musings on mission and ministry ... and other miscellaneous mind-leaks
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
This Week's Poll 8/04/08
Last Month's (!) Poll: Are there any good ethical reasons NOT to be vegetarian 7 votes in total, 6 yes, 1 no. One more vote, I vote no. Or at least I can't think of any. I can think of lots of reasons why I am not a vegetarian, but none of them are good and none are ethical. They are more a matter of the flesh.
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2 comments:
I vote yes, it's a good thing the olympics are being held in China. Tibet is in the public consciousness more now than at any point in my living memory. China are being hugely embarrassed about this issue day after day thanks to the mobilisation of the Free Tibet campaign and others.
Strict controls on information make it difficult to get the message through to ordinary Chinese people about the strength of feeling against their government's actions in Tibet, but this seems to be more effective than anything I can remember. I wouldn't be so optimistic as to say that it will have an effect on Chinese government policy, but it might help more Chinese people question their government's behaviour, which has to be a good thing.
A 'good thing' Hmm. What does that mean? Good for whom? Good how? (OK too much researchy stuff going on, brain cranking into questioning mode)
Was it a good thing that the Olympics were held in Berlin, Munich or Moscow? With hindsight the answers probably differ from what they would have been at the time. Is it a good thing Olympics will be held in London in 2012? It probably depends from whose perspective you look.
I guess for people in China, the Olympics is a source of excitement and pride, Presumably it has generated some employment and there will be some positive legacy for some Chinese people.
Whether ordinary Chinese people will see the images of protest in London, Paris or wherever I have no idea, but at least the Chinese government will see that the Tibet situation is known about on a global level.
I do find myself wondering what might have been the protests if it had been London this time. After all,to many we are not a popular nation at present.
If I'm honest, I prefer the Commonwealth Games to the Olympics, not because they are "British" and 'we' actually win a few medals, but because they seem to bring out more of what is inherently good in people.
Sorry, I'm waffling and not answering your question. Is it good that the Olympics is held in a nation about which one can ask major questions of morality? On balance, I think I probably have to say 'yes' because that feels to be at least a teeny bit Christlike. But the challenge then is how the prophetic voice is spoken into that context, and maybe the protests are part of that...
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