Thought food

I recently came across a quote I'd scribbled down when reading up on Liberation Theology - it comes from the pen of Gustavo Gutierrez...

'...our quest (as followers of Jesus) should be driven by the human being who is not considered human by the present social order - the exploited classes, marginalized ethnic groups and despised cultures. The challenge is how to tell the the non-person that God is love'.

Characteristically challenging, Gutierrez rightly highlights the need for Christians and the alternative communities that we form to model the spiritually and socially inclusive message of Jesus. The question we surely have to ask ourselves is whether or not we are liberators of excluded people or simply another dimension of their oppression? We may not exclude tax-collectors or haemorrhaging women, but what about schizophrenics, divorcees, homosexuals, single people, one-parent families, drug users, transsexuals, or those struggling with their faith?'

We often make claims about possessing the 'truth' while ignoring Jesus' own words that the 'truth will set you free' (John 8:32).

Food for thought?

Are you sure?

At a recent community leaders breakfast I was asked to 'guide' people to their respective tables. A 'working breakfast' those attending could choose what they wanted to discuss over their eggs and bacon - teenage pregnancy, education, employment and anti-social behaviour - the choice was theirs!

'Morning sir, where are you heading, what would you like to talk about?'

Wide-eyed delegate: 'Me? I don't have anything to say!'

'Well, you can have a chat about teenage pregnancy, anti-social behav...'

Mr Wide-eyes: 'Anti-social behaviour?! Anti-social behaviour?! I've got nothing to say about that!'

'OK...'

'I'm fed up those kids giving us grief all the time. We've had aterrible time of it - they've made our life hell! Wasters and vandals the lot of them. And the Police? The Police? They're not interested. So what happens?! We send them on holidays and bend over backwards to give the lazy B#####DS jobs and training, for what? Standing about on the corner doing nothing! While decent kids can't get jobs for love nor money!!' No, I've got nothing to say about anti-social behaviour.'

Having fixed a unsuspecting Police Constable in his sights he shuffled off still mumbling that he didn't want to talk about it! As I turned to the next guest I couldn't help thinking 'are you sure?!'

A little later, as we tucked into breakfast, and as the fruit juice and conversation flowed, the topic-driven discussions ensued. After which a short time was allocated for feed-back. Now I should say that the points raised, or at least what was fed-back, was generally good stuff. But one suggestion sticks in the memory and I can't say it's becuase of it's insightful and timely wisdom.

The 'problem' being addressed was teenage pregancy and the 'solution' offered... wait for it(!)... was that 'CCTV cameras... should be placed... in toilets...... in schools!'

What d'you reckon - job done? Problem solved?

Thankfully, the spontaneous ripple of laughter that greeted this 'suggestion' reassured me that I wasn't the only one thinking 'are you sure?!'