Respect

I have an old friend, a fellow teacher, whose views on life the universe and everything are very different to mine. He is a Christian and is a man for whom I have the greatest respect. I respect him for what he does and the way that he goes about his life, and because he was one of the best teachers that I ever met.

We are constantly told that people deserve respect because they have faith, and this is something that needs to be brought into question. Religious leaders are held in awe because they "have faith" and of course because they wear the fancy dress associated with their particular club. We are supposed to hold these people in awe and of course many people do.

Why should the fact that someone has a strong belief, give them the right to be respected? There are many who believe that the Earth is flat, others that we are constantly visited by UFOs and some that think that a conservative government is a good thing, and these people are rarely held up as pillars of society or as anything else other than figures of fun. Yet Barmy Bishops, Mad Mullahs and the rest of the leaders of those unwilling to think for themselves are held in high esteem by society at large.

One of the most dangerous men in the world is coming to Britain along with a huge entourage, and we as tax payers will be contributing three million pounds as a contribution to the expenses. The Pope will of course be welcomed by the masses, although he can expect to be met by some degree of protest. As leader of his dedicated band, he has a lot to answer for, but in his position he can justify anything on the basis of dogma, and so will probably stand aloof from the protesters, maintaining his stand on abortion, paedophilia and contraception.

I have never met the pope and have no wish to do so. I do not respect him nor his office and I fail to see why we as a nation are shutting our eyes to the perils that he and others like him are inflicting upon the world as a whole. Respect is not a divine right, but alas there are many who believe that is the case.

Irrationality

Anyone who knows me will verify that I am reasonably placid and not easily angered. For some that in itself is an irritation as i don't rise to provocation. However odd things do make me feel really irked and often it is trivialities that other people see no harm in that get me going.
The other night, whilst staying in my daughter's house, I found myself watching the X Factor on the TV. I should have left the room and gone for a walk or gone to bed but I chose to stay. For those lucky enough to live abroad, the X factor is a "Talent" show. The word Talent is in inverted commas as I feel that such a word has no links to the X factor. In this show, a panel of judges, none of which seems to have a shred of talent themselves, let alone personal skills or even charm, preside over appalling performances by anyone who has the brass balls to stand up on stage and make idiots of themselves. Occasionally someone crops up who can copy a current pop song and it is they that get the plaudits from the panel and the privilege of going on to the next round. As the weeks go by the numbers get thinned out and the TV viewers get to vote on who should survive. This of course costs them money which goes to swell the bank accounts of the judges.
I believe that talented musicians emerge from years of practice and study and not through singing karaoke whilst out of their heads on cheap lager. However this is not the feeling of X Factor fans and those fat cats who run the show. It is about raising someone from the gutter to pseudostardom, whilst making huge profits from those who can least afford it.
The parade of contestants last week, and most likely next and the week after was like a queue of unemployables with an audience selected from a care in the community programme.
This show is extraordinarily popular and represents the terrible state of the popular music industry that is pushing tasteless pap down the throats of the youngsters of today.
I feel better now!

Being Granddad

I have spent the last week, well a considerable part of it with Oscar. He is a lovely little fellow and as babies go, he is very good. Having said that he is also exhausting. How mothers cope, especially single ones, is way beyond me. A baby is a full time occupation and a drain on ones energy.
I seem to be able to get him to sleep now and then, but his mind seems always on the go and he wants attention all of the waking hours. It also seems that attention alone is not sufficient. I can carry him around for hours or even stand with him, but will he allow me to sit down? It seems that I must be uncomfortable in order for him to be settled. How does he know i wonder? He can be fast asleep in my arms but as soon as i sit down, he wakes up.
Having said all that, he is a joy to be with and most of the time he is a smiling chuckling little chap who is fast becoming a little boy rather than a baby. I already tell him stories even though he understands not a word, and i look forward to the pleasure of doing the same when he is able to.
I know that he won't remember me next time i see him, but there will come a time when he does and i hope that he anticipates seeing me with as much pleasure as I anticipate seeing him.