Jerusalem Lost

So, according to this morning's BBC Breakfast News (thankfully without smarmy Bill Turnbull, scourge of news presenting), there are plans afoot within the church to ban the singing of the hymn, "Jerusalem" by William Blake. They are doing so on the grounds that it isn't really a hymn because it does not praise God enough and because, in reality, it is merely a poem meant as a social comment at the time of writing, set to music. They also do not seem to like it because it is nationalistic.

Are they mad!? I must admit that I should declare a personal interest here. "Jerusalem" is probably my favourite hymn. Do not get me wrong, I am neither religious nor a regular churchgoer. I am not, however, without belief and nor do I look down upon people who have a faith in any way. I am still seen booted and suited in churches at weddings, christenings and unfortunately too regularly funerals, and, the occasional Christmas carol service. I also like to visit churches and cathedrals when I am out and about on holiday. "Jerusalem" though, was the official hymn of my university college (Queen's Oxford), and, was sung at my wedding (it truly was a beautiful service). When it is truly belted out by people who can hold a tune (which excludes myself for sure) it still sends shivers down my spine and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It is rousing and emotive.

Not religious enough? Have they not read the lyrics? Firstly there is reference to the possibility of Jesus having visited England in a second coming together with Joseph of Aramethia when they were headlining together at the first Glastonbury Festival. You can read all about it in the Book of Revelation.

Now don't start me on that whole conspiracy theory thing. The one that goes Jesus was not the son of God but a political leader who did not die on the cross; he was married to Mary Magdalene and they had a child; that the whole Grail Mystery thing is actually a corruption of the term Sang Royale meaning "royal blood" and referring to the bloodline of Christ which was protected at the battle of Masada, founded the Merovingian dynastyin France and ultimately is all tied up with the Freemasons, etc, etc. Or something like that. Go read Holy Blood Holy Grail and you'll get my meaning.

But I digress. Even if you read Blake's words as a denial of the second coming it does at least then go on to say that we should build a new Jerusalem in England. Heaven on Earth. That, I would have hoped, was something that the Christian churches in England be they Protestant or Catholic should adhere to and aim for.

And, why would you want to ban one of the few hymns that people seem to enjoy singing? You might as well just sell the pews for firewood right now, lock the doors and give the lead on the roof to a deserving cause. Why does being in church need to be so gloomy and dull? Now, I am not calling for us to get all happy clappy, dancing with snakes, or growing our beards and sitting in circles holding hands and singing "cum by ya my Lord" but at least let the faithful sing something with a bit of emotion, something stirring, a bit of umph.

And what on Earth is wrong with being nationalistic, or should I say, proud of our nation! It isn't saying that we are better than anyone else. There are no references to disliking the Germans or of bombing Iraq. It just says that we should build something better here than what we have. Amen to that! It is the anthem of the Womens' Institute for Heavens sake.

Rant over.......I guess it must have been a "quiet news" day. At least it was on BBC Breakfast.
ps. Free the Birmingham Two! Karen Brady and David Sullivan are innocent (I hope).

What Is The World coming To?

What Is The World Coming To?

What is the world coming to? For one, the weather has gone crazy. There has been a recent earthquake in the UK and today the weather is reminiscent of the final Judgement Day. I know that it was nigh on impossible to see anything much through the spray on the M6 this morning but I could have sworn I was overtaken by the four Riders of the Apocalypse. Perhaps I should stop listening to the Doors on my iPod while I’m driving.

It is not just the weather either. Sporting results have gone mad too. Just look at the FA Cup results over the weekend. Who would have thought it, Portsmouth, Barnsley, Cardiff and West Brom through to the quarter finals. I wish I had been a gambling man…..

And can you believe it, staff working at ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) have voted to go on strike. These are the very people who are supposed to help other organisations to mediate and avoid strike action. And then you only have to look at the latest Eurovision entries from the UK and Ireland to realise that the world has gone slightly mad.

Conspiracy theorists must be having a heyday too. Just type “conspiracy theory” into Google and you will be entertained well into the next millennium. 9/11 was deliberately orchestrated by the US, or Israel, or Iraq; the US never did land on the moon, while Nazis Germany had a base there as early as 1942; the US and Indian militaries deliberately caused the Indian Ocean tsunamis by setting off an electromagnetic pulse bomb; and, humanity is actually under the control of dinosauroid-like aliens who must consume human blood to maintain their human appearance. Presumably, Deirdre off Coronation Street is the exception that proves the rule. What is going on with that neck of hers?

I must admit that I too quite like to dabble in conspiracy. My favourite is the old Jesus thing – that he was actually a political leader rather than a religious one (that being his brother James), that he was married to Mary Magdalen (a la “Holy Blood, Holy Grail” and the “Da Vinci Code”) and they had a child who founded the Merovingian dynasty in France, with Christ’s descendants going on to include the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Robert Boyle, Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo and David Icke. Actually I did make up the David Icke connection. And, so did he.

But, I have been to Rennes-le-Chateau and Masada so I know what I know! Similarly, my good lady C predicted the demise of Princess Diana even before Mohamed Al Fayed. Neither of us think the future looks too rosy for Barack Obama either, unfortunately. And, do you know, there are people out there that think that Cliff Richards is actually gay………surely not.

In truth, nothing can be quite as mad as the real world which gave us President George W Bush and the prospect of Boris Johnson as the Mayor of London. Dick Wittington must be turning in his grave. And, I know that Dana is not entirely happy either!

But, if any of you out there have any good conspiracies that you would like to share, just let me know.