What is in Kelvin's Head?

Predictions 2023 – How did I do?

31/12/2023

1 Generative artificial intelligence will become significantly disruptive of many sectors this year. Education practices will change quickly as a result of this but education will be but one of many areas of life to be affected.

Happening all around us (even to people who can’t see it happening around them) – prediction fulfilled.

2 No progress for those seeking marriage equality in the Church of England. There will be a lot of talk about moving towards some form of official blessings for same-sex couples which would have the effect of thwarting those seeking actual equality, making it more difficult to achieve. Further division amongst pro-gay activists in the Church of England.

Happening exactly as predicted. The recent developments following the LLF project make equality more even further away – prediction fulfilled.

3 Indyref 2 will not happen on 19 October 2023 as Nicola Sturgeon had hoped, which is a shame for those seeking to separate Scotland from the rest of the UK as the autumn will be the high water mark for the Indepedence movement. It will be downhill into the next General Election after that.

Happenning but not quite as I expected. Indryref didn’t happen but Indy polls are indeed riding high. However I didn’t see the mess the SNP would get itself into along the way. Prediction Fulfilled.

4 Trump and Biden will both declare that they intend to run for the US presidency in 2024 and American politics will continue to be all about Donald Trump.

Exactly as I said – prediction fulfilled.

5 Covid recovery remains bumpy, particularly through supply-chain problems due to mismanagement of Covid in China.

Pretty much as I said – we’ve largely forgotten the supply chain issues that continued from the end of last year into the new year and the spring. Prediction mostly fulfilled.

6 No conclusive end to the war in Ukraine this year.

Alas. Prediction fulfilled

7 Governments in Westminster and Holyrood will announce some kind of “new deal” for the National Heath Service.

Holyrood here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/programme-government-2023-24/pages/5/

Westminster: Pay – here https://healthmedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/07/14/government-accepts-recommendations-from-nhs-pay-review-bodies/
Westminster: Medicines here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/landmark-deal-to-boost-nations-health-and-save-nhs-14-billion

Prediction fulfilled.

8 – UK Government will not succeed in blocking Scottish Gender Recognition Reform.

I remain surprised that the Scottish Governnent gave up on this. Prediction not fulfilled.

9 Liam McArthur’s bill in the Scottish Parliamant to allow doctors to participate in the killing of terminally ill patients will fail to receive parliamentary approval but will receive more support than similar proposals have before.

Bill hasn’t received approval but hasn’t gone to a vote either. Large levels of support in the media. Prediction partially fulfilled.

10 Changes announced to the UK honours system, perhaps at the time of the Coronation, to remove references to empire. OBE becomes Order of British Excellence.

Not happened yet. Prediction not fulfilled.

Result – about 7 1/2 out of 10 this year I think. Not bad.

12 responses to “Christians and Jews in Holy Week”

FakePete

31/03/2015

Very good piece. Often we overlook the fact that so much anti-Semitism comes from liberals and the left.

Reply
1. Jo
  
  01/04/2015
  
  I’ve moved in left-wing circles for a long time and I don’t think I’ve encountered much by way of anti-Semitism. Not saying there isn’t any but I don’t recognise your “so much”.
  
  Reply
  1. fakepete
    
    01/04/2015
    
    I don’t know what your FB stream is like but during the Gaza conflict – wow, my leftie friends went into meltdown talking of neocon cabals, the cult of bankers, they spoke of excessive influence of Israel on US foreign policy and they got much angrier about Israeli bombs killing Gazans than anyone got when the UK was killing people in Iraq. I was shocked.
    
    Reply
    1. Kelvin
      
      01/04/2015
      
      Just to note that this isn’t a post about Israel or Gaza and that the leap from speaking about the experience of being Jewish to current Middle East politics is part of the problem I’m highlighting.
      
      Reply
margaret of the sea of galilee

01/04/2015

First of all, well done on the spelling of “supersessionist”! (“s” not “c” since you go back to the French/Latin)
Seriously…excellent writing and perfect timing
Come over for a visit and we’ll show you modern Judaism up close. As well as a cute wee Church of Scotland and a lovely piece of water. Oh yes…and where Jesus was too!

Reply
Marion

01/04/2015

Thank you. Just, thank you. (And I’ll see you Good Friday)

Reply
Gordon

01/04/2015

Have a look at http://www.keshercourse.co.uk/
An increasing number of evangelicals are celebrating Jewish festivals and imitating Jewish practices or even styling themselves as “messianic jews” even though they are not of jewish birth.
What do jews make of this? Is it not a wee bit insulting or maybe imitation is the best form of flattery?

Reply
1. Tim
  
  01/04/2015
  
  How would we feel about practising Jews deciding to make a Last Supper of their Passover meal?
  
  I’m normally wary of taking offence on others’ behalf, and it has been said that Christian supersessionism need not denigrate Judaism (David Novak, via wikipedia). But how do I know what flavour of supersessionism my neighbour or leader understands?
  
  The bishops’ guidelines at the start of http://rcdow.org.uk/att/files/faith/catechesis/eucharist/passoverguidelines.pdf seem not unreasonable, “In all events, Christians should take every care to ensure that the correct Jewish ritual is followed and that the Seder be respected in its full integrity”.
  
  Reply
  1. Kelvin
    
    01/04/2015
    
    I think that, in the same way that in our tradition, Christian ritual demands that it is conducted by Christians (and licensed ones at that), …
    
    Reply
Kelvin

02/04/2015

Just to note that I’m allowing comments on this post that are relevant to this post, which is about Christianity and Judaism and how Christians and Jews relate at this time of the year. I’m filtering out all off-topic comments about modern Middle Eastern politics.

Reply
1. FakePete
  
  02/04/2015
  
  I understand and support your desire and right to keep things on topic but I’d personally be interested to read those even if not in this particular thread.
  
  Reply
Elizabeth

03/04/2015

Thanks for posting this. I didn’t know that Scottish Jews were feeling more unsafe, that is troubling news indeed and all the more reason to think and talk about this kind of thing. I think it’s important for Christians to understand the history of anti-Jewish violence around Holy Week and Easter, as distressing as it is. It’s a good week to read Adrienne Rich’s ‘Yom Kippur 1984’ (I wanted to include a quote but can only wish to include the whole thing – so please, everyone go read it http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/240472 )

Reply