Jeremy Corbyn's OK Christmas Message.

The Antikythera Mechanism said:

Like the Nazi loving Catholic church at the end of WW2, running scared of the Godless USSR, and giving German war criminals safe passage out of Europe.

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Tommy Tradlles said:

Thank you for your apology. I wasn't seeking one but it is appreciated. I understand your concerns about the Church Commissioners though I have no knowledge about your particular case. My perspective is that religion and faith go together after all Christ founded the Church.

As for Jeremy Corbyn's speech. I think he makes as good point. Christians should welcome refugees as Our Lord was one. The holy family had to seek refuge in Egypt. However, I suspect a lot of people may not be that welcoming to refugees if it impacts on them. There as been a successful local campaign to stop a Asylum Seekers hostel being set in the area. One of my parishioners was very against it even though we have been praying for refugees for the past two months. I appreciated the concern of locals but it was disappointing. These issues often show the limits of our charity

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Hastings gull said:

But it is hardly this simple, is it? Many folk would be worried about having an asylum Seekers hostel close by - hundreds of young men with little to do all day might be a cocktail for disaster. You may well have been praying for months, so what have YOU done in practice? In fact, how many church buildings in your area have been used to house them?

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Lincoln Imp said:

This is a reasonable point. My brother in law was a rural dean in Lincolnshire and his patch included any number of beautiful churches, one or two Grade 1 listed. The cost of keeping them going was huge and often out of all proportion to the use to which they are put. There is nothing the church would rather do than give many of these buildings away. But they can't. They keep them as best as they can whilst wishing the money could be spent on community activities that are closer to their principles. But they can't. Indeed, it would be illegal to neglect them.

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abc said:

They can and do. They are actively trying to close Churches and sell them off for housing. This causes huge stress and worry to parishioners (and priests) who are told to come up with huge sums of money or see the place of worhsip and peace that is so important to them taken away.

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JC Footy Genius said:

JC and JC have lots in common .. the main thing being legions of deluded, gullible followers, Merry Christmas!

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Harry Wilson's tackle said:

You have hundreds of deluded followers? Blimey! . . . .

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DavidinSouthampton said:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/62...re-again-for-comparing-Christmas-to-SOCIALISM

Mr Corbyn under fire again from the Daily Express.

Although I am left-leaning, I am not a supporter of Mr Corbyn. But as a person of faith, I happen to think he has a point - in fact several good points, and plenty of people within the Churches would agree and would be saying similar things at points over Christmas.

Part of the criticism is that Christmas is about People, not poitics, but for me, Politics is about People. To cut a long story short, as Tony Hadley once said, "Anyone who thinks that the Church and Politics don't mix is reading a different Bible to me!".

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abc said:

Why are asylum seakers automatically 'hundreds of young men with little to do'? Might they also be women, families, children and people with something to contribute to the local community? I agree its not simple but I think your response is a little harsh on Tommy Traddles.

Though at the risk of banging the same drum, an organisation with £5.6 billion 'in the bank' could do a lot more. However I suspect the average Parish Priest is typically doing more than his/her fair share

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beorhthelm said:

its been said Jesus was the first socialist, so hardly a surprise he makes the comparison. though i have to comment on this: " 'Do unto others as you would have done to you' – that is the essence of my socialism, summed up in the word “solidarity”. thats bollcoks, the golden rule transends politics and religion, its universal in all cultures.

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Uncle Spielberg said:

Corrected for you

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Hastings gull said:

... do you personally know of situations where the church has helped in a really practical way?
.../QUOTE]

Yes, although it wasn't the establishment church - CofE.

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Hastings gull said:

OK, that could well be true, of course and in the case of the selected refugees from the camps that we are taking in, then from what we have seen on the box, the profile you mention is probably true of most. However, if you go back to the scenes played out in summer, I am sure that you will agree that the majority was comprised of young,single men. I am also basing my statement on a centre near Portsmouth with hundreds of young men. Whilst you are quite right in that in theory there is much they could do to contribute to the local community - do you really think en masse that that is the case? As to whether the typical priest is doing his or her fair share - do you personally know of situations where the church has helped in a really practical way? Have you read of any such situation in your local paper? As you say, they could do far more, if they really want to, but it is all too easy to sit at the computer, hiding behind the anonymity of the internet and criticising those who do not do much. It starts with suggesting a lack of compassion, and then leads to full-blown accusations of wacism.

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abc said:

Yes, many examples of individuals and group from local church communities helping all sorts of people and causes in many different ways (as of course do many people who have no faith). However the establishment (ie not the individuals or parish priests but those at the top in control of the power and money) do nothing and do not even lead by example.

Incidentally, it is no coincidence that the first and largest building you come to from the main entrance of the house of parliament is the HQ of the Church Commissioners. They are as political (but more wealthy and powerful) as Jeremy Corbyn! (and yet Jeremy Corbyn doesn't get charity status!)

Re the asylum seeker issue: See your point entirely and I would suggest it should be incumbent on the organisers to ensure there is a sensible mix of ages, sexes etc and there is a structure in place to help them assimilate. As asylum seekers they are not going to be able to do this without the help and involvement of local people. However to claim to care about them but then oppose their presence when it might be in your own community (as seemed to be the case with one of Tommy Tradles's locals) seems unkind.

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