27/11/2005
I've just had a good great experience - in a church! And not only that, but in the most uber-traditional service ever. The advent carol service was really magical - all by candlelight, and really resonating of the ages that this same service has probably been conducted.
I guess this shows that, as I suppose I knew already, that it's not the format of the service which usually makes me so disinterested. Once I'm allowed to go on my own terms, and not be subjected to my family, I can enjoy, and get a lot out of, numerous different worship styles. However, this was a particularly fine example of a rare occasion when the traditional branch of the CofE gets it completely right (see also Easter Saturday at Ely cathedral, which I might have recorded here around 18 months ago - even if I haven't said before, it's incredible).
Touched by his noodly appendage
18/11/2005
Thanks to Liz for bringing the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to my attention. Go and check it out, a great laugh for the end of the week.
On a similar "stealing from other people's blogs" type note, I am
To which Middle Earth race do you belong? | brought to you by Quizilla
Entish
which I'm sure answers a question that's been uppermost in your minds for many years.
11/11/2005
Today we've heard of the "ordeal" (I quote it not because I disagree with the use of the term but to show it is not my own) of the Australian and two Britains held in Iran for 13 days without trial. The thing is though, I'm finding it difficult to understand the main differences in principle between this repeated questioning over period of a fortnight and the repeated questioning over the period of a fortnight (or now 4 weeks) of "terrorist suspects" in Belmarsh...
I do find it very difficult to reconcile the government on the one hand claiming that 90 day detention without trial would be perfectly acceptable here, but 13 days in Iran is unnacceptable. Personally I agree with them on the latter count: the less time one can possibly hold people without trial the better. But it seems highly hypocritical to criticise another nation for such an imprisonment, while extending one's own laws on ther subject. Not that the hypocrisy is the main reason to oppose this morally bankrupt law, I'm just extrodinarily grateful that the 90day proposal was stopped, even though 28 is still far too long.
No answers, just anger.