Are you scared by the truth?

"Jesus died for somebodies sins but not mine" This is how Patti Smith starts "Gloria" on her fantastic rendition of Van Morrison's Gloria. The clip above is taken from a gig in Germany in 1979. This is one of my favourite tracks. Now given that I'm a practising Roman Catholic, this may surprise you. How can I like a track which seems to contradict a basic tenent of faith? It's easy. It doesn't. Signing up to follow Jesus is a matter of choice. If Patti Smith decides that Jesus didn't die for her sins and she wants to keep them, thats her free will and her choice. It doesn't stop the song being a great track. What it does do is it challenges my own relationship with my behaviour. As such it can only be a positive thing. You see, I'm not scared of the truth.

One of the things which I can't get my head around as someone who believes in something after this life is "how interventionist is God". Does prayer actually work? Do only believers get miracles? When I was a kid, one of our teachers told me that the reason certain football teams were more successful than others, was because they had more Catholic supporters praying for them to win. He also explained that was why Brzil won the World cup and USSR hadn't. If you look at the list of World Cup winners, there is definately a tendency for teams from strongly Roman Catholic countries to do well. Sadly I can't buy into the theory that it's devine intervention (hand of God or not). Another teacher told me you should never pray for a football team to win, as you'd use up your allocation of miracles. That would seem extraordinarily cruel. Can you imagine having just prayed for Arsenal to score the winning penalty in the FA Cup final, and getting home to find your wife has cancer and you've used up your supply of miracles.

One of the blogs I follow is Blurred Clarity, by Daniel Hoffman-Gill. Daniel is an Athiest who regularly writes believer bashing blogs. I suspect that Daniels distate for religion is driven by the neocon fundamentalist Christian Right. I suspect that if most Christians were left wing proponents of Liberation Theology, who sought to right the worlds wrongs and used their faith as the driving force, he'd probably have less "bash the Christian" blogs and more gardening tips or whatever. I suspect he'd still be an athiest, but his well written pieces, which generally highlight the stupidity of the religious right, wouldn't find the fuel they need. I doubt that he'd have much inspiration if he had to write blogs about why William Wilberforce christian morality was a bad thing. I enjoy Daniels blogs because they are challenging, funny and well written.  He says many things I actually 100% agree with as well as a few things I disagree with. If I had the choice of having to change Daniel's view of the world or a "God hates Fags" American bible basher, I'd change the bible basher every time. You see I think they are revolting and obnoxious and do more damage than just about anything. I'm quite happy to indulge in rational debate. You can have that with Daniel, but sadly you can't with the neocon right.

Ultimately it all comes down to this question. Are you scared by the truth? The Catholic Church has had many problems and alienated many people because it has sought to hide the truth. A few examples - paedophile priests, The earth going around the sun, to name a few. I strongly believe in the power of the truth. I believe that my faith makes me a better person. I go to church to be reminded how lucky I am and to do my bit to fight injustice. Yes I do need reminding. It has made me a better person, thats why I persist with the institution for all it's faults. All I really want is a "better church". One that spends more time fighting injustice in the world and a bit less time indulging stupid neocons.

We started this blog with Patti Smith singing "Gloria". We'll end it with a clip of "Liars Beware" by Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Whenever I wonder about whether I should tell a few porkies to get on I listen to this track. Here's the lyrics to help you understand.


LIARS BEWARE
by Richard Hell and the Voidoids

Look out liars and you highlife scum
who gotta keep your victims poor and dumb--
Your motives and your methods are not disguised
by your silk, soap, sex, or your smiling lies.

Look out here
you pompous jerk
Look out here
I go berserk

Well I guess you put me in my place
but I won't forget your stupid face

They gave you power cuz they knew your needs--
soprano boys get talent when you shoot your seeds.
Well you laugh to hear what your best friends say--
Old man they laugh when you walk away.

Look out chief
ridiculous creep
Look out thief
you'll lose your teeth

Well you got power, now there's competition
and your blind side's turned to the boys with a mission.

You were sixty-five when you wiggled out--
your mind all twisted and your mom all shout.
I'm a man with his share of excess nice
but it can't be spared for drooling lice.

Look out jerk
you ancient slut
I can't endure
Your smirking smut

Well life is short so don't even try
to bother waving as we pass you by.

Lesbian Role Models

A friend of mine confided in me recently that one of the things which really disturbed her was the lack of really strong Lesbian role models during her formative years. Being a punk and a really strong character, she said that she really identified with Patti Smith, above just about all of the other artists and the first time she heard Patti Smith's Gloria, was the first time she really understood herself.


The trouble is that Patti isn't a Lesbian, she was in a loving relationship with Fred Smith for decades. Sure there are all sorts of people she admires, but there isn't a Lesbian Martin Luther King or even a Patti Smith. She likes Beth Ditto, for instance but that isn't quite the same thing. I said that we're all members of the human family so it really doesn't matter. Her response? It matters greatly to her.

The conversation really prayed on my mind. Not because I need a Lesbian role model to look up to, but because I started to think "Who are my role models?". I grew up in the 1960's and 70's. By the time I was a teenager, the Stranglers were top of the charts with "No More Heroes". I didn't want heroes. I didn't want role models.



It was probably a generational thing, but I had bitter arguements with my Dad who was an RAF bomber pilot about the rights and wrongs of area bombing. His view was that his comrades were heroes. I'd never question their bravery, but I've always hoped that if I was asked to drop a bomb on Dresden, I'd have said no. I'm not a coward and I'd have happily dropped a bomb on a military target or even Hitler's holiday home. Can you be a hero if you are doing something that is fundamentally wrong?

In terms of sportsmen, probably the closest thing to a hero for me is Mohammed Ali. Just to get into a ring takes balls of steel. To challenge the establishment, go to jail as a conscienscous objector and still be the greatest boxer the planet has ever seen sets Ali apart. In our house, we'd always watch his fights. My Dad boxed in the Australian army, before joining the RAAF and he appreciated the way Ali fought. I can't think of another sportsman with the stature of Ali. Watching some old footage of him in his prime reminded me of what a giant among men he is. Now if I applied my friends criteria to Ali, he couldn't be my role model. I'm a White Roman Catholic, he's a Black Muslim. The thing is though, that he has strength, courage and faith.

I saw Ali, years ago on a documentary talking to some black kids in a ghetto. He said the following words (or words to this effect) and they've always stuck with me.

"You look up to me and see me as a role model. That means nothing if you lie, cheat and steal. I'm only a role model if you all go out and become role models as well".

I think that a real role model transcends, race, gender, religion and class.

In the name of the father

Thought we'd continue todays religious theme with a few videos on the topic !

Black Grape - In the name of the father


Patti Smith- Gloria


A little point here. Shaun Ryder & Patti are two of my favourite artists. Both icons. Over the last couple of weeks there has been wall to wall media coverage because the media has discovered someone who's not an oil painting who can sing. Well Shaun & Patti aren't either but so what? They are superb. It's called talent. It's why their music endures.