This weeks kitchen table looks at a great book and old film….something which applies to our culture today…enjoy and pass on!
My favourite quote from the book:
Ralph wept for his end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.
One thing we missed in the conversation is that Lord of the Flies is a literal translation of Beelzebub.
Very interesting – always descending into chaos, liberated from shame and self consciousness?
I remember seeing a Channel 4 programme about the sexual revolution in which the narrator concluded that freedom to do anything is no freedom at all. Which was interesting that with no apparent religious context the narrator was conveying the same sentiment as the apostle Paul ““I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.” 1 Cor 10:23.
So – it seems there is a role for experiencing shame and having the conscience pricked.
I would suggest when it comes to religion – it in itself is not the saving grace here. Many evil things have been done in the name of religion – false religion. But true religion is about caring for the most vulnerable and keeping from being polluted by the world.
And so we need some chaos in our lives – of uncertainty. Creative environments have elements of chaos in them. So it’s not the chaos itself, but when it becomes destructive and descends into anarchy that there’s a problem. Conversely we need order in our lives for security. But it’s when order becomes tyranny that it’s equally destructive. So a healthy balance between creative chaos and secure order is needed.
I’m a creative type so naturally push up against systems and structures. I can try and justify this with “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world” Eph 6:12. But if there is no authority, there is anarchy and in anarchy care for the most vulnerable is thrown away in favour of a survival of the fittest narrative. So if I am to avoid being destructive I must be willing to accept systems and structure and discipline myself.
And I can feel a rage inside myself at a sense of injustice when it comes along. Unless that rage is under control then that too can be destructive. It’s better to have control over yourself than a large number of cities – right?
So yes common to the rest of humanity unless either I keep myself in check or am kept in check then I can do a lot of damage. But also if that energy is harnessed and channelled, I can also to a lot of good. A gentleman is someone who can play the trombone but chooses not to!
So gentleness (or meekness) in this context for all of us is power under control. And there is a biblical principle in this. – “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt 5:5.
Well done again, fellows! I loved the part where we hear the true story and the realisation that the Tongan boys kept their sanity through church services.
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow , but only saps today of its strength” – AJ Cronin .