The creeping secularism that permits no dissent

"Nyarlothotep...the crawling chaos...I will tell the audient void" - H.P Lovecraft

Today the Scout Association has published a new Scout Promise that permits atheists, or those of no faith at all (although it seems to me they are two different kinds of people) to be Scouts without having to lie about what they believe. It all sounds rather fine. On the surface this looks like rather a grand gesture to make, all about inclusivity, all about ensuring that everyone who wants to can have the chance to be a Scout.

Surely, anyone who opposes this, is opposing inclusivity? You might think that to oppose this development would be reactionary and inappropriate in the modern world. It is rather like that classic old question with no right answer: "When did you stop beating your wife?"

In today's Metro, the Chief Scout has published an article with rather interesting wording. 

http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/08/bear-grylls-keeping-the-faith-in-scouting-4139068/ 

He says: I see this as a positive and inclusive way of allowing young people who do not have faith in their lives still to enjoy the Scouting adventure...

As regards young people who have "no faith" - do we not think that we as adults should be teaching young people to have faith? Do we not think that it is our duty? Oh...just me then.

And you can see in here the real issue underneath - it's not about "inclusivity" or anything like that. It's about creating a secular society - it is about actually stamping out faith and removing it from the public arena.

I'll steer clear of any discussion of Scouts as such, as it is not really the issue here, except to say that to be fair, Scouts is not faith-based or church-based youth work. It never has been and nor should it be: at Scouts we have never really required young people to have faith - not really. It's always been secular, right from the start. All very relaxed and anglican and it doesn't really matter what you believe - until you make an issue of it. And then, of course, you are in trouble. We English have never really got on with people that "make an issue" of faith matters.

The real issue is creeping and insidious secularism. Writing very much as a Christian now, I think secularism has a spiritual origin and needs opposition. It is evil. This is why I opened the article with a quote from a H.P Lovecraft horror story. 

Alice Bailey (1880-1949) was a 20th century "new age" guru who proposed a ten point plan to destroy Christianity. Some promoters of secularism remind me of the the expression Stalin used - "useful idiots". They are going unwittingly about the work of the likes of Alice Bailey. If they are not careful they will place themselves and others in our society into the hands of one who is very much more dangerous than Josef Stalin. But then, secular liberals don't believe in the devil any more than they believe in God.

The ordinary British sentence - which is a noble thing

I have encountered a rather strange thing in some work I am reviewing. It is deeply displeasing and demotivating to me to see it. But more of that particular strange thing in a moment. 

If one is involved in a car crash, then one's car will be damaged. It will be taken to the garage, and they will effect repairs. They will send the bill either to you or possibly to the insurance company. But if the car is very badly damaged, then the garage or the insurance company may deem that the cost of repairs actually exceeds the value of the car itself. In such cases it is common to say that the car has been "written off". We use the term "written off", therefore, to describe something that is damaged beyond economic repair. 

In reviewing and revising the writing of others, I may encounter sentences that are damaged, or more likely, badly constructed from the start. I may come across concepts that are difficult to understand, and I sometimes read phrases that are simply incomprehensible. Just as garage mechanics repair cars, I repair sentences. But just occasionally, I come across sentences that are so convoluted, so twisted and arcane, that repair is just not possible. We might fairly say of such sentences that like badly damaged cars, they are "written off"; they are beyond economic repair.

The problem is that in revising such sentences you have to understand completely the mind of the author; you need a thorough comprehension of what he or she was trying to say - so that you can then construct an easy-to-understand and comprehensible sentence for the reader. 

That is the heart and soul of my job. It is not easy and it is fair to say that it has brought me to my knees, at least metaphorically, on a number of occasions. 

The strange thing that I encountered? It is a number of sentences of Pauline intensity and length. (The Apostle Paul is known amongst students of the Bible for having using long and complicated sentences; it is something the student of St Paul's letters must ever be on the lookout for.)

As writers, what is the longest sentence that we might deliver? I have looked through this short piece and shortened a number of sentences to less than 30 words. I am not wanting to see sentences of 71 words. I am most dismayed at having to read a sentence of 87 words. That saps my strength - for I believe strongly that it is the writer, and not the reader, who should be doing the hard work.

Ten influential or most-read science-fiction novels

1.     Robert A Heinlein - Time enough for Love

The story of the healing and recovery of Lazarus Long, a 2000 year-old man, from the ennui and depression caused by living for such a long time. This book has influenced me more than any other book I have ever read, including (probably) the Bible. It is long and complicated with several independent anecdotes, rather like the “1001 nights”, to which the author pays conscious and deliberate homage. There is more wisdom in this book than in any fifty other books I've ever read.

2.    Robert A Heinlein - To sail beyond the sunset 

Heinlein’s swansong, published in his dotage in 1989. This fictional memoir of Maureen Johnson, the mother of Lazarus Long, is flawed brilliance. He swoops from inspired fictional family history to some seriously inappropriate incestuous practices. It is both trenchant social comment and exciting adventure, but incest is always off-putting and always out of order, and unfortunately there is plenty of it in here, both father-daughter and mother-son. Though it ties in with many other Heinlein works such as “The number of the beast” and “The cat who walks through walls”, Heinlein’s flaky sexuality at the end of a long and glorious writing career means that I could not recommend this to teenagers, even though this is possibly one of his best works.

3.    Arthur C Clarke – Islands in the sky

One of the very first science-fiction novels I read, this is the story of a young fellow who wins a TV quiz show, and the prize is a free ticket to anywhere in the world. The youngster insists on being allowed to visit an orbiting space station, and this is the story of his adventures whilst up there in orbit.

4.     Alistair Reynolds - Chasm City

Guy Sajer in “The forgotten soldier” has written about the power of forgiveness. In this dark space-opera set in the 28th century, Reynolds tells a compelling story of the power of insanity, bitterness and unforgiveness. A man chases his enemy across space and time, whilst an entire planet remains at war for centuries because one starship captain, Sky Hausmann, committed terrible atrocities in the distant past – (our near future, the 22nd century), in his efforts to get an edge over his fellow man. Even the planet’s name – Sky’s Edge – tells a terrible story.

5.    Iain M Banks – Feersum Endjinn

Difficult to read at first because of the phonetic spelling used by Banks’ character Bascule the Teller, this is the surreal story of a human society living in a giant, kilometres high scale model of a castle, at least thirty thousand years in the future, and the way different parts of that society respond to the approach of a planet-threatening interstellar dust cloud. In my opinion this is his best work.

6.    Greg Bear – Eon

Written during the eighties but set in the late nineties, this is the story an asteroid entering the solar system, slowing down and entering orbit round the earth. Humans fly up to investigate, and find the rock riddled with seven caverns full of high-tech equipment from mankind’s own future. The seventh cavern goes off into infinity – it is the entrance to a different universe. The discovery of the asteroid and the startling seventh chamber triggers a nuclear war between America and the Soviet Union.

7.    Frank Herbert - Hellstrom’s Hive

An awful, frightening vision of humankind as hive creatures. The story begins and ends with no-one aware of the danger posed by Hellstrom’s Hive, a hive burrowed miles under the ground in Oregon. None can prevail against the hive economy. This story is finely drawn and ultimately horrifying. Really it’s a horror story with shades of “Brave New World”

8.    Ann McAffrey - Dragons Dawn/The White Dragon

Dragons Dawn is the prequel to McAffrey’s “medieval sci-fi” dragon novels, the story of how star-faring pioneer settlers on the planet Pern addressed the danger posed by lethal fungoid “threads” falling from the skies. The White Dragon is set thousands of years later, when the medieval descendants of the early settlers rediscover high-tech computers buried in a remote place, and make steps to once again become a modern, mechanised society.

9.    Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451

Classic literature which I read before I was 15, the story of Montag the fireman and his discovery of himself, and his turning against a culture that despises knowledge and books. The value of people learning books or parts of books by rote is explained here, as nuclear war overtakes the society and all the knowledge that remains is stored in people’s heads.

10.    Isaac Asimov -  Foundation trilogy

This is Asimov’s central work, a three-part adventure covering the fall of the Galactic Empire and psycho-historian Hari Seldon’s attempts to establish secret institutes that would prevent a 30000-year dark age following that fall. The rise of “The Mule” in the third novel, “Second foundation”, is perhaps the best bit, though like much of Asimov’s fiction, it can all seem somewhat bloodless.

Ten books that remain on my mind

1) Quest for the highest – J.E Church – the story of the East African Revival

2) Mere Christianity – C.S Lewis – a reasoned and sane explanation of my faith

3) The Cost of Discipleship – Dietrich Bonhoeffer – VERY challenging; too difficult to read because I am falling short of the example set by the author

4) The Gulag Archipelago - Alexander Solzhenitsyn – Brilliant. It never fails to amaze me that this book is not banned by the liberal left establishment! 

5) The Handmaids Tale – Margaret Atwood – An America that could happen

6) The Fountainhead – Ayn Rand – influential to me at a subconscious and visceral level as I read it before I was 17

7) News from Tartary – Peter Fleming – the book that started my interest in all matters to do with Central Asia

8) Perelandra – C.S Lewis – a beautiful story of the Fall, averted rather than recurring on a watery paradise Venus

9) 1984 – George Orwell – the most important political novel of the 20th century and perhaps one of the most important English language works. Everyone should read it, especially leftists

10) Time enough for love – R.A Heinlein – Heinlein remains the single greatest secular influence on my thinking, though I am a Christian. No-one else can say or has said the things he has said, nor done so in such elegant prose.

Fifty-word stories

Try writing a story in 50 words!
I just realised that every one of these involves falling rain...that says something about me, for I have always loved the sound of falling rain.

A beginning and an end

Outside, the rain was lashing down from a leaden sky, the palm trees buffeted by the wrath of the tropical storm. Ready for our journey, we enjoyed a last beer in the deserted hotel bar. Waiting for the taxi, we made small talk, though we had little enough in common.

An African evening

We decide to leave the club and go somewhere cheaper. We wait outside for cabs, hiding under the trees. It is pouring with warm rain. Joey climbs into a nearby Mini-moke and we all laugh. The rain drips off the trees and you can hear it hissing on the tarmac.

Lock out at the Lock Inn

We left the pub and hurried back over the lock, past the two submarines. It was raining, and a bitter wind whipped our clothes. Dock workers were blocking our path with freight containers. “No!” we shouted, with urgent, beery breath. We hurried through the puddles, but it was too late.

Manzaneres, or, The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.

The old man is silent as I gaze out from the darkened compartment. The rain thunders down. The platform is wet, reflecting the lights of the buffet across the tracks. The night teems with rain, and I like rain. Deeply happy, I watch the station disappearing into the rain-swept darkness.

Stress-free business travel

Over the last fifteen or twenty years I have made hundreds of long haul air journeys. This can be somewhat stressful; much can happen on such journeys to cause an increase in blood pressure. Stress free business travel, indeed, stress free air travel at any time, even for the lucky person whose company flies them in Business class, may be a Shangri-La that we may only approach and look upon from a distance, but, here are my top tips for managing the hassle of long haul air journeys.

1. Travel as light as possible, and if at all practical, take hand luggage only.
The risk of loss, damage or theft of your luggage is reduced, you will be able to leave the airport much more quickly, and the risk of hassle from customs officials is greatly reduced. It could save you half an hour inbound at Heathrow. It’s worth the effort if you can go without a checked bag. In some airports it can even speed up check-in.
If you can’t avoid checked luggage, always carry a bag into the cabin with you, containing at the very least, spare underwear, a clean shirt and toiletries - you will be glad of them if you do lose your luggage. Your luggage may be gone, and you may be drowning your sorrows at the bar, but at least you’ll be wearing clean underwear.
A certain level of temporary luggage loss is inevitable, the more so if you change flights during your journey, and you should assume that it could happen - always put valuable items and essential stuff in your day bag. Avoid locking your checked luggage. Today this is unwise, particularly entering the United States, where officials may take exception to locked bags for security reasons. Also, ensure that nothing of any real value is placed in your checked luggage. Cameras, laptops, vital documents – keep them on your person.
Lastly - when your baggage is checked in, surreptitiously ensure the luggage labels attached to it by the ground crew are the correct ones for your final destination.

2. Never cut it fine. Leave plenty of time.
I have something I call the 20/40 rule. If a twenty minute delay somewhere means I’ll have to rush in the airport, I’m probably leaving too late. If a delay of forty minutes means I’m at risk of missing my flight, I’m certainly leaving it too late. Better to spend time in the airport catching up with emails over coffee, than risk missing your flight. Another important consideration is the time of day and the time of year. Traveling late in December will always be potentially fraught and busy. Likewise around Easter and in July and August. You might want to leave more time for a midday flight out of Heathrow than for a flight at 10p.m, and more time at Christmas than say midweek in October.
If leaving early in the morning (i.e. before you would normally wake up), have everything packed the evening before, ready to go. Never leave packing until the morning of departure, and, if you need a cab, order it in advance. If you’re using your own car, leave enough time for bus transfers from the car park to the terminal. Put your passport in the same place as you put your wallet and treat it with the same respect.
Go through to the “airside” as soon as possible – get the full baggage check and search behind you as soon as you can. You never know how long it might take. Work backwards from the flight departure time to find out when you need to be airside – bearing in mind that a long-haul flight may “close” half an hour before it actually takes off.


3. Try to avoid taking two aircraft when you can go by another route in just one.
A lot of people will go to their local airport, then fly into a hub like Heathrow, Gatwick or Schiphol at Amsterdam, and only then take their long haul flight onwards. My advice would be, can you go straight to your final destination in one flight? If you can, then it’s worth doing so; as far as possible try to avoid taking three flights when two will do, not going on two, when one will make do. The journey you make will be quicker if you follow this advice, there will be a much reduced chance of losing your luggage, you will have to stand in a lot fewer queues and go through fewer checkpoints too.

4. Stay secure
There are thieves and rascals everywhere. Some of them may have epaulettes and peaked caps. Keep your passport, papers and boarding passes on your person at all times and not in your hand luggage – but try not to leave them sticking out of an open and inviting top pocket and then fall asleep. If you lose your passport in some countries, you could be in very serious trouble.
If you’re going to carry large amounts of cash (thousands of dollars or more) split it up around your person - some in your shoe, a little in your wallet, a little in a favourite book. If you carry a “bum bag”, then thread it through a couple of belt buckles - thieves working African airports have been known to relieve European travelers of these bags by slicing through the strap with a razor.
Stay alert – I know of a case where a camera was stolen from a seat on a flight from Sub-Saharan Africa, whilst the owner was stood up fetching something else from the overhead locker. Don’t let your stuff disappear into the X-ray machine until you’re about to go through the scanner yourself, and keep your eyes on the people at the far end, where the scanned luggage comes out.
Finally, never agree under any circumstances to look after the luggage of a stranger no matter how plausible or worthy they seem – apparently harassed single mothers with ill-fed looking babies in their arms, for example. If your bags are of a popular sort ensure they are yours and do not belong to somebody else.

5. Be polite; remain anonymous
Take a tip from those who have served in the armed forces as enlisted men – “stay at the back and avoid eye contact”. Never be flippant if you are asked questions or given any trouble at checkpoints. Mentioning that your overfull bag “might explode” when you open it, or that your shoes might be “toxic” can – will - have unfortunate results. Never raise your voice to an official, keep control of your temper, and never insult or patronize officials or their country, even unintentionally. Avoid causing “loss of face” for public employees, policemen, military personnel or uniformed officials: avoid putting them in any kind in a position where they might “lose face” or look foolish in public. Never correct them or draw attention to their errors if it all avoidable.
Overall, in trying to pass immigration checkpoints, customs desks, barriers of people intent on examining your shoes and your belt buckle, even armed soldiers, remember the three C's - be calm, courteous and confident at all times. Do not appear frightened. Do not succumb to giving away money. Do not admit to having any money. We finish where we began - avoid unnecessary eye contact with officials, and try to avoid being the first or last person in the queue or the first or last person through a checkpoint – in all ways avoid drawing attention to yourself.

6. Lastly be prepared
If it’s appropriate and possible, have the currency of your destination country on your person before you arrive there. Have all appropriate information and numbers stored in your phone. Carry a small bottle of water with you. Carry a tie and a white short-sleeved cotton shirt. It doesn’t weigh much and it is always impressive to be able to appear smartly dressed in a matter of minutes.

To recap then, there are simple keys to reducing the difficulties and hassle of journeying by air:
• Travel light
• Leave plenty of time
• Avoid changing planes too often.
• Stay secure and remain alert.
• Keep your temper; remain courteous; be patient.
• Avoid drawing attention to yourself
• Prepare yourself for any eventuality.

Follow these rules and you’ll be some of the way to coping with whatever twenty-first century aviation can throw at you.