Thursday, August 12, 2004

Self Hating White Anglicans

It's difficult to satirise the Church of England these days ... but Bishop-bashing is such an enjoyable pastime ...

"An Anglican bishop wants to ban the hymn I Vow To Thee My Country - because it echoes Hitler's Germany and is "heretical".
The Bishop of Hulme, the Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, attacked English nationalism in a diocese newsletter.

He compares the hymn - which was sung at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales - with right-wing attitudes. "


The sad thing is that the Bishop doesn't appear to be able to read.

"... it actually says that my country's approach to things must be my first call on myself and that my relationship with God or what I believe to be right or wrong is secondary to that."

Have another look at the first line, Bish.

I vow to thee my country, all earthly things above.

See the bit that says 'all earthly things above' ? 'Earthly' is the key word, old boy. Means God still comes before country, as proven many times in our history, from 'that holy blisful martyr' to the Protestant martyrs under Mary and the Catholic martyrs under Henry and Elizabeth.

But alas, God - and truth - comes a poor second to getting liberal brownie points.

Stephen Lowe - no relation to the playwright as far as I know - is almost a caricature of the trendy liberal.

Gay rights, global arms trade, relaxing the drug laws, criminalising parents who smack the kids, the 'eco-diocese', the useless talking shop ("Identify and disseminate examples of good and problematic practice in the development and investment by faith organisations and their members of ‘bridging’ social capital ..") - there's nary a bandwagon goes past but he's on board.

What's amazing is that the Church still has one or two saints.

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