I am not a full-blown Republican. I have too much admiration for HM The Queen. However, I am not a full-blown monarchist, either; having little time for most of the rest of the Royal Family.
So, while I am as happy for young William and Kate as I would be for any couple who announced their engagement to be married, I am already fed up with the OTT response of the popular media. Some twenty minutes of the less-than-half-an-hour of the BBC early evening news given over to that one event - even to the extent of showing me how it was announced on television in the United States of America (why not, at least, a country that is a member of the British Commonwealth??). Then, as we went on to Reporting Scotland, the circus started all over again!
Would that the media gave as much publicity to the plight of disciples of Jesus who are being constantly persecuted for their allegiance to Him! It has been encouraging to see the situation regarding Asia Bibi, in Pakistan (see Monday, Nov.8th), receiving some coverage in some of the national newspapers in the U.K. Unfortunately, that is the exception, rather than the rule. I would love to see much more of that kind of reporting on our television screens, as well. Perhaps someone would publish, nationally, the details of the case of Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani in Iran. This dear brother is also under sentence of death - for the heinous crime of requesting that his son not be taught the Qur'an in school!!!!
These cases are but the tiniest tip of a gigantic iceberg. Those of us who live in the 'free' west have no real idea as to what persecution is. We may be ignored (some of our brothers and sisters would consider that to be a major blessing!); we may even be mocked; we may miss out on a promotion; we may be pilloried in the press; we may lose our jobs. However, if the police call at my door, it will be to collect me for something to do with my Force Chaplaincy - certainly not because I have been reported as owning a copy of the Bible, or of having shared my faith in the Lord Jesus with a non-Christian!
Mind you, I am recalling the question that used to be put to some of us in the seventies and eighties - "If being a true disciple of Jesus was a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" Now there's a thought!
1 comment:
Like you Brian I'm not a full blown royalist, but I do respect and admire the Queen.
As for William and Kate, I can't help but reflect on the scorching intensity of media coverage of them, and particularly Diana, which marred her life thereafter.
I wonder if Kate knows what she's getting herself into? If she is being schooled in handling the media and hardening herself to media insults?
I think the days of respecting the monarchy are gone - they're now tamed animals in a zoo.
Oh! What have we done?
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