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MY TROUBLED COUNTRY.
One of the very first articles I ever wrote (and had published) was in 2011. It was called “Going to the Dogs” and I wrote about what a mess the country was in with murders, theft etc. “Going to the Dogs” is a colloquial expression meaning “getting worse than it was” “deteriorating.” Today I feel that nothing has changed and in fact it has got worse. Now we really have “gone to the dogs!”
How the world I grew up in has changed! What about our government. Even our members of Parliament, who should have the welfare of our country at heart, are being found out in wrong doing (sexual misconduct and tax evasion) and seem to be more concerned with their own image and self-interest than in doing the best for the country. Now we have a big scandal with our police who it appears have never been vetted properly before being accepted into the force. How awful that we can no longer trust a policeman to help us! The gun and knife violence sweeping our country is like a virus and what steps, if any, are being taken to stop this virus from spreading? How can we make our streets safe? I think the situation has got completely out - of – hand. Should we seriously consider bringing back the death penalty? If this is too much for some to accept let us make Life Imprisonment really mean LIFE and not “Life and must serve so many years.” Also why are we releasing criminals after they have served only half of their sentence. It is often in the newspapers that someone recently released early from prison has gone on to commit further crimes within days or weeks of the release. Why are wrongdoers sentenced and then the sentence is “suspended”? Parole Boards must also bear responsibility for releasing violent prisoners too soon.
We are also faced with a crisis in our National Health Service once the pride of the nation. We may die because an ambulance does not rush to our aid and if we do make it to a hospital we are left lying on a trolley in a corridor because there are no beds available. Now even our GPs refuse to do home visits preferring to hide behind their telephones and I have even read that they want to work 9-5 Monday to Friday. This particularly makes me angry because in my career as a librarian I always worked two late evening duties (in one library it was until 9.pm) and also worked every other Saturday. When I worked in a University Library we kept the library open on a Sunday so students could have somewhere to study in peace. So why do not doctors work a few late nights and Saturdays to accommodate those of us who work during the week? Our world is also obsessed with a love and desire for money. The Grenfell Tower tragedy is an example of this where the builders chose a cheap unsafe cladding for the building to save themselves money and it resulted in 72 deaths when the building caught fire. Profit is put before safety and it is we, the general public, who suffer.
What has caused this situation and the mess that the world is in? The answer is that we have lost touch with God. God created us, He is our father and He created the world we live in and look what a mess we are making of it. He is the only one who can set things to rights and clean up the mess. In my 2011 article I blamed first and foremost the churches (all denominations) for their lack of moral guidance and I have not changed my mind. In fact the situation has worsened as more and more churches are closing their doors and the church buildings are sold to be used for other purposes. I grew up in a world where I was told that “Everyone would answer for their wrong behaviour” and that God would punish them. I was afraid of God! I no longer think or believe this. God is my best friend but I still believe that I must accept accountability for my actions and words and, with God’s help put right any wrongs I have committed. It seems to me that the church has completely changed its attitude to sin. Instead of teaching that you will face God with your sins it teaches that Jesus has already paid the price of your sinful behaviour. Churches are supposed to teach us right from wrong and encourage us to live a good life but there seems to be more crime around these days than ever before with all these stabbings on the streets and children getting murdered. We must look again at the rules God gave us for living. What rules you may ask? Well, what ever happened to the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus? His “Sermon on the Mount” and the parables? It is up to our churches today to get back to the fundamental teachings of Jesus. I wonder how many of those in positions of authority in our country today share their problems with God and ask for His help and advice? Not many I think. During the Covid Crisis it was said that we should keep Churches open so that people had somewhere to go to speak to God.
What utter nonsense! You can speak to God in any place and at any time. Due to health problems I have not been able to go to church for almost two years and yet I have never felt closer to God. I repeat, God is my best friend and I could not live my life without His ever present help and advice.
A favourite Bible quotation of mine is “ to whom much is given, much will be required.” [Luke 12:48] or to put it in more modern language “With great power comes great responsibility.” Every one of us has received some gift or talent from God to serve others so come on all you politicians, doctors, teachers, medics, clergy, police, God gave you brains, helped you to get qualifications, gave you opportunities to climb in your chosen career or profession. Now is the time to give back to God (with interest) what He has given to you. Repay God by serving the rest of God’s family and help get us out of the mess our nation is in.
[If you would like to know more about my thoughts on Spiritualism then read my book “Why I am a Spiritualist.”]
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