The Gray Monk

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June 20, 2004

Sunday thought

Today's Psalm from the Revised Common Lectionary, Psalm 49, made me think - and this was reinforced by a snippet I heard on the radio from our Illustrious Leader on the subject of fair distribution of wealth, sharing, and much more that has become the stock in trade of politics since the 1960's. The Psalmist is saying that we should not envy another's good fortune, that we should not covet his wealth, possessions, or industry (meaning his hard work.). Of course this is about how the psalmist sees the wealth impacting upon the individual in spiritual terms, and not, as Mr Blair and his fellow oligarchs would argue, about making sure that everyone has everything they need (or think they need and deserve).

St John in today's epistle tells us that as Christians we should share and look after those less fortunate than ourselves, but this message has been perverted by the politicians, particularly those of the socialist and liberal persuasions, to mean that the fruits of one person's labour should be penalised and redistributed to the idle. It has been further perverted by the insidious message to the idle that society "owes" it to them. This is reinforced by the legal view that crimes against property - ie: burglary, theft, pilfering - which do not involve an "injury" to the person so robbed, are somehow less serious than one which involves anything which produces an "injury". Any burglar is invariably able to depend upon the armies of social workers who will testify in his or her defence that they are "from a deprived social group" or "forced to commit this (these) crime(s) in order to feed their drug habit" which is, of course, somehow the fault of those of us who have worked damned hard for what we have.

I do not mind, in fact I try to actually do something positive, helping those who are truly in need. I support several charities, and I actively visit and try to help those whose needs are a bit more complex. I resent and object strongly to a bunch of freeloading politicains and totally incompetent and inefficient civil servants living off my back while using as an excuse that they are "redistributing" my "wealth" to build a free and fair society! I am equally strongly opposed to the notion that someone less well off than I am supposed to be is "entitled" to share in the fruits of my labours. This is now entering the arena of a set of politics based on greed and envy - the very things both St John and the Psalmist condemn.

As a child my family could be said to have been deprived - we certainly where by today's measurements, with no TV, no expensive trainers, or other luxury goods - yet we were able to enjoy the things that really mattered. We were taught that what really counted was what you made of your opportunities, not what you could freeload off someone else; what you could do for yourself. We were also taught never to envy anyone else's possessions, wealth, or good fortune, but to work hard to achieve these things for ourselves. Well, I have done just that. I am where I am because I have worked damned hard and managed, in spite of quite a bit of opposition at times, and in spite of a lot of damned moron politicians and other idiots, to come from the wrong side of the rail tracks to a position where - OK, my new flat is not in the most salubrious area of town - but I own the bricks and mortar, something my parents never did. I have gained a number of qualifications along the way as well, almost all by distance learning, which is not the easiest way, and have never enjoyed the privilege of having parents fund my education beyond school as I am now doing for mine.

A cousin with an even worse start than mine is now a millionaire, having started out as an apprentice glassblower for a neon tube company. And I wish him the very best of that - no, there is no envy there - I know exactly how hard he worked for that and he deserves every penny of his efforts.

For far too long our political masters have been preaching, under the guise of creating a fair and equitable society, a mantra of envy and greed. They have created a society in which anyone who has achieved and is reaping the rewards is a target for envy and frequently singled out by the criminal element precisely because they know the courts support the view that this is merely another way to take from the rich and give it to someone who wants it. Note I did not say needs it. One thing I and my cousins have learned is that to become "wealthy" you have to work hard. To become very wealthy, it helps if you have some support at the start, but you can also achieve this by working even harder. The problem here is that far too many regard anyone better off than themselves as "wealthy" and envy that "good fortune" without understanding how it was achieved. Not all of us were born with the proverbial silver spoon in our mouths like Mr Blair and his cronies. Most of us have had to work damned hard to get where we are.

Listen carefully next time Gordon Brown or any of the Labourites speaks about their vision of a new society - it will invariably include some suggestion that the fruits of the hardworking types who have managed to put aside a few pennies for their or their children's future should be shared (and let us help you do it!) with their constituents. Note, too, that they themselves are doing extremely well out of what they steal from you in the taxation regime they have created, ostensibly to do this 'sharing' for you.

There is an active encouragement of the stirrings of this monster of envy and greed every time one of these idots opens his mouth to prate about "deprivation" or "social exclusion", as if the possessions of those who have made the most of their abilities have been somehow "stolen from" or denied to those who haven't made that effort. Well, perhaps it's time to start fighting back, to preach an alternative message.

As I said earlier, I have no problem with sharing what I can spare after I have helped my family and close friends. I have no problem contributing towards helping the aged, the disabled, and those who have a real problem and cannot support themselves. I do object very strongly to supporting those who can work but won't, who take the money and go and drink it, or smoke it, or snort it. I object very strongly to supporting a huge and overweening bureaucracy that is wasteful, restrictive, and frankly useless, and I object even more strongly to funding the luxury lifestyles of the "elected" goons and their hangers-on. This is not sharing, this is not fairness, or even beginning to work towards a better society; this is destroying any hope of a society in which individuals can improve themselves, because it is creating a society which traps and stratifies everyone into those who are able to manipulate the system to their benefit and stay in power, those who have to fund it all, and those who freeload off the middle group.

Envy, greed, and their surrogates are the bain of our society, and they are also the tools used by the politicians to keep their bandwagon rolling. It is definietly time to derail this, to take back the doctrine of fairness to the religions that gave it birth, and to apply the doctrine properly, fairly, and in a manner which does not promote greed or envy but which does ensure that individuals have what they need to make the best of themselves.

Finally, we also need to remember that "wealth" can also be a poison to the soul. The pursuit of it can and does strangle spiritual growth far more effectively than anything else known to man. Take a look at countries that have "wealth redistribution" schemes in place. The state has subsumed the role of the Chruch, charities struggle, and faith is nonexistent - why - because God has been replaced by possessions and by the politician who will promise to give me something for nothing.

We need to regain the real meaning of fairness. Then we can really create a fair society.

Posted by The Gray Monk at June 20, 2004 09:00 AM

Comments

Posted by: Mike Guy at June 21, 2004 07:23 AM

Posted by: The Gray Monk at June 22, 2004 02:35 PM