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Tuesday, 31 December 2024

New Year's resolution

King Charles delivering his Christmas Day speech   Source: Christian Today

I did not have the same enthusiasm for the King's Christmas message as I did for his mother's messages. 

As head of the Church of England, HM Queen Elizabeth II could always be relied on to uphold the Christian faith.

In a 2022 entry I wrote Christianity on the wane in England and Wales commenting on Charles' wish be 'Defender of Faith', rather than 'Defender of the Faith', as though all faiths are the same when they clearly are not. 

The speech, broadcast from an ex-hospital chapel which is available to all faiths as if to emphasise the point, was watched by 6.8 million out of a UK population off around 69 million people. For comparison Gavin and Stacey: The Finale was warched by 12.32 million and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl by 9.38 million.

In his 2024 message Charles said, "But, on this Christmas Day, we cannot help but think of those for whom the devastating effects of conflict – in the Middle East, in Central Europe, in Africa and elsewhere – pose a daily threat to so many people's lives and livelihoods."

King Charles went on to say "Diversity of culture, ethnicity and faith provides strength not weakness" but as commented on in Christian Today 'That is not self-evidently true'.

There is one faith/ideology that frequently appears in the news as the main source of conflict. Less frequent is the reporting of the deaths, kidnappings and other atrocities regularly perpetrated in Africa and elsewhere around the globe. According to Open Doors, three fifths of the countries listed suffer persecution as a result of this one ideology.

While the hand of friendship is extended to its adherants in the United Kingdom, blind eyes are turned to world events. Thousands of people who do not share our values continue to enter the UK seeking to replace our culture with theirs. 

As demonstrations in the UK are becoming more devisive it has become risky to comment on such matters for fear of attracting accusations of a hate crime. Free speech in Britain is at risk.

Christianity is being diluted in the name of diversity. Recently I read a report “Woke” MoD Bosses to Strip Cross From Military Cap Badge  as part of efforts to make the British Army chaplains department more diverse and multicultural. I wonder what Queen Elizabeth would have had to say about that.

The situation is becoming dire. We have a woke government and a woke church.

For full assessment by former Queen's Chaplain Gavin Ashenden watch King Charles Christmas Speech - A Declaration of Civil War

 A good New Year's resolution would be to pray for our increasingly dis-United Kingdom.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

5 comments:

  1. @ AB
    Old Father Time moves on AB and as the Monarchy keeps up with changes in the demography of the United Kingdom - its increasing numbers of Asian, Afro and Middle Eastern citizens ensconced into our communities - so too ought our Faith leaders let go the exclusiveness of the Anglican church as 'the establishment'. Even Golf Clubs and Pall Mall's rows of Gentlemens' Clubs have adjusted to modernity by accepting women members. Britain is not an 'exclusive' club. Go back only a few centuries of Kings of England, the quasi-pagan Normans of the 12th century for instance, and they were debating the same as your missive ... we don't like change. But change there was.

    Left to your ethos then not just will the Anglican church fall into total demise, but it will take the Monarchy with it. There's been a huge and perhaps progressive change in socio-opinion since the heyday of HM Elizabeth II and one which HM Charles III must continue if there is to be continuity of the Monarchy.

    The mass of Charles III subjects care not a hoot for even the Christian faith he does take from his mother any more than they have interest in his favoured game of Polo.

    Let's just celebrate the fact that we have a reigning King who actually does worship his God and one who also has understanding of and interest in the close links with other faiths of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Let's not forget the Commonwealth of which he is also head. In his strong commitment to the Church, in his devotions to prayer etc., he might - heaven forbid - be the last of the line.

    Its called progressive evolution. As time moves on, so too do values.

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    Replies
    1. Are there no constants in your dystopian nightmare?
      Bewildered

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    2. Baptist Trainfan2 January 2025 at 17:11

      Although I am basically a Republican rather than a Monarchist, I am broadly in agreement with Old Bill. We may wish to turn the clock back and wish for a "Christian Britain" (whatever that may mean); the fact is we have been an increasingly multicultural nation for many years. One could argue that this has been the case for 20 centuries, with the Romans bringing in folk not only from Italy but from around the Empire, then the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Normans etc. Each have had their effects on national culture. Our concept of monarchy has also evolved: Charles 3 is very different to Henry 8 or William 1!

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    3. I wonder how far you will be able/want to celebrate this change when a certain ideology takes over and will deny you that freedom.

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    4. Others might call it regressive evolution.

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