National Inter Faith Week and the Big Society

The consistent message coming from the Coalition Government is that faith communities are at the heart of the Big Society. So how does the second National Inter Faith Week in England and Wales fit into the overall picture? This annual event is taking place between Sunday November 21st and Saturday 27^th 2010 and is a joint venture between the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN).

A CLG spokesperson has advised me that the government is providing financial support for a number of Inter Faith Week events, as well as “Faith in Action” grants of up to £6,000 for inter faith activity generally. Ministers will be attending inter faith activities around the country and the Secretary of State will host a special reception on November 25^th. In addition to all of that, the CLG is currently providing financial support to the Inter Faith Network as an organisation.

Baroness Warsi, Conservative Party Chairman, and Andrew Stunnell, Communities Minister, have both spoken out in support of the contribution faith communities can make to the Big Society. But are they glossing over some of the negative effects faith groups can have on communities - such as the polarised environments created by faith schools and the manner in which inter faith groups may be hijacked by people with various agendas of their own? And is the inter faith dialogue model still fit for purpose in the diverse society in which we live today?

As Sir Winston Churchill said, ‘Jaw jaw is better than war, war’, and over the years inter faith dialogue has made a significant contribution towards a greater understanding between the faiths. However, in the UK today we live in what is predominantly a secular society. Various surveys indicate that the proportion of people in the UK who do not hold religious beliefs is steadily increasing. The 2006 Guardian/ICM poll showed that 63% of people said they were not religious. If the majority of the population is not religious, then perhaps it is right to be concerned about the government’s faith bias.

Maybe it's time to revise the inter faith dialogue model. My suggestion is that the concept of a worldview may be far more relevant because it is not necessarily embedded within a religion, race or culture. The worldview may be applied at both an individual and a society level, reflecting a consistent framework for how people understand the world and order their lives. Since we live in an increasingly secular society within a global village, maybe a Worldwide Worldview Week would be a more appropriate way forward. At a local level, the implications of this could be that Christians, Muslims, Pagans, Atheists, and anyone else who wanted to attend, could air their views and join together in local projects. It could be a far more appropriate focus for the Big Society. A fuller discussion of this issue may be found at the following link: http://www.suite101.com/content/national-inter-faith-week-and-the-big-society-a311984

The Inspiration of Gardens

In my opinion beautiful Gardens are truly inspiring, but they are not usually at their best at this time of year. This is where good pictures of gardens can be really helpful and I've just come across a website which has a section on the 13 most amazing gardens in the world. Here is the link - http://www.thegrowspot.com/index.php?pageid=amazing-gardens - please check it out because I think you'll love the images.

I know I'll never be able to achieve anything as fantastic as these in my own garden, but at least the pictures do give you ideas. These can then be mulled over during the cold winter months (inside in the warm!) and when spring comes there should be plenty of inspiration to get the garden in shape again.

Meat Free Monday

Wondering what to cook for your evening meal? Can I suggest you google some of the excellent vegetarian meals that are available on the internet and use one of those? Some months ago I heard Paul McCartney speaking about the idea of adopting "Meat Free Monday", not to cajole everyone into becoming vegetarian, but in order to slow down the process of climate change.

McCartney's campaign is partly based on UN research which shows that producing livestock is responsible for about 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is significantly more than the 13% generated by the entire transport sector. On average people eat about twice the amount of meat that was consumed in 1960. And to produce a single kilogram of beef, farmers need to feed cows 15 kilogrammes of grain and 30 kilogrammes of fodder. So the statistics are actually quite compelling and even if everyone managed to stay meat free for just one day a week it would make a massive difference.

Meat Free Monday is a fantastic idea because it focuses the mind on the issue very neatly and it simply becomes a great habit. I can highly recommend one of my favourite meat free meals which can easily be varied week by week. Its called Vegetable Pie and it's a bit like cottage pie with any combination of vegetables replacing the meat. You can fry the diced vegetables in a pan first with some garlic and various mixtures of herbs or spices and seasoning; then add a small amount of vegetable stock which helps to prevent it sticking to the pan as well as giving it more flavour. After you have placed this mixture in a casserole dish, make the mashed potato to layer on top. You can mix one or two cups of grated cheese to the potato to give it even more flavour.

Make Sure You Check the Menu

Next time you go out for a meal make sure you check the menu very carefully before choosing your meal. You never know, you just might be ordering a rare species for dinner! This might sound totally ludicrous but scientists have apparently discovered a previously unknown type of lizard which was being served as a delicacy in a restaurant in Vietnam.

The lizard in question, technically called Leiolepis Ngovantrii, was being grilled and served by Vietnamese waiters and waitresses who had no idea what they were handling. This species was completely new to the scientific world and its appearance puts a whole new meaning into a request for "rare" meat. Scientists in California have since said that it is a new lineage consisting of females who use a cloning process to reproduce. This really is a story about the irony of life isn't it? 

Armistice Day

I've said before on this Blog that I could never enter armed combat. I would never want to fight in a war or under any other circumstances, but that doesn't stop me from being grateful for those who literally laid down their lives in order to ensure that our country could enjoy the freedom we enjoy today. I'm thankful too that my dad, now aged 98 and in remarkably good health, safely returned from a horrendous campaign in Burma.

On this date every year, November 11th, we remember the armistice signed between the allies of the First World War. Hostilities ceased at that auspicious moment at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Nowadays, what was Armistice Day is also known as Remembrance Day and it is a commemoration of both World Wars.

Today at the appointed hour I, like many of you, paused my routine to observe two minutes silence in respect for all those who died or lost loved ones in these horrific campaigns. For those of us who have never experienced war first-hand, it's not easy to appreciate what it means to those who did. But I'm sure it's important for us to try.

I've heard some of the sordid details from my dad. And my mum has spoken movingly about the hardships endured at home during the war years, as Liverpool was heavily bombed by the Germans. No one would ever want to experience the like of this again. So, although our country is relatively peaceful and prosperous in 2010, it's a timely reminder of those who have to endure war, poverty and hardship around the world today.