What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Sermon – the Maker, Troublemaker, Peacemaker

    Here’s what I said on Sunday in the pulpit about that tricky gospel reading.

    Not peace, but a division

    Sometimes one reads the Gospel in church and everyone nods knowingly. You can tell that people think that what is being said is wise and good.

    When we tell the story of the Good Samaritan, perhaps. Or the Prodigal Son. Or the stories of his response when people brought him those who were sick.

    We hear Jesus being clever, holy and gracious. We see him healing and enlightening and blessing.

    And we approve.

    We approve of this Saviour for he is made in the image of all our hopes and our dreams.

    This is a God whom we can like. He would not be out of place in our company. We would be honoured to take him home for tea.

    But the truth is, Christianity is about something a little more than this. It is about following a Saviour who sometimes turns around and says things that we find tricky, difficult or bewildering. (more…)

3 responses to “Not in my name. Not in my city.”

  1. Bro David Avatar
    Bro David

    I wondered how you were fairing in the city that’s reported to have voted Yes.

    Just to let you know, you can best guage what it means in your neck o’ the woods, but that form of salute is still used in a number of countries in the world and isn’t associated in any respect with Nazism. That salute is common in Mexico, as it was in the US before WW2.
    http://rationalrevolution.net/images/salute2.jpg

    However, they have since opted for the right hand flat over the heart and we get flack from our northern neighbors for our “Nazi” salute to our flag.
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Civil_Salute_Mexican_Flag.jpg/477px-Civil_Salute_Mexican_Flag.jpg

    Reply
    1. Kelvin Avatar
      Kelvin

      The gesture they were making here is entirely associated in local minds with the nazis.

      Reply
  2. Seph Avatar
    Seph

    I gather that there were EDL/SDL members present, in addition to the usual Lodge suspects. This may go some way to explaining the Nazi salutes.

    Reply

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