Month: April 2014

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David Cameron: “Britain is a Christian country”

David Cameron in his article in the Church Times http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/17-april/comment/opinion/my-faith-in-the-church-of-england takes the same view that Natan Sharansky takes in ‘Defending Identity’: you will be more respected, even by those of a different faith, if you are firm and outspoken about your religious beliefs, rather than if you espouse a woolly and secular multi-culturalism. Understandably the great and good among the militant secularists bridled at this http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/10777417/David-Cameron-fosters-division-by-calling-Britain-a-Christian-country.html
The militant secularists only tell half a story. What makes the West in general and Britain in particular a safe and pleasant environment for people of all faiths and none is not atheistic secularism, but the secularism ( or laicite) that evolved from Christianity during the Age of Reason and the Enlightenment. Our free and open society evolved from Christianity: it did not overthrow it.
The only point where I take issue with Cameron is his enthusiasm for ‘evangelism’. Evangelism is fine if it means winning back the disillusioned to the faith in which they were born: but if it becomes anything like the late and unlamented Christian Mission to the Jews of a century ago, it will find in me an implacable opponent.

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Mum’s Eye Operations

Mum had a cataract operation back in November 2013. It didn’t go so well. She’s now had one cataract and two entropion operations, with the prospect of a cornea transplant and a second cataract op to follow. She’s been in constant discomfort for over four months, frequently flaring up into excruciating agony. And this is in spite of being treated in a private hospital, at great expense, by one of the top consultants in the country.
Before the op, everyone she knew had been saying for years that their cataract operations had been roaring successes, with miraculous improvement in vision after a very short time. I have subsequently found out that 60% – 70% of these ops are that successful: 20% or so show slow, little or no improvement; and 10% actually make things worse. Unfortunately, Mum’s a 10%-er. I feel like I’d like to be a 1%-er and introduce someone to Mr. Mayhem.
So be warned: cataract operations, even with all our current advanced medical knowledge, can go horribly wrong. It’s not a sure bet.