcium supplementation was not associated with a reduced risk.
Vitamin D is a precursor to a hormone that controls calcium metabolism. There are two major forms: vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, and vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. Vitamin D2 is made naturally by plants, and vitamin D3 is made in animals. In humans D3 is made in the skin when it is exposed to UVB irradiation. Both can also be synthesized.
The active form is 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, or calcitriol, which can be made in the body from either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3. the functions of vitamin D are:
To help improve muscle strength and immune function.
To reduce inflammation.
To promote the absorption of calcium from the small intestine.
To helps maintain adequate blood levels of the calcium and phosphate needed for bone formation, mineralization, growth and repair.
Most people get the vitamin D they need through sunlight exposure. It is also present in the diet. Foods containing Vitamin D include fatty fish, fish liver oil, and eggs, with smaller amounts in meat and cheese. Most dietary vitamin D comes from fortified foods, such as milk, juices, yogurt, bread, and breakfast cereals. A serum level of calcitriol lower than 15 ng/ml (37.5 nmol/L) is generally considered inadequate for a healthy person to maintain bone health and normal calcium metabolism, but some experts suggest that the optimal level may be as high as 80 nmol/L. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies has developed the following recommended daily intakes of vitamin D: Birth to age 50 - 5 µg (200 iu); 51-70 - 10 µg (400 iu); 71+ 15 µg (600 iu). The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that older adults, people with dark skin, and people exposed to insufficient sunlight should consume extra vitamin D (25 µg, or 1,000 iu) from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.
The proven problems of insufficient vitamin D are rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Excessive vitamin D intake increases calcium levels which can lead to the deposit of calcium salts in soft tissues of the body, such as the kidneys, heart, and lungs and high blood levels of calcium. Patients with high calcium levels can get heart rhythm abnormalities, changes in mental status, pain, conjunctivitis, loss of appetite, fever, chills, thirst, vomiting, weight loss and if unchecked they can lead to coma and death.
Is there any evidence that vitamin D prevents cancer? Well yes, there is some, though it is far from conclusive. First, there are epidemiologic studies which show an inverse relationship between sunlight exposure and the rates of incidence and death for certain cancers. There may be many reasons for this, but one possibility is that more sunlight leads to more D3 being produced.
When cancer cells are cultured in the laboratory vitamin D promotes their differentiation and apoptosis and it slows their proliferation.
Randomized clinical trials designed to investigate the effects of vitamin D intake on bone health have also provided evidence that higher vitamin D intakes may reduce the risk of cancer. One study involved nearly 1,200 healthy postmenopausal women who took daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D (28 μg vitamin D, or 1,100 iu) or a placebo for 4 years. The women who took the supplements had a 60 percent lower overall incidence of cancer). This was an incidental finding since the principle end point was fracture incidence; it was not designed to measure cancer incidence. This limits the ability to draw conclusions about the effect of vitamin D intake on cancer incidence.
Observational studies to determine whether vitamin D reduces the risk of particular cancers, have been carried out but they have yielded inconsistent results. Information about dietary intakes was obtained from the participants through questionnaires, diet records, or interviews. Such information is not very reliable. Of course it is possible to measure blood levels of vitamin D to avoid reliance on individuals' memories but vitamin D levels in the blood can vary seasonally and with the laboratory technique used to measure them so if only a single measurement of vitamin D is made (as was the case in most studies) interpretation is difficult.
To fully understand the effect of vitamin D on cancer, new randomized trials will need to be carried out, but there is disagreement on what dose of vitamin D to use.
Let's look at individual cancers. Although the studies are inconsistent, epidemiologic studies of the association between vitamin D and the risk of colorectal cancer have provided some suggestion of protection.
In the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the diet, medical history, and lifestyle of more than 120,000 men and women were analyzed. Men with the highest intakes of vitamin D had a slightly lower risk of colorectal cancer than those with lowest intakes, but among women there was no difference. When this study was pooled with 9 other studies there was still a difference between men with the highest and lowest intakes, but it was no longer statistically significant.
In the Women's Health Initiative randomized trial, vitamin D supplementation did not reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer, though this study has been criticized by enthusiasts because of too low a dose and too short of duration.
Among the 16,818 participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, those with higher vitamin D blood levels (≥ 80 nmol/L) had a 72 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer death than those with lower vitamin D blood levels (< 50 nmol/L).
Since most colorectal cancers develop from pre-existing adenomas, any interventions that reduce the risk of adenoma development or recurrence are likely to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Several large studies have investigated the association of vitamin D intake or serum status with adenoma risk.
A cohort from the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored Polyp Prevention Trial (PPT) was evaluated for the association of vitamin D intake with recurrence of colorectal adenomas in individuals who previously had one or more adenomas removed during a qualifying colonoscopy. PPT was a multicenter randomized clinical trial to determine the effects of a diet high in fiber, fruits, and vegetables and low in fat on adenoma recurrence. The detailed dietary information obtained during the trial allowed the researchers to investigate the association between additional dietary factors and adenoma recurrence. Total vitamin D intake (that is, from dietary sources and supplements combined) was not associated with a reduced risk of adenoma recurrence. However, individuals who used any amount of vitamin D supplements had a lower risk of adenoma recurrence.
In another study, the vitamin D intakes of 3,000 people from several Veterans Affairs medical centers were examined to determine whether there was an association between intake and advanced colorectal neoplasia (an outcome that included high-risk adenomas as well as colon cancer). Individuals with the highest vitamin D intakes (more than 16 μg, or 645 iu, per day) had a lower risk of developing advanced neoplasia than those with lower intakes.
A pooled analysis of data from these and a number of other observational studies found that higher circulating levels of vitamin D and higher vitamin D intakes were associated with lower risks of colorectal adenoma. Inverse associations were seen with both dietary and total vitamin D intake but not with supplemental vitamin D intake. However, the associations with dietary intake were not statistically significant.
Another large, NCI-sponsored randomized, placebo-controlled trial explored the effects of calcium supplementation and blood levels of vitamin D on adenoma recurrence. Calcium supplementation reduced the risk of adenoma recurrence only in individuals with vitamin D blood levels above 73 nmol/L. Among individuals with vitamin D levels at or below this level, calcium supplementation was not associated with a reduced risk.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Weather
Yesterday, it actually snowed in Bournemouth. Not only that, it settled. Today I had to shovel snow from the drive and put down salt to clear the ice. All sorts of records for cold spells are being broken. It's nice to have a warm house.
I remember 1947. It was a Labour government then as well. Churchill said something like "On an island built of coal and surrounded by fish, you have contrived to produce a shortage of both."
I remember 1979. It was a Labour government then as well. The dead went unburied in the frozen ground and rats were feasting on the rubbish piled up on the street.
Very unlucky with the weather, Labour.
I remember 1947. It was a Labour government then as well. Churchill said something like "On an island built of coal and surrounded by fish, you have contrived to produce a shortage of both."
I remember 1979. It was a Labour government then as well. The dead went unburied in the frozen ground and rats were feasting on the rubbish piled up on the street.
Very unlucky with the weather, Labour.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
The Complaints
Just finished the new Ian Rankin that I had for Christmas. The Complaints concerns that branch of the police force that investigates complaints against police officers. The hero is Malcolm Fox who is not too unlike the Malcolm Fox that I know.
Rankin without Rebus remains a good read.
Rankin without Rebus remains a good read.
Husbands 1 Peter 3:7
A story is told of a couple returning from their honeymoon. She says to him, “If you put the toast on and make the tea we can have breakfast.” He says to her, “What’s for breakfast?” She replies, “Tea and toast.”
She may think that she has Scriptural warrant for such and attitude – after all isn’t there a book in the Bible called He-brews. Such a misuse of Scripture is usually the other way round. ‘Wives be submissive to your husbands’ is read by some husbands to mean that their wives are to be doormats. ‘Be submissive’ in the NIV is a mistranslation; it should be ‘Submit yourselves’ – active not passive. Husbands who stop there should read on to verse 7: Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
‘In the same way’ is not a reference back to wives, but a reference to the submission of Jesus Christ at the end of chapter 2. This whole passage is about submission – to rulers and masters and to husbands – all should have the mind of Christ. So how does ‘In the same way’ apply to husbands? What are they to submit to? To a standard of behaviour; loving their wives as Christ loves the church. And remember He laid down his life for her.
Peter gives us three instructions on how we are to treat our wives. The first is to be considerate as we live with her. Of course we should not be inconsiderate – just take her for granted and assume that by marrying her and paying the bills you have done her a favour. Considering has to do with thought. We are to treat her thoughtfully. Being a husband is a lifetime job that we need to give some thought to. It turns out that men and women are different. You can’t treat your wife like you treat your male friends. She is unlikely to be impressed by an opportunity to sit on the couch with your feet up watching a football match while downing a six pack however much Bob or Dave would enjoy the experience.
Someone has written that there are five ways of expressing love. The first is with words. You may be a published poet or a writer of messages in birthday cards, but I’m not talking about flowery language here. Sometimes it is just a matter of answering her questions or paying attention when she speaks to you. We have all experienced drifting off into a reverie about a 60 yard pass from the previous weekend while she goes on about a dress she saw and then suddenly you realise that she is expecting an answer. You won’t be able to get away with a generic “Hmm.” or “Well, what do you think?” Listen!
Remarkably, you don’t have to be clever or eloquent. “I like you in that dress.” or “You know; you cook that dish better than my mother ever did.” are perfect examples of how to use words to show that you love her. But it shouldn’t stop there. Remember she has a brain (it may well be better than yours). Ask her opinion and take her advice. Discuss a book that you have both read. Read the Bible together. If you watch a movie or a TV program together, discuss it afterwards.
The second way to show love is with gifts. Someone once told me that you got a Brownie point for each gift, no matter how much it cost; one point for a packet of handkerchiefs but only one for a gold watch. I’m not suggesting that you split up a bunch of flowers and give them to her one at a time. Don’t be a cheapskate! But it doesn’t just have to be Christmas, birthday and wedding anniversary that you reach into your pocket. How about, “I saw this in the shop today, Honey, and I thought it would suit you.” or “You haven’t had any chocolates for a couple of weeks; I thought I’d buy you some on the way home from work.”
The third way (and probably the most important way) is to give her your time. You may think that a couple of extra hours at the office will improve your promotion prospects and in the long run enable you to give her a better house in a better area, but she will think that you prefer being with your mates at work rather than being with her. I know that work is demanding, especially in these difficult financial times, but your relationship with your wife is more important. If you really are so busy, then map out areas in your diary when you will spend time with her. You have no difficulty blocking out a few days for that business trip to Florida for which the company has pencilled in an evening trip to Sea World. And don’t think that you can make it up to her by taking her with you. What is she going to do, cooped up in a hotel while you ‘work’? Time with her should be time just with her. Arrange for someone to have the kids. It need not be a slap up meal or a show, if money is tight. Time together is what matters.
The fourth way is with deeds. Scrub the kitchen floor. She may have thought it was her job, but I can guarantee she wasn’t looking forward to it. When the roads are icy, drive her to the shops (but don’t dare to suggest she is not a good driver). Say something like, “If an accident is inevitable, I’d rather we had it together.” Bring her a cup of coffee while she is still asleep in the morning. Cook the dinner when it isn’t your turn. Send flowers to her mother. Put gas in her car and check the tires. Take the garbage out.
The final way is by physical touch. Men have this idea that every touch leads to sex, but this should not be so. Put your arms round her and kiss the back or her neck. Rub the back of your finger against her cheek. Hold her hand. Give her a foot massage. Try rubbing between her shoulder blades at the end of the day; there will often be knots of muscle there.
In other words, think about her needs and not just your own.
Peter’s second instruction is to ‘treat them with respect as the weaker partner’. What does he mean by the ‘weaker partner’? It certainly doesn’t mean that she is weaker intellectually or emotionally, or of less value. Some people think that it means that at certain times in the month she is more friable, but I don’t think this can be so; people stay married in their fifties and sixties. No, I think this just means that on average men are bigger and stronger than women. I know it isn’t always so. I came across a patient who weighed 280 pounds while her husband was 4 inches shorter and weighed only 130 pounds, but such an arrangement is the exception. At the Olympics men and women don’t compete at running, throwing or swimming; it would not be fair. Peter is here thinking about the physical. Things should be shared between husband and wife, but not equally. If there are heavy bags to carry, the husband should take the larger share. If there are heavy jobs to do, they should be the husband’s responsibility. The days of sending your wife up the ladder to clean out the gutters are over.
The husband has to stand up and be a man. You sometimes see a marriage where the wife has to look after her three little boys – her two sons and her husband. Mothers do their sons no favors if they continue to make their beds, clear up after them, polish their shoes, iron their shirts and buy their clothes. No wonder some men live with their mothers in their thirties and look for wives who will mother them!
But being bigger and stronger there must be no fighting. Young ladies if you are starting to think seriously about a young man and he hits you, end it there and then. There is no excuse. Wives, if your husband hits you, go to the police. Tell the elders of the church. Ensure that your marriage will continue only if there is no more violence. Church elders, take a firm line on this. Wife beating is not the unforgivable sin, but it should never happen again.
In the Greek ‘she is the weaker vessel’. Compared to the earthenware jar, she is the alabaster pot, like the one that held fine perfume; much more precious for being more breakable.
The third instruction concerns her spiritual life, for she is ‘as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life’. Some religions make women second class citizens, but that is not so for Christians – we are heirs together. Consider Islam and how suicide bombers think that they are going to Paradise to be rewarded with 70 virgins – as if a woman were a plaything. Consider how Jesus encouraged Mary to sit at his feet when her sister summoned her to the kitchen. Husbands and wives should pray together, study the Bible together, have fellowship with Christian friends together. Husbands should encourage their wives to feed their own souls. If she is in a crèche for the morning service then he should stay behind and look after the children so that she can attend the evening service.
Why should husbands behave like this? So that nothing hinders their prayers. Strife between husbands and wives stops us from praying. It becomes all consuming so that we have no mood for prayer. But more than this; the Lord will refuse to listen to him who abuses his wife, whom he has given him.
She may think that she has Scriptural warrant for such and attitude – after all isn’t there a book in the Bible called He-brews. Such a misuse of Scripture is usually the other way round. ‘Wives be submissive to your husbands’ is read by some husbands to mean that their wives are to be doormats. ‘Be submissive’ in the NIV is a mistranslation; it should be ‘Submit yourselves’ – active not passive. Husbands who stop there should read on to verse 7: Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
‘In the same way’ is not a reference back to wives, but a reference to the submission of Jesus Christ at the end of chapter 2. This whole passage is about submission – to rulers and masters and to husbands – all should have the mind of Christ. So how does ‘In the same way’ apply to husbands? What are they to submit to? To a standard of behaviour; loving their wives as Christ loves the church. And remember He laid down his life for her.
Peter gives us three instructions on how we are to treat our wives. The first is to be considerate as we live with her. Of course we should not be inconsiderate – just take her for granted and assume that by marrying her and paying the bills you have done her a favour. Considering has to do with thought. We are to treat her thoughtfully. Being a husband is a lifetime job that we need to give some thought to. It turns out that men and women are different. You can’t treat your wife like you treat your male friends. She is unlikely to be impressed by an opportunity to sit on the couch with your feet up watching a football match while downing a six pack however much Bob or Dave would enjoy the experience.
Someone has written that there are five ways of expressing love. The first is with words. You may be a published poet or a writer of messages in birthday cards, but I’m not talking about flowery language here. Sometimes it is just a matter of answering her questions or paying attention when she speaks to you. We have all experienced drifting off into a reverie about a 60 yard pass from the previous weekend while she goes on about a dress she saw and then suddenly you realise that she is expecting an answer. You won’t be able to get away with a generic “Hmm.” or “Well, what do you think?” Listen!
Remarkably, you don’t have to be clever or eloquent. “I like you in that dress.” or “You know; you cook that dish better than my mother ever did.” are perfect examples of how to use words to show that you love her. But it shouldn’t stop there. Remember she has a brain (it may well be better than yours). Ask her opinion and take her advice. Discuss a book that you have both read. Read the Bible together. If you watch a movie or a TV program together, discuss it afterwards.
The second way to show love is with gifts. Someone once told me that you got a Brownie point for each gift, no matter how much it cost; one point for a packet of handkerchiefs but only one for a gold watch. I’m not suggesting that you split up a bunch of flowers and give them to her one at a time. Don’t be a cheapskate! But it doesn’t just have to be Christmas, birthday and wedding anniversary that you reach into your pocket. How about, “I saw this in the shop today, Honey, and I thought it would suit you.” or “You haven’t had any chocolates for a couple of weeks; I thought I’d buy you some on the way home from work.”
The third way (and probably the most important way) is to give her your time. You may think that a couple of extra hours at the office will improve your promotion prospects and in the long run enable you to give her a better house in a better area, but she will think that you prefer being with your mates at work rather than being with her. I know that work is demanding, especially in these difficult financial times, but your relationship with your wife is more important. If you really are so busy, then map out areas in your diary when you will spend time with her. You have no difficulty blocking out a few days for that business trip to Florida for which the company has pencilled in an evening trip to Sea World. And don’t think that you can make it up to her by taking her with you. What is she going to do, cooped up in a hotel while you ‘work’? Time with her should be time just with her. Arrange for someone to have the kids. It need not be a slap up meal or a show, if money is tight. Time together is what matters.
The fourth way is with deeds. Scrub the kitchen floor. She may have thought it was her job, but I can guarantee she wasn’t looking forward to it. When the roads are icy, drive her to the shops (but don’t dare to suggest she is not a good driver). Say something like, “If an accident is inevitable, I’d rather we had it together.” Bring her a cup of coffee while she is still asleep in the morning. Cook the dinner when it isn’t your turn. Send flowers to her mother. Put gas in her car and check the tires. Take the garbage out.
The final way is by physical touch. Men have this idea that every touch leads to sex, but this should not be so. Put your arms round her and kiss the back or her neck. Rub the back of your finger against her cheek. Hold her hand. Give her a foot massage. Try rubbing between her shoulder blades at the end of the day; there will often be knots of muscle there.
In other words, think about her needs and not just your own.
Peter’s second instruction is to ‘treat them with respect as the weaker partner’. What does he mean by the ‘weaker partner’? It certainly doesn’t mean that she is weaker intellectually or emotionally, or of less value. Some people think that it means that at certain times in the month she is more friable, but I don’t think this can be so; people stay married in their fifties and sixties. No, I think this just means that on average men are bigger and stronger than women. I know it isn’t always so. I came across a patient who weighed 280 pounds while her husband was 4 inches shorter and weighed only 130 pounds, but such an arrangement is the exception. At the Olympics men and women don’t compete at running, throwing or swimming; it would not be fair. Peter is here thinking about the physical. Things should be shared between husband and wife, but not equally. If there are heavy bags to carry, the husband should take the larger share. If there are heavy jobs to do, they should be the husband’s responsibility. The days of sending your wife up the ladder to clean out the gutters are over.
The husband has to stand up and be a man. You sometimes see a marriage where the wife has to look after her three little boys – her two sons and her husband. Mothers do their sons no favors if they continue to make their beds, clear up after them, polish their shoes, iron their shirts and buy their clothes. No wonder some men live with their mothers in their thirties and look for wives who will mother them!
But being bigger and stronger there must be no fighting. Young ladies if you are starting to think seriously about a young man and he hits you, end it there and then. There is no excuse. Wives, if your husband hits you, go to the police. Tell the elders of the church. Ensure that your marriage will continue only if there is no more violence. Church elders, take a firm line on this. Wife beating is not the unforgivable sin, but it should never happen again.
In the Greek ‘she is the weaker vessel’. Compared to the earthenware jar, she is the alabaster pot, like the one that held fine perfume; much more precious for being more breakable.
The third instruction concerns her spiritual life, for she is ‘as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life’. Some religions make women second class citizens, but that is not so for Christians – we are heirs together. Consider Islam and how suicide bombers think that they are going to Paradise to be rewarded with 70 virgins – as if a woman were a plaything. Consider how Jesus encouraged Mary to sit at his feet when her sister summoned her to the kitchen. Husbands and wives should pray together, study the Bible together, have fellowship with Christian friends together. Husbands should encourage their wives to feed their own souls. If she is in a crèche for the morning service then he should stay behind and look after the children so that she can attend the evening service.
Why should husbands behave like this? So that nothing hinders their prayers. Strife between husbands and wives stops us from praying. It becomes all consuming so that we have no mood for prayer. But more than this; the Lord will refuse to listen to him who abuses his wife, whom he has given him.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Review of the Decade
Undoubtedly the most significant even of the decade was the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City by airplanes piloted by Islamic terrorists on September 11th 2001. It was horrific because it was an act of premeditated murder perpetrated before our eyes on the world’s television screens. It was significant because it was the model for similar attacks in Bali on October 2002 in the tourist district of Kuta which killed 202 people, 152 of whom were foreign nationals (including 88 Australians), and 38 Indonesian citizens; in Madrid on March 11th 2004 when 191 train commuters were killed in the morning rush hour; in London on July 7th 2005 when 52 commuters were killed on the underground and on a bus by suicide bombers and in Mumbai between November 26thand November 29th 2008 where gunmen killed up to 175 people. There were many other attempts at mayhem including those of Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, the 2007 attempt to blow up London night clubs and Glasgow airport terminal with car bombs and the recent attempt to destroy an airliner in Detroit with an ‘underpants’ bomb.
These attempts have been foiled by increased security and by plain incompetence on behalf of the bombers. The security services, themselves are not without their incompetent qualities, witness the shooting of the innocent (though illegal immigrant) Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes, at Stockwell Underground, the day after a failed bomb attack on the Tube.
Part of the terrorist’s raison d’être is to invoke such an oppressive reaction that Western civilization would grind to a halt. Although, this has not happened, the increased security at airports has been intrusive and is set to become more annoying.
The other response to the terrorist attacks has been the start of two major wars, in Afghanistan and Iraq. Winning such a war is not a problem; winning the peace is. As well as countless suicide bombers in both Iraq and Afghanistan there have been atrocities elsewhere in the Middle East including bombers in Turkey and Jordan. Asymmetrical warfare has entered our vocabulary. Relatively primitive technology, cunningly placed, is extremely effective, especially when the operatives are prepared to die for their cause. One notable fact about such wars is that they are fought mainly in the newspapers. The terrorist cannot hope to defeat the powerful armies of Western nations, but aims to inflict so many casualties that the Western country loses the will to fight. Even so single-minded a country as Israel found this to be true in its confrontations with Hezbollah in 2006 and with Hamas in 2008/9. Propaganda (much of it based on faked photographs) was the greatest weapon of the Islamists. This tactic began in Viet Nam and thus far an effective counter has not been produced.
Often forgotten among Islamist atrocities is the massacre at the Beslan school in North Ossetia in September 2004. Another important strand in World events has been the resurrection of Russian power since the fall of the Soviet Union. President and now Prime Minister (and perhaps to be President once more) Putin has rebuilt Russia sufficiently to throw its weight about again. Powered by vast natural gas reserves, it is able to blackmail Eastern European states like Ukraine into submission and overcome Georgia by the weight of its armed forces. It feels sufficiently confident to murder a Russian dissident, Alexander Litvinenko, with Polonium 210 on the streets of London. This is reflected in a simultaneous weakening of British power as exemplified by the capture of fifteen Royal Navy personnel by Iranian revolutionary guards when they strayed into disputed territorial waters and by the kidnapping of a yacht owned by British tourists from under the nose of the Royal Navy by Somali pirates. How one yearns for the days of Margaret Thatcher.
The other major story of the Noughties has been the collapse of financial institutions and the consequent worldwide recession. Beginning in the United States in 2007 it has been linked to reckless and unsustainable lending practices resulting from the deregulation and securitization of real estate mortgages. The US mortgage-backed securities, which had risks that were hard to assess, were marketed around the world. Credit was easy to get and this fed a global speculative bubble in real estate and equities, which served to reinforce the risky lending practices. The precarious financial situation was made more difficult by a sharp increase in oil and food prices. The emergence of Sub-prime loan losses in 2007 began the crisis and exposed other risky loans and over-inflated asset prices. On September 14th 2007 savers began to queue to withdraw a total of £1 billion from branches of the Northern Rock Building Society after hearing that the Bank of England has arranged an intervention package to rescue the bank, which ran into difficulties as a result of the US sub-prime mortgage crisis.
Things seemed to stabilize a little but with loan losses mounting and the fall of Lehman Brothers, a major investment bank, on September 15th 2008, a panic broke out on the inter-bank loan market. As share and housing prices declined many large and well established investment and commercial banks in the United States and Europe suffered huge losses and even faced bankruptcy, resulting in massive public financial assistance. Iceland, home of three banks that had grown beyond their means of support, became the first Western democracy to become bankrupt.
One factor that economists seemed to have ignored was the growth of China. Within domestic economies in the West governments followed extremely inflationary policies with massively increased public spending and the creation of bureaucratic monstrosities as industrial jobs were exported to third world economies. Individuals felt rich because the paper price of their properties increased massively. They were able to borrow against these inflated prices and spend the money on foreign imports. China, meanwhile, expanded its industrial base and refused to revalue it currency. With the electronic goods, the West was importing deflation (in the form of cheaper manufactured goods) to counteract its domestic inflation.
As the recession has deepened, Western governments have adopted Keynesian economic practices and printed more money, thus devaluing their currencies while building up huge debts and hastening the day when they become vassal states of China and the commodity-rich states of the Middle East. Politicians have become distrusted. An expenses scandal in Britain has made politicians as hated as bankers.
We have had our share of natural disasters during the past decade. Worst of all was the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 which killed nearly 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (100 feet) high. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand were the hardest hit. It was caused by an undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean. Several other earthquakes were hugely destructive including the October 8th 2005 Kashmir earthquake which killed over 80,000 people mainly in Pakistan, the May 12th 2008 in the Sichuan province of China and killed at least 68,000 people and the December 26th 2003 Bam earthquake in southeastern Iran which killed 26,271 people. Hundreds of thousands of people with a different skin hue dying a long way away, somehow did not have the impact in the news that the 1,836 killed along the U.S. Gulf Coast, as Hurricane Katrina struck. This was dwarfed in effect by cyclone Nargis which made landfall in Burma (which the ruling junta have renamed Myanmar) in 2008 causing catastrophic destruction and at least 146,000 fatalities. Every nation has its news priorities as this report shows: Sixty-seven British people lose their lives when four planes are hijacked by terrorists. It is the largest UK death toll in a single terrorist attack. This was how one website reported 9/11. As earthquakes go, we were more interested in what happened nearer to home on April 6 2009: A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near L'Aquila, Italy, killed nearly 300 and injured more than 1,500.
Not all disasters have been natural or terrorist induced. In New York City, American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in Queens minutes after takeoff from JFK International Airport, killing all 260 on board and Space Shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry to Earth, killing all seven occupants. Air France Flight 4590 Concorde crashed during takeoff from Paris after its fuel tank caught fire, killing 9 crew and 100 passengers as well as four on the ground; the entire Concorde fleet is grounded for one year, and is eventually retired.
There were 22 other air crashes during the decade in which more than 100 were killed, and countless others where fewer than that number were eliminated. Most recently, Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-200 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, crashed in the Atlantic Ocean killing all 228 occupants.
Talking of deaths the decade has said goodbye to several well known names: actors Jason Robards, Julie London, Richard Farnsworth (Straight Story), Sir Alec Guinness, Walter Matthau, Sir John Gielgud, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Hedy Lamarr, Nigel Hawthorne, Joan Sims, Jack Lemmon, Anthony Quinn, James Coburn, Richard Harris, Leo McKern (Rumpole), Rod Steiger, Dudley Moore, John Thaw (Morse), Alan Bates, David Hemmings, Donald O'Connor (Singing in the Rain), Charles Bronson, Katharine Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Robert Stack, Richard Crenna, Howard Keel, Christopher Reeve, Janet Leigh, Fay Wray (King Kong), Marlon Brando, Tony Randall, Peter Ustinov, James Doohan, Anne Bancroft, Eddie Albert, Sir John Mills, Sandra Dee, Dennis Weaver, Shelley Winters, Yvonne De Carlo, Ian Richardson, Gareth Hunt (New Avengers), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) , Jane Wyman, Moira Lister (Red Shoes), Deborah Kerr, Heath Ledger, Roy Scheider, Richard Widmark, Charlton Heston, Mel Ferrer, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson, David Carradine, Farrah Fawcett, Karl Malden, Patrick Swayze, Natasha Richardson, Brittany Murphy, Jennifer Jones, Gene Barry, Richard Todd, Edward Woodward, Patrick McGoohan, Natasha Richardson, Norman Painting (Phil Archer for 51 years in the long running radio series), and Joseph Wiseman (Dr No); film makers, Roger Vadim, Stanley Kramer, John Frankenheimer, Billy Wilder, Elia Kazan, John Schlesinger, Ismail Merchant, Robert Wise, Carlo Ponti, Sydney Pollack, Ken Annakin, John Hughes and Anthony Minghella; writers Malcolm Bradbury, Barbara Cartland, Anthony Shaffer, Douglas Adams, Robert Ludlum, Leon Uris, Arthur Hailey, John Fowles, Susan Sontag, Muriel Spark, Evan Hunter (better known as Ed McBain), Saul Bellow, Arthur Miller, Mickey Spillane, Peter Benchley, Kurt Vonnegut, Madeleine L'Engle, Norman Mailer, George MacDonald Fraser, Philip Jose Farmer, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Crichton, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Harold Pinter, John Mortimer, John Updike, J.G. Ballard, David Eddings, Frank McCourt, Troy Kennedy Martin and Keith Waterhouse; comedians, Victor Borge, Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts, Spike Milligan, Ned Sherrin, Bob Hope, Richard Pryor, Ronnie Barker, Red Buttons, Bernard Manning, Clement Freud and Danny La Rue; musicians, George Harrison, Isaac Stern, Chet Atkins, Perry Como, Ray Conniff, Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee, Johnny Cash, Bo Didley, Maurice Jarre, Maurice Gibb, Elmer Bernstein, Artie Shaw, Howard Keel, Ray Charles, Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd), Long John Baldry, Freddie Garrity, Gene Pitney, Wilson Pickett Luther Vandross, Tony Meehan drummer with the Shadows, Mstislav Rostropovich, Ivor Emmanuel (Zulu), Frankie Laine, George Melly, Luciano Pavarotti, Oscar Peterson, Edmund Hockeridge, Humphrey Lyttelton, Eartha Kitt, Michael Jackson, Mary Travers (survived by Peter and Paul), Les Paul, Stephen Gately (Boyzone) and Dave Dee (of Dozy, Mick and Titch); politicians, Pierre Trudeau, Abba Eban, Idi Amin, Yasser Arafat, Ronald Reagan, Eugene McCarthy, Kim Il Sung, Mo Mowlam, Robin Cook, Edward Heath, John Kenneth Galbraith, Caspar Weinberger, Slobodan Milosevic, John Profumo, Boris Yeltsin, Raymond Barre, John Biffen, Ian Smith, Saddam Hussain, Benazir Bhutto, Robert McNamara, Edward Kennedy and Cory Aquino; journalists, Alistair Cooke, Johnny Carson, Art Buchwald, Bill Deedes, William F. Buckley Jr, Charles Wheeler, Walter Cronkite, Ludovic Kennedy and Brian Barron; scientists Sir Fred Hoyle, Sir Joseph Rotblat, Stephen Jay Gould, Edward Teller and Francis Crick; royalty, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Prince Rainier and King Saud; religious leaders, Pope John Paul II, Oral Roberts, Chad Varah and Ruth Graham; sportsmen, Sam Snead, Max Schmeling, George Best, Bob Woolmer, Alan Ball, Arthur Milton (the last player to play both football and cricket for England), Fred Truman, Brian Clough, Colin McRea, Ingemar Johansson and Bobby Robson; daredevils, Thor Heyerdahl, Paul 'Red' Adair, Neville Duke, Steve Fossett, Robert "Evel" Knievel and Sir Edmund Hillary; from the world of fashion, Estee Lauder, Anita Roddick, Lord Patrick Lichfield and Yves St Laurent; campaigners, Rosa Parks, Simon Wiesenthal and Andrea Dworkin; and a miscellaneous group that includes Lady Bird Johnson, Alex Comfort, Bobby Fisher, Magnús Magnússon, Marcel Marceau, Kerry Packer and Paula Yates.
The decade has been one of increasing technology. We all now have flat screen televisions and monitors, mobile phones have become hand-held computers that take pictures, film has almost disappeared as our cameras have gone digital, and even I have an MP3 player, though not a Blackberry nor Bluetooth and I don’t Text. Although some still cling to vinyl, music has now become ‘downloaded’ (though I don’t know how to do it). VHS has been replaced by DVD but now broadcasts are recorded straight to hard drive in order to ‘timeshift’. Fast-forwarding has made the TV advert extremely missable and companies have had to think up new ‘business models’. Broadband is ubiquitous and with it have come Google, YouTube, Wikipedia, Blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Everyone has a SatNav except me. People seldom play games on their computers now; instead they have dedicated games machines like the X-Box and the PS3 or even Nintendos. To counteract the couch-potato-ness of it all they have Wiis.
The two big science stories of the decade have been the completion of the Human Genome Project and the start of the Large Hadron Collider experiments. In Medicine we have seen a plethora of new anti-cancer drugs often too expensive to be used, and prospects for successful gene therapy. Stem cell therapy has been much talked about, but little has come of it so far. More important than any of these has been the reduction in smoking, often following legislation. Medics are now campaigning against excessive alcohol consumption. We have had epidemics of Swine Flu, Bird Flu, SARS, MRSA, foot and mouth and c. difficile, we have had scares about MMR and gene therapy; they have all been hyped by the press.
Climate change has been on everybody’s lips. In order to reduce our ‘carbon footprint’ we have seen a re-emerging of nuclear power, wind turbines and ‘biofuels’. The ‘Climategate’ e-mails threaten what had been a consensus amongst climatologists. The newspapers have to have something to write about.
In August 2006 Pluto was demoted to a "dwarf planet" after being considered a real planet for 76 years. Other "dwarf planets" in our solar system now include Ceres and Eris, previously thought of as ‘asteroids’.
In the arts, the most popular books have been the Harry Potter series followed closely by the works of Dan Brown, but I have appreciated The Kite Runner as well as works by Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly and John Le Carre. The movie event of the decade was The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but we must also mention Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind , Chicago , Million Dollar Baby, Crash, The Departed, No Country for Old Men and Slumdog Millionaire.
In sport we have been astonished by Tiger Woods (who has suddenly fallen from grace), Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Christiano Ronaldo, the Williams sisters, Kauto Star, Michael Schumacher, Joe Calzaghe, Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong and Shane Warne. Drug assisted performances remain a problem. remarkably, England twice won the Ashes and we were introduced to WAGs.
Television has been dominated by ‘reality’ and ‘talent’ shows. I have never watched one though we bought Susan Boyle’s record this Christmas. Of note otherwise were The Wire, The Sopranos and The Office. Dr Who returned to British television.
DNA continues to acquit people on death row, but not Harold Shipman who the GP who is reckoned to have murdered over 200 ‘heartsink’ patients. Pedophilia has horrified people throughout the world. Many have been caught with computer technology, but the murders of two little girls in Soham and the abduction of Madelaine McCann remind us that it is still a problem for us.
Illegal immigration is a problem in both the UK and USA. In 2004 Twenty-three Chinese illegal immigrants drowned, trapped by rising tides in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, as they harvested cockles. The 9/11 disaster precipitated a wariness of Muslims. The Danish cartoons controversy made people wonder why we should be especially sensitive to Islam vis-Ã -vis Christianity. Political correctness reigns.
The largest expansion to date of the European Union took place in 2004, extending the Union by 10 member-states: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Malta and Cyprus. Europe now has even more porous borders. The Euro has been adopted by 12 European countries and has been growing in importance. In 2009 the Lisbon Treaty was adopted, effectively a Constitution for a United States of Europe.
Although homosexual marriage is allowed in a few American States, the Civil Partnership Act, which came into force in Britain in 2005, gives same-sex couples the same rights as hetero-sexual married couples. The first civil partnership lasted a single day.
One longs for the day when the newscaster will start his bulletin with the words, “Today, nothing newsworthy happened. However, here are some names to conjure with, names that will be in the headlines tomorrow: David Beckham, Shami Chakrabarti, Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan, Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, Camilla Parker Bowles, Dmitry Medvedev, Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy, Manmohan Singh, Nancy Pelosi, Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, Rafael Correa, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abdullah Gul.
These attempts have been foiled by increased security and by plain incompetence on behalf of the bombers. The security services, themselves are not without their incompetent qualities, witness the shooting of the innocent (though illegal immigrant) Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes, at Stockwell Underground, the day after a failed bomb attack on the Tube.
Part of the terrorist’s raison d’être is to invoke such an oppressive reaction that Western civilization would grind to a halt. Although, this has not happened, the increased security at airports has been intrusive and is set to become more annoying.
The other response to the terrorist attacks has been the start of two major wars, in Afghanistan and Iraq. Winning such a war is not a problem; winning the peace is. As well as countless suicide bombers in both Iraq and Afghanistan there have been atrocities elsewhere in the Middle East including bombers in Turkey and Jordan. Asymmetrical warfare has entered our vocabulary. Relatively primitive technology, cunningly placed, is extremely effective, especially when the operatives are prepared to die for their cause. One notable fact about such wars is that they are fought mainly in the newspapers. The terrorist cannot hope to defeat the powerful armies of Western nations, but aims to inflict so many casualties that the Western country loses the will to fight. Even so single-minded a country as Israel found this to be true in its confrontations with Hezbollah in 2006 and with Hamas in 2008/9. Propaganda (much of it based on faked photographs) was the greatest weapon of the Islamists. This tactic began in Viet Nam and thus far an effective counter has not been produced.
Often forgotten among Islamist atrocities is the massacre at the Beslan school in North Ossetia in September 2004. Another important strand in World events has been the resurrection of Russian power since the fall of the Soviet Union. President and now Prime Minister (and perhaps to be President once more) Putin has rebuilt Russia sufficiently to throw its weight about again. Powered by vast natural gas reserves, it is able to blackmail Eastern European states like Ukraine into submission and overcome Georgia by the weight of its armed forces. It feels sufficiently confident to murder a Russian dissident, Alexander Litvinenko, with Polonium 210 on the streets of London. This is reflected in a simultaneous weakening of British power as exemplified by the capture of fifteen Royal Navy personnel by Iranian revolutionary guards when they strayed into disputed territorial waters and by the kidnapping of a yacht owned by British tourists from under the nose of the Royal Navy by Somali pirates. How one yearns for the days of Margaret Thatcher.
The other major story of the Noughties has been the collapse of financial institutions and the consequent worldwide recession. Beginning in the United States in 2007 it has been linked to reckless and unsustainable lending practices resulting from the deregulation and securitization of real estate mortgages. The US mortgage-backed securities, which had risks that were hard to assess, were marketed around the world. Credit was easy to get and this fed a global speculative bubble in real estate and equities, which served to reinforce the risky lending practices. The precarious financial situation was made more difficult by a sharp increase in oil and food prices. The emergence of Sub-prime loan losses in 2007 began the crisis and exposed other risky loans and over-inflated asset prices. On September 14th 2007 savers began to queue to withdraw a total of £1 billion from branches of the Northern Rock Building Society after hearing that the Bank of England has arranged an intervention package to rescue the bank, which ran into difficulties as a result of the US sub-prime mortgage crisis.
Things seemed to stabilize a little but with loan losses mounting and the fall of Lehman Brothers, a major investment bank, on September 15th 2008, a panic broke out on the inter-bank loan market. As share and housing prices declined many large and well established investment and commercial banks in the United States and Europe suffered huge losses and even faced bankruptcy, resulting in massive public financial assistance. Iceland, home of three banks that had grown beyond their means of support, became the first Western democracy to become bankrupt.
One factor that economists seemed to have ignored was the growth of China. Within domestic economies in the West governments followed extremely inflationary policies with massively increased public spending and the creation of bureaucratic monstrosities as industrial jobs were exported to third world economies. Individuals felt rich because the paper price of their properties increased massively. They were able to borrow against these inflated prices and spend the money on foreign imports. China, meanwhile, expanded its industrial base and refused to revalue it currency. With the electronic goods, the West was importing deflation (in the form of cheaper manufactured goods) to counteract its domestic inflation.
As the recession has deepened, Western governments have adopted Keynesian economic practices and printed more money, thus devaluing their currencies while building up huge debts and hastening the day when they become vassal states of China and the commodity-rich states of the Middle East. Politicians have become distrusted. An expenses scandal in Britain has made politicians as hated as bankers.
We have had our share of natural disasters during the past decade. Worst of all was the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 which killed nearly 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (100 feet) high. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand were the hardest hit. It was caused by an undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean. Several other earthquakes were hugely destructive including the October 8th 2005 Kashmir earthquake which killed over 80,000 people mainly in Pakistan, the May 12th 2008 in the Sichuan province of China and killed at least 68,000 people and the December 26th 2003 Bam earthquake in southeastern Iran which killed 26,271 people. Hundreds of thousands of people with a different skin hue dying a long way away, somehow did not have the impact in the news that the 1,836 killed along the U.S. Gulf Coast, as Hurricane Katrina struck. This was dwarfed in effect by cyclone Nargis which made landfall in Burma (which the ruling junta have renamed Myanmar) in 2008 causing catastrophic destruction and at least 146,000 fatalities. Every nation has its news priorities as this report shows: Sixty-seven British people lose their lives when four planes are hijacked by terrorists. It is the largest UK death toll in a single terrorist attack. This was how one website reported 9/11. As earthquakes go, we were more interested in what happened nearer to home on April 6 2009: A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near L'Aquila, Italy, killed nearly 300 and injured more than 1,500.
Not all disasters have been natural or terrorist induced. In New York City, American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in Queens minutes after takeoff from JFK International Airport, killing all 260 on board and Space Shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry to Earth, killing all seven occupants. Air France Flight 4590 Concorde crashed during takeoff from Paris after its fuel tank caught fire, killing 9 crew and 100 passengers as well as four on the ground; the entire Concorde fleet is grounded for one year, and is eventually retired.
There were 22 other air crashes during the decade in which more than 100 were killed, and countless others where fewer than that number were eliminated. Most recently, Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-200 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, crashed in the Atlantic Ocean killing all 228 occupants.
Talking of deaths the decade has said goodbye to several well known names: actors Jason Robards, Julie London, Richard Farnsworth (Straight Story), Sir Alec Guinness, Walter Matthau, Sir John Gielgud, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Hedy Lamarr, Nigel Hawthorne, Joan Sims, Jack Lemmon, Anthony Quinn, James Coburn, Richard Harris, Leo McKern (Rumpole), Rod Steiger, Dudley Moore, John Thaw (Morse), Alan Bates, David Hemmings, Donald O'Connor (Singing in the Rain), Charles Bronson, Katharine Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Robert Stack, Richard Crenna, Howard Keel, Christopher Reeve, Janet Leigh, Fay Wray (King Kong), Marlon Brando, Tony Randall, Peter Ustinov, James Doohan, Anne Bancroft, Eddie Albert, Sir John Mills, Sandra Dee, Dennis Weaver, Shelley Winters, Yvonne De Carlo, Ian Richardson, Gareth Hunt (New Avengers), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) , Jane Wyman, Moira Lister (Red Shoes), Deborah Kerr, Heath Ledger, Roy Scheider, Richard Widmark, Charlton Heston, Mel Ferrer, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson, David Carradine, Farrah Fawcett, Karl Malden, Patrick Swayze, Natasha Richardson, Brittany Murphy, Jennifer Jones, Gene Barry, Richard Todd, Edward Woodward, Patrick McGoohan, Natasha Richardson, Norman Painting (Phil Archer for 51 years in the long running radio series), and Joseph Wiseman (Dr No); film makers, Roger Vadim, Stanley Kramer, John Frankenheimer, Billy Wilder, Elia Kazan, John Schlesinger, Ismail Merchant, Robert Wise, Carlo Ponti, Sydney Pollack, Ken Annakin, John Hughes and Anthony Minghella; writers Malcolm Bradbury, Barbara Cartland, Anthony Shaffer, Douglas Adams, Robert Ludlum, Leon Uris, Arthur Hailey, John Fowles, Susan Sontag, Muriel Spark, Evan Hunter (better known as Ed McBain), Saul Bellow, Arthur Miller, Mickey Spillane, Peter Benchley, Kurt Vonnegut, Madeleine L'Engle, Norman Mailer, George MacDonald Fraser, Philip Jose Farmer, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Crichton, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Harold Pinter, John Mortimer, John Updike, J.G. Ballard, David Eddings, Frank McCourt, Troy Kennedy Martin and Keith Waterhouse; comedians, Victor Borge, Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts, Spike Milligan, Ned Sherrin, Bob Hope, Richard Pryor, Ronnie Barker, Red Buttons, Bernard Manning, Clement Freud and Danny La Rue; musicians, George Harrison, Isaac Stern, Chet Atkins, Perry Como, Ray Conniff, Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee, Johnny Cash, Bo Didley, Maurice Jarre, Maurice Gibb, Elmer Bernstein, Artie Shaw, Howard Keel, Ray Charles, Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd), Long John Baldry, Freddie Garrity, Gene Pitney, Wilson Pickett Luther Vandross, Tony Meehan drummer with the Shadows, Mstislav Rostropovich, Ivor Emmanuel (Zulu), Frankie Laine, George Melly, Luciano Pavarotti, Oscar Peterson, Edmund Hockeridge, Humphrey Lyttelton, Eartha Kitt, Michael Jackson, Mary Travers (survived by Peter and Paul), Les Paul, Stephen Gately (Boyzone) and Dave Dee (of Dozy, Mick and Titch); politicians, Pierre Trudeau, Abba Eban, Idi Amin, Yasser Arafat, Ronald Reagan, Eugene McCarthy, Kim Il Sung, Mo Mowlam, Robin Cook, Edward Heath, John Kenneth Galbraith, Caspar Weinberger, Slobodan Milosevic, John Profumo, Boris Yeltsin, Raymond Barre, John Biffen, Ian Smith, Saddam Hussain, Benazir Bhutto, Robert McNamara, Edward Kennedy and Cory Aquino; journalists, Alistair Cooke, Johnny Carson, Art Buchwald, Bill Deedes, William F. Buckley Jr, Charles Wheeler, Walter Cronkite, Ludovic Kennedy and Brian Barron; scientists Sir Fred Hoyle, Sir Joseph Rotblat, Stephen Jay Gould, Edward Teller and Francis Crick; royalty, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Prince Rainier and King Saud; religious leaders, Pope John Paul II, Oral Roberts, Chad Varah and Ruth Graham; sportsmen, Sam Snead, Max Schmeling, George Best, Bob Woolmer, Alan Ball, Arthur Milton (the last player to play both football and cricket for England), Fred Truman, Brian Clough, Colin McRea, Ingemar Johansson and Bobby Robson; daredevils, Thor Heyerdahl, Paul 'Red' Adair, Neville Duke, Steve Fossett, Robert "Evel" Knievel and Sir Edmund Hillary; from the world of fashion, Estee Lauder, Anita Roddick, Lord Patrick Lichfield and Yves St Laurent; campaigners, Rosa Parks, Simon Wiesenthal and Andrea Dworkin; and a miscellaneous group that includes Lady Bird Johnson, Alex Comfort, Bobby Fisher, Magnús Magnússon, Marcel Marceau, Kerry Packer and Paula Yates.
The decade has been one of increasing technology. We all now have flat screen televisions and monitors, mobile phones have become hand-held computers that take pictures, film has almost disappeared as our cameras have gone digital, and even I have an MP3 player, though not a Blackberry nor Bluetooth and I don’t Text. Although some still cling to vinyl, music has now become ‘downloaded’ (though I don’t know how to do it). VHS has been replaced by DVD but now broadcasts are recorded straight to hard drive in order to ‘timeshift’. Fast-forwarding has made the TV advert extremely missable and companies have had to think up new ‘business models’. Broadband is ubiquitous and with it have come Google, YouTube, Wikipedia, Blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Everyone has a SatNav except me. People seldom play games on their computers now; instead they have dedicated games machines like the X-Box and the PS3 or even Nintendos. To counteract the couch-potato-ness of it all they have Wiis.
The two big science stories of the decade have been the completion of the Human Genome Project and the start of the Large Hadron Collider experiments. In Medicine we have seen a plethora of new anti-cancer drugs often too expensive to be used, and prospects for successful gene therapy. Stem cell therapy has been much talked about, but little has come of it so far. More important than any of these has been the reduction in smoking, often following legislation. Medics are now campaigning against excessive alcohol consumption. We have had epidemics of Swine Flu, Bird Flu, SARS, MRSA, foot and mouth and c. difficile, we have had scares about MMR and gene therapy; they have all been hyped by the press.
Climate change has been on everybody’s lips. In order to reduce our ‘carbon footprint’ we have seen a re-emerging of nuclear power, wind turbines and ‘biofuels’. The ‘Climategate’ e-mails threaten what had been a consensus amongst climatologists. The newspapers have to have something to write about.
In August 2006 Pluto was demoted to a "dwarf planet" after being considered a real planet for 76 years. Other "dwarf planets" in our solar system now include Ceres and Eris, previously thought of as ‘asteroids’.
In the arts, the most popular books have been the Harry Potter series followed closely by the works of Dan Brown, but I have appreciated The Kite Runner as well as works by Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly and John Le Carre. The movie event of the decade was The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but we must also mention Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind , Chicago , Million Dollar Baby, Crash, The Departed, No Country for Old Men and Slumdog Millionaire.
In sport we have been astonished by Tiger Woods (who has suddenly fallen from grace), Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Christiano Ronaldo, the Williams sisters, Kauto Star, Michael Schumacher, Joe Calzaghe, Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong and Shane Warne. Drug assisted performances remain a problem. remarkably, England twice won the Ashes and we were introduced to WAGs.
Television has been dominated by ‘reality’ and ‘talent’ shows. I have never watched one though we bought Susan Boyle’s record this Christmas. Of note otherwise were The Wire, The Sopranos and The Office. Dr Who returned to British television.
DNA continues to acquit people on death row, but not Harold Shipman who the GP who is reckoned to have murdered over 200 ‘heartsink’ patients. Pedophilia has horrified people throughout the world. Many have been caught with computer technology, but the murders of two little girls in Soham and the abduction of Madelaine McCann remind us that it is still a problem for us.
Illegal immigration is a problem in both the UK and USA. In 2004 Twenty-three Chinese illegal immigrants drowned, trapped by rising tides in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, as they harvested cockles. The 9/11 disaster precipitated a wariness of Muslims. The Danish cartoons controversy made people wonder why we should be especially sensitive to Islam vis-Ã -vis Christianity. Political correctness reigns.
The largest expansion to date of the European Union took place in 2004, extending the Union by 10 member-states: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Malta and Cyprus. Europe now has even more porous borders. The Euro has been adopted by 12 European countries and has been growing in importance. In 2009 the Lisbon Treaty was adopted, effectively a Constitution for a United States of Europe.
Although homosexual marriage is allowed in a few American States, the Civil Partnership Act, which came into force in Britain in 2005, gives same-sex couples the same rights as hetero-sexual married couples. The first civil partnership lasted a single day.
One longs for the day when the newscaster will start his bulletin with the words, “Today, nothing newsworthy happened. However, here are some names to conjure with, names that will be in the headlines tomorrow: David Beckham, Shami Chakrabarti, Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan, Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, Camilla Parker Bowles, Dmitry Medvedev, Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy, Manmohan Singh, Nancy Pelosi, Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, Rafael Correa, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abdullah Gul.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Aphorisms 8
Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I wake up.
If at first you don't succeed, see if there’s anything for second place.
I started out with nothing and still have most of it left.
Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.
Life begins at forty; it also begins to show.
Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.
A clear conscience is a sign of a bad memory.
Change is inevitable... except when you need it for a slot machine.
Tomorrow I plan to be spontaneous.
If you think nobody cares about you, try missing a couple of payments.
Always borrow money from a pessimist - he doesn't expect it back.
Men talk to communicate information; women talk to transmit mood.
If at first you don't succeed, see if there’s anything for second place.
I started out with nothing and still have most of it left.
Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.
Life begins at forty; it also begins to show.
Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.
A clear conscience is a sign of a bad memory.
Change is inevitable... except when you need it for a slot machine.
Tomorrow I plan to be spontaneous.
If you think nobody cares about you, try missing a couple of payments.
Always borrow money from a pessimist - he doesn't expect it back.
Men talk to communicate information; women talk to transmit mood.
Looking back
It hardly seems a decade since we were being told to be worried about the Millennium bug. As a matter of fact, I wasn't at all worried and thought the whole thing was newspaper hype.
As I look back over the past decade what do I consider important? On a personal basis, I retired, I took up blogging and I developed cancer. I also achieved international recognition for my life's work on CLL. I had a couple of extra grandchildren. I joined a small group for Bible study. I watched my children succeed in their chosen careers.
In the world I have watched people get very upset about global warming. I have seen the AIDS epidemic subside slightly under the control of pharmaceutical intervention. I have seen bird flu and swine flu and SARS have a much less severe effect than the media led us to expect. I have watched wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen Tony Blair and George Bush fall; I have seen Gordon Brown rise and make a hash of almost everything he touches. I have seen Obama triumph and then watched as he disappointed people. I have seen the European Union squelch forward, suffocating all around it.
What effect has the last decade had on me? I have become more skeptical of what I read. I suspect that everything written has an agenda before it, often unconnected to the subject of the article. I am more conscious that we are all sinners. I have become alarmed for the evangelical faith; I suspect that many of the leaders have been 'got at' by unbelievers and compromised their message. I have become less concerned about personal wealth. As I see my children less dependent on me and my accounts all paid, I see no point in earning more. As one of the world's wealthiest 1% I am more concerned for those who have nothing.
I am learning the value of talking to people. Previously I had thought of conversation as a woman's thing. Men talk to communicate information; women talk to transmit mood. Perhaps transmitting mood is more important than I thought.
As I look back over the past decade what do I consider important? On a personal basis, I retired, I took up blogging and I developed cancer. I also achieved international recognition for my life's work on CLL. I had a couple of extra grandchildren. I joined a small group for Bible study. I watched my children succeed in their chosen careers.
In the world I have watched people get very upset about global warming. I have seen the AIDS epidemic subside slightly under the control of pharmaceutical intervention. I have seen bird flu and swine flu and SARS have a much less severe effect than the media led us to expect. I have watched wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen Tony Blair and George Bush fall; I have seen Gordon Brown rise and make a hash of almost everything he touches. I have seen Obama triumph and then watched as he disappointed people. I have seen the European Union squelch forward, suffocating all around it.
What effect has the last decade had on me? I have become more skeptical of what I read. I suspect that everything written has an agenda before it, often unconnected to the subject of the article. I am more conscious that we are all sinners. I have become alarmed for the evangelical faith; I suspect that many of the leaders have been 'got at' by unbelievers and compromised their message. I have become less concerned about personal wealth. As I see my children less dependent on me and my accounts all paid, I see no point in earning more. As one of the world's wealthiest 1% I am more concerned for those who have nothing.
I am learning the value of talking to people. Previously I had thought of conversation as a woman's thing. Men talk to communicate information; women talk to transmit mood. Perhaps transmitting mood is more important than I thought.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Leg cramps and CLL
Back in 1972 when I was still a trainee hematologist, my boss, Jeremy Lee Potter, told me that leg cramps were a feature of CLL. I couldn't find any data to establish this so I set about collecting my own. Sure enough, several of my patients complained about leg cramps, although lots of them denied ever having had a leg cramp. Some said that they had never had leg cramps before they had been diagnosed with CLL.
Of course, no study is complete without a control population, so I set about asking other people with hematological diseases of the same age, as well as patients admitted to hospital for routine surgery if they had leg cramps. Unfortunately, it soon transpired that lots of other people had leg cramps too, and I was never going to assemble a large enough population to establish whether or not there was a statistically significant difference in incidence.
I had some ideas about why patients had leg cramps, largely surrounding the enlarged spleen - patients with splenomegaly are known to get ischemic leg ulcers - but I couldn't make it stick.
I explored treatment too, including magnets under the mattress and soap on the sheets, but the one thing that always worked was quinine 200mg at night. I prescribed this for 30 years without mishap, but lately the pharmacologists have advised against it because of the rare occurrence of quinine induced immune thrombocytopenia. The reckon that leg cramps are not severe enough to warrant the tiny risk. I tend to ignore them.
Of course, no study is complete without a control population, so I set about asking other people with hematological diseases of the same age, as well as patients admitted to hospital for routine surgery if they had leg cramps. Unfortunately, it soon transpired that lots of other people had leg cramps too, and I was never going to assemble a large enough population to establish whether or not there was a statistically significant difference in incidence.
I had some ideas about why patients had leg cramps, largely surrounding the enlarged spleen - patients with splenomegaly are known to get ischemic leg ulcers - but I couldn't make it stick.
I explored treatment too, including magnets under the mattress and soap on the sheets, but the one thing that always worked was quinine 200mg at night. I prescribed this for 30 years without mishap, but lately the pharmacologists have advised against it because of the rare occurrence of quinine induced immune thrombocytopenia. The reckon that leg cramps are not severe enough to warrant the tiny risk. I tend to ignore them.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Slaughter of the Innocents
Can anyone out-Herod Herod? At this time of the year Herod makes his most important entrance on to the world stage. He is not known for his construction of the Temple nor for engineering works such as the development of water supplies for Jerusalem, the building fortresses such as Masada and Herodium, and for founding new cities such as Caesarea Maritima. Nor does his claim to fame rest with the murders of several members of his own family, including his wife Mariamne. He is most famous for the murder of several little boys under the age of two in the environs of Bethlehem.
With this in mind I have watched a couple of movies of high quality in recent days.
The first was Changeling directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie. This is very closely based on a true story from 1928 about the Wineville chicken coup murders in which a Canadian, Gordon Stewart Northcott, kidnapped and molested up to 20 young boys before brutally murdering them. He was assisted by his 13-year-old nephew, Sanford Clark, whom he had also molested and abused. The film focuses on the mother of one of the missing boys, Christine Collins, and her reaction when the LAPD foists on her another child that she knows not to be her son. The film exposes the incompetence and corruption of the LAPD and demonstrates how far we have come today in the treatment of women. In 1928, just a few years after female suffrage, they were treated as empty-headed, emotional, flibbertigibbets, who could be locked up in a psychiatric hospital if they didn't do what a man told them.
Perhaps coyly, no allusion is made to the sexual abuse of the little boys, but the hanging of the perpetrator is shown full-frontal. Eastwood believes that abusers of children are most deserving of the death penalty.
The second film was The boy in the striped pyjamas, directed by Mark Herman and starring David Thewlis and Vera Farmiga. The plot is developed from a novel by John Boyne and is told from the point of view of Brno, a little boy like any English boy of the period (1940). He plays at being a soldier or a airplane pilot, except that he's not English, he's German and his father is the SS Commandant of a Jewish extermination camp. Brno misses his friends when they move out of Berlin, but he finds a mate called Shmuel who like the other people on the 'farm' is dressed in striped pyjamas with a number on them. If the point of The Changeling was to demonstrate that women are people, the point of this film is to demonstrate that Jews are people too.
Brno's family are Christian and you see them a couple of times at prayer, yet they are seemingly unaware of the horror that is being committed in their name. This aspect of the film has been criticized as it seems to exculpate the ordinary German. Gradually it dawns on the Commandants wife what is happening. Meanwhile Brno lives in his own world and one day he digs underneath the wire and dons the striped pyjamas to help Shmuel to hunt for his missing father, with terrible results.
We are all particularly sensitive to the abuse and murder of children and these two films use the murder of children to highlight the plight of others who are oppressed, women and Jews, but by extension they speak to us of all who are subjected to unjust treatment. Few of us will experience the horror of the holocaust or be involved with a pedophile ring that uses 'snuff' killings for sexual gratification, but these horrors are the ultimate extension of the sort of attitudes most of us have to other people. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus equates looking at a woman lustfully with adultery and anger with your brother with murder. Not loving your neighbor as yourself by the same extension arrives at the horrors described in these movies.
With this in mind I have watched a couple of movies of high quality in recent days.
The first was Changeling directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie. This is very closely based on a true story from 1928 about the Wineville chicken coup murders in which a Canadian, Gordon Stewart Northcott, kidnapped and molested up to 20 young boys before brutally murdering them. He was assisted by his 13-year-old nephew, Sanford Clark, whom he had also molested and abused. The film focuses on the mother of one of the missing boys, Christine Collins, and her reaction when the LAPD foists on her another child that she knows not to be her son. The film exposes the incompetence and corruption of the LAPD and demonstrates how far we have come today in the treatment of women. In 1928, just a few years after female suffrage, they were treated as empty-headed, emotional, flibbertigibbets, who could be locked up in a psychiatric hospital if they didn't do what a man told them.
Perhaps coyly, no allusion is made to the sexual abuse of the little boys, but the hanging of the perpetrator is shown full-frontal. Eastwood believes that abusers of children are most deserving of the death penalty.
The second film was The boy in the striped pyjamas, directed by Mark Herman and starring David Thewlis and Vera Farmiga. The plot is developed from a novel by John Boyne and is told from the point of view of Brno, a little boy like any English boy of the period (1940). He plays at being a soldier or a airplane pilot, except that he's not English, he's German and his father is the SS Commandant of a Jewish extermination camp. Brno misses his friends when they move out of Berlin, but he finds a mate called Shmuel who like the other people on the 'farm' is dressed in striped pyjamas with a number on them. If the point of The Changeling was to demonstrate that women are people, the point of this film is to demonstrate that Jews are people too.
Brno's family are Christian and you see them a couple of times at prayer, yet they are seemingly unaware of the horror that is being committed in their name. This aspect of the film has been criticized as it seems to exculpate the ordinary German. Gradually it dawns on the Commandants wife what is happening. Meanwhile Brno lives in his own world and one day he digs underneath the wire and dons the striped pyjamas to help Shmuel to hunt for his missing father, with terrible results.
We are all particularly sensitive to the abuse and murder of children and these two films use the murder of children to highlight the plight of others who are oppressed, women and Jews, but by extension they speak to us of all who are subjected to unjust treatment. Few of us will experience the horror of the holocaust or be involved with a pedophile ring that uses 'snuff' killings for sexual gratification, but these horrors are the ultimate extension of the sort of attitudes most of us have to other people. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus equates looking at a woman lustfully with adultery and anger with your brother with murder. Not loving your neighbor as yourself by the same extension arrives at the horrors described in these movies.
Monday, December 21, 2009
The real meaning of Christmas John 1:14
Oliver Cromwell abolished Christmas. Sometimes I can see his point. His problem was that the story of the Nativity had been stirred up with pagan tradition to provide a Christmas pudding that was neither nourishing nor true. He blamed the Roman Catholic Church for this and in part he was right in doing so. Many people would agree that the ‘conversion’ of the Roman Emperor Constantine was a mixed blessing. It might have placed Christianity as the state religion, but this involved adopting the existing pagan beliefs and producing a synthesis that they thought would be acceptable to the multitudes.
As I have stressed before, Father Christmas is a purely Pagan figure, who probably owes most to Odin’s December character, Jul, with a seasoning of Lord Winter from the Saxons and Saturn from the Romans. In fairly recent times he has merged with Santa Claus. St Nicholas himself was a rather murky figure derived from Bishop Nicholas of Myra in modern Turkey. The real Nicholas attended the Council of Nicea in 325 AD and certainly supported orthodox Trinitarian Christianity, but many legends have grown up around him including one of bringing back to life some pickled children. He was only named as a saint in the Nineteenth Century, although, of course, according to the Bible, all Christians are saints.
Our current Christmas celebrations have their recent origins in the Victorian era. Prince Albert brought us Christmas trees from Germany, although there are some that say that they were taken there by a English missionary from this part of the country, Winfrith, who later became St Boniface. Christmas cards are also Victorian and some believe that the whole Christmas tradition really began with Charles Dickens and ‘A Christmas Carol’. The poem by the American Clement Moore, “Twas the night before Christmas” gave us the sleigh and reindeer and Santa coming down the chimney and the American artist for Harper’s Weekly, Thomas Nast, gave us the red coat and white beard.
The commercialisation of Christmas really began in a big way with the appropriation of Santa by Coca Cola in 1931 and it is this that people object to when they ask us to remember the real meaning of Christmas. The whole of December has become one long Christmas celebration (the Romans had the same problem with Saturnalia – Caligula tried to restrict it to 5 days). But what is the ‘real story of Christmas’?
The nativity story that we garner from Sunday School and carols is almost as bogus as the Oxford Street one. ‘We three kings’ says the carol, only they weren’t kings or even wise men by today’s reckoning. Magi – primitive sorcerers or astrologers – are what they were. This little Lord Jesus who ‘no crying he makes’ must have been a strange baby since this is how babies let us know that they want food or changing. The holy couple going from door to door being rebuffed by innkeepers has no basis in Scripture and there was no ox or ass witnessing the holy birth. Manger there might be, but no mention of a stable. And the Magi might have come as late as two years after the shepherds, since Herod killed all the little boys aged two and under, when he calculated when the star first appeared. They came to a house where Mary and Joseph were living. There was no ‘little donkey’ mentioned although a heavily pregnant Mary probably didn’t walk all that way. She may have come in a cart – carpenter Joseph ought to have had the skills to build one.
In any case it certainly didn’t happen on 25th December 1 AD – the December bit was a crude attempt to Christianize a pagan festival and the year a mathematical mistake by Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian monk. We have two statements about Jesus’ age in the Bible. Luke 3: 23 tells us that he was ‘about thirty years old when he began his ministry’ and John 8:57 has the Jews telling Jesus “you are not yet fifty years old”. In order to accommodate known facts about Jesus’ life – born before Herod died in 4 BC and began his ministry in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius – we have to make ‘about thirty’ mean thirty-something. Lots of thirty-somethings will tell you that they are about thirty. In truth, despite some interesting delving into 2 Chronicles, we do not know precisely when Jesus was born.
Shepherds would not have been out tending their flocks in December, even in Palestine, so ‘See amidst the winter’s snow’ and ‘In the bleak midwinter’ are wrong, and it wasn’t a ‘Silent night’, not with all that angelic singing. We have no evidence of a ‘lowly cattle shed’ and I have never heard a mother giving birth, ‘how silently, how silently’.
So what is the true meaning of Christmas once we strip away the accretions and come to terms with the fact that December is a dark and dreary month in the Northern hemisphere and we could all do with a bit of cheering up? In John’s gospel, there is no Christmas story; no shepherds and angels, no Magi and Herod, yet a marvelous truth is told: ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’.
This ‘Word’ or ‘Logos’ is a mysterious character. He (or it) was with God and was God. Without him (it is a him, then, not an it) nothing was made that has been made. Through him all things were made. He was there at the creation of all things when only God was there! In him was life and that life was the light of men.
How to unpick this! The Word is a person. The Word is Divine. The Word was there from the beginning. The Word is eternal. The Word took part in Creation. Is not God one God? Yet here we have God in two persons (and elsewhere we shall discover that there is a third person) One God, three persons. Blessed Trinity!
In him was (or is) life. The word ‘life’ in this context refers to the whole essence of Godliness: holiness, truth, love, omnipotence, sovereignty. This second person of the Godhead does not differ in his nature in the slightest way from God the Father. Yet, as we shall find elsewhere, he is subordinate to him. This ‘nature of God’ is what was breathed into Adam to give him life; it is the light of men. Since the Fall mankind has become occluded by darkness. Nevertheless the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome, comprehended, eclipsed it.
John the Baptist bore witness to the light. He himself was not the light, but he brought this message, “The light of the world was coming into the world!”
What was the good news? What is The Gospel? It is this: the Word became flesh.
How could it happen? How is it possible? How could the creator become subject to the whims of his creation?
He is in control – what limits him? He came, not like Superman, with X-ray vision, impervious to bullets and able to leap high buildings with a single stride; rather he came as a vulnerable baby who could have been slaughtered with the other innocents had Herod caught him. Here’s a carol that gets things right, ‘Mild he lays his glory by.’ And here’s another: ‘Thou who was rich beyond all splendor, all for love’s sake becamest poor’. As Paul put it in his letter to the Philippians: ’He did not consider equality with God something to be clung on to, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.’
The incarnation is what we celebrate at Christmas.
There are lots of stories of gods becoming human or even bovine or creaturely in some other way. We rightly hold them to be myths, like Santa coming down chimneys and circumnavigating the world with his magic reindeer in a single night. What makes Jesus different? It is the second half of the sentence. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
This was not a fleeting visit. He lived before clouds of witnesses. Other children knew him as a boy. He was a lost child in Jerusalem – people would have remembered how worried and panicky Mary and Joseph were when they had all returned a day’s journey back to Nazareth and suddenly found him missing. They would have known his brothers and sisters. He was well known in Nazareth, so much so that when he preached there, his neighbors despised him, “Isn’t this the carpenter?” much as we should say “Why should we listen to the garbage collector lecture us on nuclear physics?”
His brothers, James, Joseph, Judas and Simon were all named. His sisters mingled with the other women of the village. His ministry attracted thousands to follow him and a lot of important people to oppose him.
When these important people finally caught him and killed him people started saying that he had come back to life. At first it was a few women. Who can believe a few gossipy women? Even his friends thought it was a tall story. But then others claimed to have seen him; his close friends at first but then others among his followers until at last he appeared before 500. Mass hysteria? Have you ever been in a crowd of 500? There are always some who don’t go along with the ‘mass hypnosis’. Where were the skeptics?
Of all historical events there are few that are better witnessed. He was in the world and though he had made the world, the world did not recognize him for who he was. Even his close friends were confused. It was only when he conquered death that they began to understand. He was and is the Lord of Glory. And to those who believe he gave the right to become Children of God.
We understand all about birth. We have no need for lectures about the birds and bees. But this birth is different. Jesus called it being born again. John calls it being born of God.
Finally, we have it! The true meaning of Christmas is that it was all a plot. Not the Passover plot that modernists have conjured up; a plot to steal the body and pretend a resurrection. No, this is a plot by God to deceive the Devil. John tells us later in his gospel that Satan entered into Judas to lead him to betray Jesus to the Jewish authorities. “Let us kill the son and take his inheritance”. Jesus had signaled it in the parable of the tenants, but Satan swallowed the bait and got his head crushed as a result.
For us, it was not a plot but a plan; a rescue plan for those who were lost. Christmas was the first step in an audacious salvation. Who but a helpless baby could sneak under the radar; even then it was a close run thing, but Herod’s assassins arrived too late.
The Angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest!” Glory indeed!
For men they also sang, “Peace!” Not just peace among men, but peace with God. Jesus was the instrument of peace, the one who made it possible. John tells us about what happened when John the Baptist baptized Jesus. John recognized Jesus as the Son of God and pointed him out, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” It is the death and resurrection that remove the guilt and power of sin from all believers.
“Now ye need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save.
Calls you one and call you all,
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save.
Christ was born to save.”
As I have stressed before, Father Christmas is a purely Pagan figure, who probably owes most to Odin’s December character, Jul, with a seasoning of Lord Winter from the Saxons and Saturn from the Romans. In fairly recent times he has merged with Santa Claus. St Nicholas himself was a rather murky figure derived from Bishop Nicholas of Myra in modern Turkey. The real Nicholas attended the Council of Nicea in 325 AD and certainly supported orthodox Trinitarian Christianity, but many legends have grown up around him including one of bringing back to life some pickled children. He was only named as a saint in the Nineteenth Century, although, of course, according to the Bible, all Christians are saints.
Our current Christmas celebrations have their recent origins in the Victorian era. Prince Albert brought us Christmas trees from Germany, although there are some that say that they were taken there by a English missionary from this part of the country, Winfrith, who later became St Boniface. Christmas cards are also Victorian and some believe that the whole Christmas tradition really began with Charles Dickens and ‘A Christmas Carol’. The poem by the American Clement Moore, “Twas the night before Christmas” gave us the sleigh and reindeer and Santa coming down the chimney and the American artist for Harper’s Weekly, Thomas Nast, gave us the red coat and white beard.
The commercialisation of Christmas really began in a big way with the appropriation of Santa by Coca Cola in 1931 and it is this that people object to when they ask us to remember the real meaning of Christmas. The whole of December has become one long Christmas celebration (the Romans had the same problem with Saturnalia – Caligula tried to restrict it to 5 days). But what is the ‘real story of Christmas’?
The nativity story that we garner from Sunday School and carols is almost as bogus as the Oxford Street one. ‘We three kings’ says the carol, only they weren’t kings or even wise men by today’s reckoning. Magi – primitive sorcerers or astrologers – are what they were. This little Lord Jesus who ‘no crying he makes’ must have been a strange baby since this is how babies let us know that they want food or changing. The holy couple going from door to door being rebuffed by innkeepers has no basis in Scripture and there was no ox or ass witnessing the holy birth. Manger there might be, but no mention of a stable. And the Magi might have come as late as two years after the shepherds, since Herod killed all the little boys aged two and under, when he calculated when the star first appeared. They came to a house where Mary and Joseph were living. There was no ‘little donkey’ mentioned although a heavily pregnant Mary probably didn’t walk all that way. She may have come in a cart – carpenter Joseph ought to have had the skills to build one.
In any case it certainly didn’t happen on 25th December 1 AD – the December bit was a crude attempt to Christianize a pagan festival and the year a mathematical mistake by Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian monk. We have two statements about Jesus’ age in the Bible. Luke 3: 23 tells us that he was ‘about thirty years old when he began his ministry’ and John 8:57 has the Jews telling Jesus “you are not yet fifty years old”. In order to accommodate known facts about Jesus’ life – born before Herod died in 4 BC and began his ministry in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius – we have to make ‘about thirty’ mean thirty-something. Lots of thirty-somethings will tell you that they are about thirty. In truth, despite some interesting delving into 2 Chronicles, we do not know precisely when Jesus was born.
Shepherds would not have been out tending their flocks in December, even in Palestine, so ‘See amidst the winter’s snow’ and ‘In the bleak midwinter’ are wrong, and it wasn’t a ‘Silent night’, not with all that angelic singing. We have no evidence of a ‘lowly cattle shed’ and I have never heard a mother giving birth, ‘how silently, how silently’.
So what is the true meaning of Christmas once we strip away the accretions and come to terms with the fact that December is a dark and dreary month in the Northern hemisphere and we could all do with a bit of cheering up? In John’s gospel, there is no Christmas story; no shepherds and angels, no Magi and Herod, yet a marvelous truth is told: ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’.
This ‘Word’ or ‘Logos’ is a mysterious character. He (or it) was with God and was God. Without him (it is a him, then, not an it) nothing was made that has been made. Through him all things were made. He was there at the creation of all things when only God was there! In him was life and that life was the light of men.
How to unpick this! The Word is a person. The Word is Divine. The Word was there from the beginning. The Word is eternal. The Word took part in Creation. Is not God one God? Yet here we have God in two persons (and elsewhere we shall discover that there is a third person) One God, three persons. Blessed Trinity!
In him was (or is) life. The word ‘life’ in this context refers to the whole essence of Godliness: holiness, truth, love, omnipotence, sovereignty. This second person of the Godhead does not differ in his nature in the slightest way from God the Father. Yet, as we shall find elsewhere, he is subordinate to him. This ‘nature of God’ is what was breathed into Adam to give him life; it is the light of men. Since the Fall mankind has become occluded by darkness. Nevertheless the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome, comprehended, eclipsed it.
John the Baptist bore witness to the light. He himself was not the light, but he brought this message, “The light of the world was coming into the world!”
What was the good news? What is The Gospel? It is this: the Word became flesh.
How could it happen? How is it possible? How could the creator become subject to the whims of his creation?
He is in control – what limits him? He came, not like Superman, with X-ray vision, impervious to bullets and able to leap high buildings with a single stride; rather he came as a vulnerable baby who could have been slaughtered with the other innocents had Herod caught him. Here’s a carol that gets things right, ‘Mild he lays his glory by.’ And here’s another: ‘Thou who was rich beyond all splendor, all for love’s sake becamest poor’. As Paul put it in his letter to the Philippians: ’He did not consider equality with God something to be clung on to, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.’
The incarnation is what we celebrate at Christmas.
There are lots of stories of gods becoming human or even bovine or creaturely in some other way. We rightly hold them to be myths, like Santa coming down chimneys and circumnavigating the world with his magic reindeer in a single night. What makes Jesus different? It is the second half of the sentence. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
This was not a fleeting visit. He lived before clouds of witnesses. Other children knew him as a boy. He was a lost child in Jerusalem – people would have remembered how worried and panicky Mary and Joseph were when they had all returned a day’s journey back to Nazareth and suddenly found him missing. They would have known his brothers and sisters. He was well known in Nazareth, so much so that when he preached there, his neighbors despised him, “Isn’t this the carpenter?” much as we should say “Why should we listen to the garbage collector lecture us on nuclear physics?”
His brothers, James, Joseph, Judas and Simon were all named. His sisters mingled with the other women of the village. His ministry attracted thousands to follow him and a lot of important people to oppose him.
When these important people finally caught him and killed him people started saying that he had come back to life. At first it was a few women. Who can believe a few gossipy women? Even his friends thought it was a tall story. But then others claimed to have seen him; his close friends at first but then others among his followers until at last he appeared before 500. Mass hysteria? Have you ever been in a crowd of 500? There are always some who don’t go along with the ‘mass hypnosis’. Where were the skeptics?
Of all historical events there are few that are better witnessed. He was in the world and though he had made the world, the world did not recognize him for who he was. Even his close friends were confused. It was only when he conquered death that they began to understand. He was and is the Lord of Glory. And to those who believe he gave the right to become Children of God.
We understand all about birth. We have no need for lectures about the birds and bees. But this birth is different. Jesus called it being born again. John calls it being born of God.
Finally, we have it! The true meaning of Christmas is that it was all a plot. Not the Passover plot that modernists have conjured up; a plot to steal the body and pretend a resurrection. No, this is a plot by God to deceive the Devil. John tells us later in his gospel that Satan entered into Judas to lead him to betray Jesus to the Jewish authorities. “Let us kill the son and take his inheritance”. Jesus had signaled it in the parable of the tenants, but Satan swallowed the bait and got his head crushed as a result.
For us, it was not a plot but a plan; a rescue plan for those who were lost. Christmas was the first step in an audacious salvation. Who but a helpless baby could sneak under the radar; even then it was a close run thing, but Herod’s assassins arrived too late.
The Angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest!” Glory indeed!
For men they also sang, “Peace!” Not just peace among men, but peace with God. Jesus was the instrument of peace, the one who made it possible. John tells us about what happened when John the Baptist baptized Jesus. John recognized Jesus as the Son of God and pointed him out, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” It is the death and resurrection that remove the guilt and power of sin from all believers.
“Now ye need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save.
Calls you one and call you all,
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save.
Christ was born to save.”
Global warming
In those days before jets, airplanes used to have propellers. Do you know what the propeller was for? Obviously it acted as a fan to keep the pilot cool. You don't believe me? Well, you should see how they start sweating when the propeller stops going round.
I remembered that story when I thought about those huge wind turbines that the Copenhagen lot have been erecting to try and keep the planet cool. Silly! It isn't going to work. What's more it isn't necessary.
I reproduce this graph from Lord Monkton's recent publication to demonstrate what has actually been happening to global temperature in the past 20 years. Everyone goes on about 1998 being the hottest year on record, but this graph shows it to have been an anomaly, not part of the general trend. The fuss of Copenhagen seems to have been an argument over whether future global warming should be kept at 2 degrees for the next century or at 1.5 degrees. The current graph suggests that for the past 5 years it has been running at 0.9 degrees per century.
Coupled with the recent Climategate e-mails, Monkton's publication (he is despised as an amateur by the AGW cabal) surely makes any true scientist suspicious that the carbon dioxide hypothesis might not be correct. Of course the alternate hypothesis is that all those huge propellers in the sky really have been cooling the planet.
I remembered that story when I thought about those huge wind turbines that the Copenhagen lot have been erecting to try and keep the planet cool. Silly! It isn't going to work. What's more it isn't necessary.
I reproduce this graph from Lord Monkton's recent publication to demonstrate what has actually been happening to global temperature in the past 20 years. Everyone goes on about 1998 being the hottest year on record, but this graph shows it to have been an anomaly, not part of the general trend. The fuss of Copenhagen seems to have been an argument over whether future global warming should be kept at 2 degrees for the next century or at 1.5 degrees. The current graph suggests that for the past 5 years it has been running at 0.9 degrees per century.
Coupled with the recent Climategate e-mails, Monkton's publication (he is despised as an amateur by the AGW cabal) surely makes any true scientist suspicious that the carbon dioxide hypothesis might not be correct. Of course the alternate hypothesis is that all those huge propellers in the sky really have been cooling the planet.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Chlorambucil rituximab for CLL
This is an Open-Label Phase II Study to Investigate the Safety and Efficacy of Rituximab Plus Chlorambucil in Previously Untreated Patients with CD20-Positive B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), conducted in the UK and presented at ASH 2009. First author Peter Hillmen.
A planned interim analysis based on the first 50 patients out of the total 100 patients from 12 centres shows the median age to be 70.5 years (range 48–86), 62% were male and 52% had Binet stage C CLL. The most common adverse events were gastrointestinal disorders. There were 25 serious adverse events reported in 17 patients. The most common were infections. Additionally there were 3 episodes of febrile neutropenia – grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was reported in 40% of patients. Overall response rate on an intent-to-treat analysis was 84%. When compared with the well matched subset of Chlorambucil-treated patients from the UK LRF CLL4 study, the overall response rate was 17.3% higher (95% CI 4.7% - 30.0%), indicating that the Chl-R patients have improved responses. Based on this planned interim analysis, the addition of R to Chl is a feasible combination with no unexpected adverse events. The combination of R and Chl was effective for untreated patients with CLL. It is important to note that the median age of patients in this study was considerably greater than the median age of patients in the UK LRF CLL4 and other large trials in CLL, and more representative of the typical age of patients presenting with CLL in the clinic. The combination of R and Chl was well-tolerated and effective for untreated patients with CLL who cannot tolerate a more intensive regimen, and suggest investigation in a Phase III study is warranted.
This is a trial that I have been pushing for some years and I am glad to say that some of the patients that I was dealing with when I was still practising have been entered into it.
A planned interim analysis based on the first 50 patients out of the total 100 patients from 12 centres shows the median age to be 70.5 years (range 48–86), 62% were male and 52% had Binet stage C CLL. The most common adverse events were gastrointestinal disorders. There were 25 serious adverse events reported in 17 patients. The most common were infections. Additionally there were 3 episodes of febrile neutropenia – grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was reported in 40% of patients. Overall response rate on an intent-to-treat analysis was 84%. When compared with the well matched subset of Chlorambucil-treated patients from the UK LRF CLL4 study, the overall response rate was 17.3% higher (95% CI 4.7% - 30.0%), indicating that the Chl-R patients have improved responses. Based on this planned interim analysis, the addition of R to Chl is a feasible combination with no unexpected adverse events. The combination of R and Chl was effective for untreated patients with CLL. It is important to note that the median age of patients in this study was considerably greater than the median age of patients in the UK LRF CLL4 and other large trials in CLL, and more representative of the typical age of patients presenting with CLL in the clinic. The combination of R and Chl was well-tolerated and effective for untreated patients with CLL who cannot tolerate a more intensive regimen, and suggest investigation in a Phase III study is warranted.
This is a trial that I have been pushing for some years and I am glad to say that some of the patients that I was dealing with when I was still practising have been entered into it.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Christmas game.
Here is a game to play at Christmas. Take the first line of any Christmas song and write a new second line. The funnier the better.
For example: 'Deck the halls with boughs of holly' might be followed with 'another year of Christmas folly' or 'Santa's fallen off his trolley'.
For example: 'Deck the halls with boughs of holly' might be followed with 'another year of Christmas folly' or 'Santa's fallen off his trolley'.
Christmas preparations
This has been a busy week. At the weekend we attended two carol services, one at Winchester Cathedral and one at Lansdowne Baptist Church. On Monday I finished off my Christmas shopping, then on Tuesday I visited my 90 year old mother to take up the Christmas presents for my family and in the evening I attended the Tenovus Christmas dinner.
Tenovus is a cancer charity founded in Wales in 1943. Ten business men decided to raise money as a medical charity after visiting a friend in hospital. They called themselves ten-of-us, hence Tenovus. As well as a research institute in Cardiff, in 1970 they built research labs in Southampton. It was here that I did most of my CLL research over the year and the idea for monoclonal antibody treatment of CLL began. Rituximab, Campath and all the other monoclonals had their genesis there. In later years we did the work that established IGVH mutations there and developed the idea of cancer vaccines. In 1978 I founded a local branch of Tenovus here and over the years we have raised over $5 million for cancer research. Most of this has come from legacies, of course, but we have organized an awful lot of coffee mornings, sales of work, raffles and auctions. This was the 31st Tenovus Christmas dinner. We were entertained, as usual, by the beautiful voices of the Bournemouth Gilbert and Sullivan singers, singing Christmas carols.
On Wednesday afternoon I spent all afternoon broadcasting on Hope FM, the local Christian Community Radio Channel. I was able to give my testimony, read a Christmas poem, tell a few jokes and send out a couple of thoughts for the day. The audience ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand. The DJ for the afternoon is a local pastor who is also a water engineer, and regularly takes gifts to Africa - mainly water purification plants, that cannot be converted into Presidential Mercedes by the ruling cleptocracy.
On Thursday I went out to buy our Christmas tree. Normally at this time of the year, since we are so near the New Forest, Christmas Trees are for sale in every pub car park at knock down prices. I bought one there last year, but it was so bereft of pine needles that I was teased that I had imported it from Chernobyl. This year almost everybody had sold out. I was forced to go to a garden center and paid five times what I paid last year. Mind you, it is a very fine tree, seven feet tall and thick with branches and very dark needles. However it does not perfume the house with pine the way that last year's did. In the afternoon we spent the time decorating it. The glass baubles that are so prominent, derive from glass candle holders from Martin Luther's day. They were there to prevent the rats climbing up and eating the tallow. No candles on our tree. The three sets of lights that flash and flicker have lasted for three Christmases now without failing. Some things get better. The Angel at the top of the tree must be 35 years old, and various odd decorations are mementos of our children's school life.
Yesterday evening I went out carol singing with the church. We gathered in the Square in the center of Bournemouth. There were loads of shoppers walking by and many stopped for a chocolate and a chat. I was quite hoarse after an hour. It was a very cold night; out exhaled breath inscribed surtitles for those who could not hear.
Today we went to Marks and Spencer's to buy Christmas cakes for our visitors next week. And that is us almost finished. We still have to buy and cook the turkey, but all the presents are bought and wrapped. The cards are hanging over the hearth. WE will have another carol service on Sunday when our daughter will arrive as our first visitor. Our second son will come on Christmas eve and our other daughter on Christmas day. In the week after Christmas my other son will come with his family to stay.
Tenovus is a cancer charity founded in Wales in 1943. Ten business men decided to raise money as a medical charity after visiting a friend in hospital. They called themselves ten-of-us, hence Tenovus. As well as a research institute in Cardiff, in 1970 they built research labs in Southampton. It was here that I did most of my CLL research over the year and the idea for monoclonal antibody treatment of CLL began. Rituximab, Campath and all the other monoclonals had their genesis there. In later years we did the work that established IGVH mutations there and developed the idea of cancer vaccines. In 1978 I founded a local branch of Tenovus here and over the years we have raised over $5 million for cancer research. Most of this has come from legacies, of course, but we have organized an awful lot of coffee mornings, sales of work, raffles and auctions. This was the 31st Tenovus Christmas dinner. We were entertained, as usual, by the beautiful voices of the Bournemouth Gilbert and Sullivan singers, singing Christmas carols.
On Wednesday afternoon I spent all afternoon broadcasting on Hope FM, the local Christian Community Radio Channel. I was able to give my testimony, read a Christmas poem, tell a few jokes and send out a couple of thoughts for the day. The audience ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand. The DJ for the afternoon is a local pastor who is also a water engineer, and regularly takes gifts to Africa - mainly water purification plants, that cannot be converted into Presidential Mercedes by the ruling cleptocracy.
On Thursday I went out to buy our Christmas tree. Normally at this time of the year, since we are so near the New Forest, Christmas Trees are for sale in every pub car park at knock down prices. I bought one there last year, but it was so bereft of pine needles that I was teased that I had imported it from Chernobyl. This year almost everybody had sold out. I was forced to go to a garden center and paid five times what I paid last year. Mind you, it is a very fine tree, seven feet tall and thick with branches and very dark needles. However it does not perfume the house with pine the way that last year's did. In the afternoon we spent the time decorating it. The glass baubles that are so prominent, derive from glass candle holders from Martin Luther's day. They were there to prevent the rats climbing up and eating the tallow. No candles on our tree. The three sets of lights that flash and flicker have lasted for three Christmases now without failing. Some things get better. The Angel at the top of the tree must be 35 years old, and various odd decorations are mementos of our children's school life.
Yesterday evening I went out carol singing with the church. We gathered in the Square in the center of Bournemouth. There were loads of shoppers walking by and many stopped for a chocolate and a chat. I was quite hoarse after an hour. It was a very cold night; out exhaled breath inscribed surtitles for those who could not hear.
Today we went to Marks and Spencer's to buy Christmas cakes for our visitors next week. And that is us almost finished. We still have to buy and cook the turkey, but all the presents are bought and wrapped. The cards are hanging over the hearth. WE will have another carol service on Sunday when our daughter will arrive as our first visitor. Our second son will come on Christmas eve and our other daughter on Christmas day. In the week after Christmas my other son will come with his family to stay.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Rage against the machine
There is a great shortage of speech programs on the radio. In England we have two, provided by the BBC, Radio 4 and Radio 5. This morning on Radio 5 live an American rock group called 'Rage against the Machine' were invited to perform live on the airwaves. I didn't hear them, but there has been a public outcry because the song they shouted out contains in its lyrics certain swear words.
It seems that the BBC were very naive to think that they would refrain from swearing on air. I heard an excerpt of their performance later (without teh swear words), and I have to say that the noise they made bears no resemblance to what I would call music, but nevertheless I object. Not to the lyrics, which I never heard and therefore cannot have been offended by, but to the encroachment of pop music onto speech programs. Is there not enough pop music on the airwaves? Please BBC, give us our sanctuary for speech.
It seems that the BBC were very naive to think that they would refrain from swearing on air. I heard an excerpt of their performance later (without teh swear words), and I have to say that the noise they made bears no resemblance to what I would call music, but nevertheless I object. Not to the lyrics, which I never heard and therefore cannot have been offended by, but to the encroachment of pop music onto speech programs. Is there not enough pop music on the airwaves? Please BBC, give us our sanctuary for speech.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Aphorisms 7
The quality of a movie is inversely proportional to the number of
helicopters in it.
The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age,
gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep
down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers.
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race
has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that
word would be "meetings."
The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to
annoy people who are not in them.
You should not confuse your career with your life.
A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is
not a nice person.
On the other hand, you have different fingers.
Disneyland: A people trap operated by a mouse.
Common Sense Isn't.
Sooner or later, EVERYONE stops smoking.
Light travels faster than sound.
This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
The best way to save face is to keep the lower part shut.
helicopters in it.
The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age,
gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep
down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers.
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race
has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that
word would be "meetings."
The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to
annoy people who are not in them.
You should not confuse your career with your life.
A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is
not a nice person.
On the other hand, you have different fingers.
Disneyland: A people trap operated by a mouse.
Common Sense Isn't.
Sooner or later, EVERYONE stops smoking.
Light travels faster than sound.
This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
The best way to save face is to keep the lower part shut.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
A beautiful woman. 1 Peter 3:3-6
Thinking back to last week's study on the submission or wives, I came across this:
Put another log on the fire.
Cook me up some bacon and some beans.
And go out to the car and change the tyre.
Wash my socks and sew my old blue jeans.
Come on, Baby!
Now, don't I let you wash the car on Sundays?
Don't I warn you when you're getting fat?
Ain't I gonna take you fishin' some day?
A man can't love his wife more than that!
Ain't I always nice to your kid sister?
Don't I take her drivin' every night?
So, sit here at my feet
'Cause I like you when you're sweet.
And you know it ain’t feminine to fight!
Come on, Baby!
You can fill my pipe. And then go fetch my slippers.
And boil me up another pot of tea.
Then put another log on the fire, Babe.
And come and tell me why you're leavin' me.
Is that your idea of submission? Let me warn you, that is a few verses time Peter will be dealing with husbands.
Meanwhile here are some suggestions from John Piper on what submission is not:
(1) Submission does not mean agreeing with everything your husband says. If as Peter surmises the husband is not a Christian, he will often have a different world view, so submission can't mean submitting to agree with all her husband thinks.
(2) Submission does not mean leaving your brain or your will at the wedding altar. Peter does not tell her to retreat from her commitment to Christ.
(3) Submission does not mean avoiding every effort to change a husband. Peter goes on to say that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.
(4) Submission does not mean putting the will of the husband before the will of Christ. There is a system of priorities: submission to Jesus relativizes submission to husbands—and governments and employers and parents.
(5) Submission does not mean that a wife gets her personal, spiritual strength primarily through her husband. If he is a Christian a good husband should indeed strengthen and build up and sustain his wife. Verse five says that her hope is in God in the hope that her husband will join her there.
(6) Finally submission does not mean that a wife is to act out of fear. Verse 6b says, "You are her [Sarah's] children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening." Submission is free, not coerced by fear. The Christian woman is a free woman. When she submits to her husband—whether he is a believer or unbeliever—she does it in freedom, not out of fear.
But today's study is on what makes a beautiful woman: 1 Peter 3:3-6 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
We have a distorted view of beauty today. Have you been following the Tiger Woods saga? Every day another woman crawls out of the woodpile. They all look very much the same - blonde, buxom, thick-lipped and provocative. Young girls starve themselves to achieve the Victoria Beckham look. Others have plastic surgery or liposuction, or spend a fortune on skin creams with pseudo-scientific names for ingredients that in reality cost tuppence a ton. Someone should tell them you can't get beauty from a bottle.
Do you remember the film Sunset Boulevard? It was about the beautiful film star who had become 'past-her-prime'. We recognize the symptom in women. I am old enough to have seen the pretty young things on television become wrinkled old ladies playing grannies on the soaps. But what about William Holden? The bright young bachelor was featured in a BMJ as an example of how smoking turns your skin into parchment with as many wrinkles as an elephant's trunk.
There is nothing wrong with trying to look your best, but do it appropriately. Short skirts on fat thighs are repulsive no matter what your age. Gold rings with large diamonds can't hide arthritic knuckles.
If we look for beauty in physical appearance, it will soon fade. What will you do then, husband. Trade in your wife like you trade in your car? What will you do to stop him, wife? Cover yourself with gold and fine jewels? Bathe in ass's milk? Buy your clothes at more expensive shops? Color your hair with the latest shade?
Instead, your beauty should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.
You see, true beauty does not fade with age. As you grow older you become wiser. Men of fifty don't put up with simpering teenagers for long. If you saw the Steve Martin movie 'LA Story' you will remember how Martin, who must have been past 40, takes up with a a roller-skating, gum-chewing youngster. It was horrible!
It is possible for Christians to go to far the other way on this. Culture is important. At our church in the 1970s we used to see holidaymakers from Northern Ireland attend in the summer months. They used to dress in the fashion of the 1950s. Now they may have felt comfortable, but was it a good witness? Children of Christians often leave the church when they first go to University. One of the reasons for this is that they see their church as hopelessly old-fashioned. Believe it or not, even the dress of Church of England vicars was fashionable once. I'm not sure whether that was in the sixteenth century or the seventeenth century! We mistake culture for good behavior. A ban on television, cinema, dancing and pop music doesn't make young people more holy.
So how do you make yourself beautiful? Cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit, but don't become a doormat. I am amazed that so few Christian women have read the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs. Read there about a paragon of wifely virtue. You may not be able to live up to such an ideal. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Here is a paraphrase from The Message:
A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises.
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden. First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear. She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.
(Who wouldn't be with a wife like that!)
She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive. Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises!
Put another log on the fire.
Cook me up some bacon and some beans.
And go out to the car and change the tyre.
Wash my socks and sew my old blue jeans.
Come on, Baby!
Now, don't I let you wash the car on Sundays?
Don't I warn you when you're getting fat?
Ain't I gonna take you fishin' some day?
A man can't love his wife more than that!
Ain't I always nice to your kid sister?
Don't I take her drivin' every night?
So, sit here at my feet
'Cause I like you when you're sweet.
And you know it ain’t feminine to fight!
Come on, Baby!
You can fill my pipe. And then go fetch my slippers.
And boil me up another pot of tea.
Then put another log on the fire, Babe.
And come and tell me why you're leavin' me.
Is that your idea of submission? Let me warn you, that is a few verses time Peter will be dealing with husbands.
Meanwhile here are some suggestions from John Piper on what submission is not:
(1) Submission does not mean agreeing with everything your husband says. If as Peter surmises the husband is not a Christian, he will often have a different world view, so submission can't mean submitting to agree with all her husband thinks.
(2) Submission does not mean leaving your brain or your will at the wedding altar. Peter does not tell her to retreat from her commitment to Christ.
(3) Submission does not mean avoiding every effort to change a husband. Peter goes on to say that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.
(4) Submission does not mean putting the will of the husband before the will of Christ. There is a system of priorities: submission to Jesus relativizes submission to husbands—and governments and employers and parents.
(5) Submission does not mean that a wife gets her personal, spiritual strength primarily through her husband. If he is a Christian a good husband should indeed strengthen and build up and sustain his wife. Verse five says that her hope is in God in the hope that her husband will join her there.
(6) Finally submission does not mean that a wife is to act out of fear. Verse 6b says, "You are her [Sarah's] children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening." Submission is free, not coerced by fear. The Christian woman is a free woman. When she submits to her husband—whether he is a believer or unbeliever—she does it in freedom, not out of fear.
But today's study is on what makes a beautiful woman: 1 Peter 3:3-6 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
We have a distorted view of beauty today. Have you been following the Tiger Woods saga? Every day another woman crawls out of the woodpile. They all look very much the same - blonde, buxom, thick-lipped and provocative. Young girls starve themselves to achieve the Victoria Beckham look. Others have plastic surgery or liposuction, or spend a fortune on skin creams with pseudo-scientific names for ingredients that in reality cost tuppence a ton. Someone should tell them you can't get beauty from a bottle.
Do you remember the film Sunset Boulevard? It was about the beautiful film star who had become 'past-her-prime'. We recognize the symptom in women. I am old enough to have seen the pretty young things on television become wrinkled old ladies playing grannies on the soaps. But what about William Holden? The bright young bachelor was featured in a BMJ as an example of how smoking turns your skin into parchment with as many wrinkles as an elephant's trunk.
There is nothing wrong with trying to look your best, but do it appropriately. Short skirts on fat thighs are repulsive no matter what your age. Gold rings with large diamonds can't hide arthritic knuckles.
If we look for beauty in physical appearance, it will soon fade. What will you do then, husband. Trade in your wife like you trade in your car? What will you do to stop him, wife? Cover yourself with gold and fine jewels? Bathe in ass's milk? Buy your clothes at more expensive shops? Color your hair with the latest shade?
Instead, your beauty should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.
You see, true beauty does not fade with age. As you grow older you become wiser. Men of fifty don't put up with simpering teenagers for long. If you saw the Steve Martin movie 'LA Story' you will remember how Martin, who must have been past 40, takes up with a a roller-skating, gum-chewing youngster. It was horrible!
It is possible for Christians to go to far the other way on this. Culture is important. At our church in the 1970s we used to see holidaymakers from Northern Ireland attend in the summer months. They used to dress in the fashion of the 1950s. Now they may have felt comfortable, but was it a good witness? Children of Christians often leave the church when they first go to University. One of the reasons for this is that they see their church as hopelessly old-fashioned. Believe it or not, even the dress of Church of England vicars was fashionable once. I'm not sure whether that was in the sixteenth century or the seventeenth century! We mistake culture for good behavior. A ban on television, cinema, dancing and pop music doesn't make young people more holy.
So how do you make yourself beautiful? Cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit, but don't become a doormat. I am amazed that so few Christian women have read the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs. Read there about a paragon of wifely virtue. You may not be able to live up to such an ideal. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Here is a paraphrase from The Message:
A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises.
She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden. First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear. She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers.
(Who wouldn't be with a wife like that!)
She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive. Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all!"
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises!
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