I have never been into material Christmases. That's a result of my upbringing, no doubt. I inherited my mistrust of the belief that the good things in life had to be promoted with a lot of advertising and the attachment of a sparkly bow. I didn't agree with my parents on a great many things. They got this right.
They also had a very Christian view of Christmas. My own view on that issue is much less literal than theirs. Those were our choices.
But I do think that the Christmas story was not woven by chance. Believe it or not, and the choice is entirely your own, there are narratives in it that I am quite sure that those telling it wanted told.
Amongst those are the equality of all people. It is an over-arching narrative of the story. It is reinforced by the stories of travelling, exile, foreign visitors, and reactions across society from shepherds to those with the status of being wise.
Tales of division, mainly created by wealth, also pervade, with the message being that they needed to be healed.
What's the relevance if all this? Simply that this is what I was brought up on. I accepted it as true. I think it is true. I can find no evidence otherwise. There are, then, things that are right and wrong.
We all know it takes courage to stand up for what is right. That is why I was deeply encouraged by this video of Gary Neville. Neville is standing up for what he thinks to be right. He challenges the presenter who says there needs to be a balanced debate. Neville is angry - and very obviously so - when it is suggested that there might be an alternative within balanced debate to condemning racism. There isn't. He knows it. And it shows.
That to me is what the spirit of Christmas is. It's about standing up for all. It's about not taking nonsense for an answer. It is about speaking truth to power.
Good for Gary Neville.
He's got that there is no balance on some issues. Some issues are about right and wrong. Racism is one. It's wrong. So too is significant inequality.
Right now, with a government led you a man who appears indifferent to both, this has to be said.
Happy Christmas. Whoever you are. Wherever you are. Whatever your creed, colour, gender, orientation or wealth. You have a right to be. I hope it is good for you.
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Thanks for that excellent post Richard. While I don’t at all believe there is a god, I do believe that the man Jesus existed and that he must have been a ‘leftist’ on the side of the poor & oppressed and that for that he was persecuted & finally crucified by the Romans. I have also long been sickened by the commercial side of Christmas – season’s greetings, a few gifts and good food are fine, but the rest of the clap-trap can go hang.
A very happy Christmas to you and all the regulars here;
Angela
And to you
Good for Gary Neville. Racism is indeed endemic within far too many strata of British society. Unsurprising when, as you infer, the Prime Minister himself has a colonialist mind-set – https://thisisafrica.me/politics-and-society/britains-new-foreign-secretary-africa-problem-not-charge-not-charge.
One can only hope that, along with many other regressive attitudes, it’s a generational issue. However, as with macro-economics (lol), if students are taught garbage then that’s what will influence future behaviour. It all starts in the classroom. And with the prospect of at least a decade of Conservative government, I don’t hold out much hope for any positive changes to the curricula.
Spiritual beliefs aside, Jesus was a known political activist (ref. earlier comments on debt) – something The Conservative Party has never wanted to get its head around. Again, little wonder since The C of E was always regarded as the Tory party at prayer. Hypocrisy on an industrial scale.
Anyhow, enough of the serious stuff. Thank you for your tireless contributions shedding rays of light into the seemingly impenetrable darkness (ignorance) that continues to bedevil the nation’s politics. I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas 🙂
Thanks
And to you
The one thing I have liked about this post, other than the sentiments expressed, is there hasn’t been a single X. There’s no X in Christmas!
Anyway, Happy Christmas Richard, and to all the other posters, and may the New year not be as dire as we fear.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year to you and your family.
While he never played for my team, I previously could see Gary Neville was an excellent right-back. It also seems he is an excellent character. It looks like Graeme Souness is in the panel in this clip. It would have been interesting to bring Souness into this debate with Souness being a vocal Tory and Brexit supporter.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Richard – and to all men and women of goodwill.
Thanks Jeni
And to you
Nice post and easy to agree with – but you have to chose your truth to stand up against. I would like to stand up against virgin birth and all the other nonsense that comes with it. I so wish that the human race could dispense with unjustified religious beliefs. We so need to act on evidence, look for it if we need, but reject any beliefs or theories which have none; even more so for those which have been shown to be nonsense. But I guess my wish could start some more wars!
A Merry Winter Fest to everyone.
“Truth to power”…one of the most risky things to do, even in our relatively democratic society. Wherever power comes from, it must never go unchallenged. It is sometimes used for good, but is too often like a drug, abused.
I don’t watch football commentary programmes, but I watched that clip. Neville is gutsy there, he could just let it go and be quiet, he doesn’t. He won’t let go of what is right.
There is a right, and there can be no compromise on racism, as on other equality issues. I find it uplifting when people won’t let go.
Merry Christmas to you, and all who contribute on this blog.
Have a peaceful day.
Thanks Marie
Have a good day
Many thanks for your ongoing words of wisdom.
Really don’t understand how you maintain your productive output !
Happy Christmas – take a break !!
Thanks
And I am! By my standards, I’m not working at all….
Happy Christmas
I’d be interested to know if the presenter made that comment:
A) with his own initiative. Or;
B) prompted via his ear piece by a studio director
I would speculate B) is the likelier but of course as I say that is just speculation. Sky are a profit focused media company who will be keen to avoid alienating the likely sizeable racist/xenophobic element of their subscribers
Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a’ that,)
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s coming yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.
Yes a good contribution from Gary. The only point I would pull him up on is where he said both leaders of the main political parties were accused of racism. He should have of course mentioned that in the case of Jeremy Corbyn the accusations were completely false.
Have a happy Christmas Richard and keep up the good work.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Richard. Thank you for all the posts that help me understand finance a bit better. I hope the future will be brighter for us all. Doreen x
Thanks
And to you too
Richard
First and foremost, happy Christmas to you and your family. May your writing be more prolific and widely read in 2020.
Secondly, I have a feeling my view on Christmas might be similar to your parent’s (Christian) view more than I would have liked to admit. I have always wondered why how did Christmas celebration, a very religious holy day where one is supposed to reflect on so many values (particularly the fact that Mary and Joseph were refugees-of-sorts seeking the kindness of others) become the very antithesis of it today.
I would have loved it if Gary Neville were to challenge the presenter. He should have asked what sort of racism would have been accepted as “balanced” by Sky. The squirm would have been absolutely delightful.
Again, happy Christmas.
ABU
p/s: You might want to give serious thought to the idea of moving to Scotland in 2020.
2020 is going to be an interesting year for me, and one where a move is not impossible, although still unlikely right now
Let’s see……
Scotland would be high ion my list