Welcome To The Happy, Clappy Freak Show

Greetings from the annual international conference of the Apostolic Church (ablazeUK) where important issues will be addressed, issues like; Where's Terry? Does Terry want a seat kept for him? Wouldn't it be a travesty of natural justice if Terry was sitting on his own? Has Terry got his trendy T-Shirt?

Actually, the difficult truths I'm discovering are that all old people look the same, there doesn't appear to be a maximum amount of makup that women can get to stick to their faces and if you don't sing, you're out.

On top of that, there are those who were once introduced to me some ten years ago who feel they know me well enough to ask me inappropriately personal questions about my sex life (or apparent lack thereof).

So, that and the prammed couples with their trendy offspring, rich couples with their nice cars and the defeated couples who are looking for a reason to stay together makes this the last place for any single, lonely person.

But, above the declarations and veiled spiritual willy-waving, there is a high purpose which is in danger of being missed in the spin and bussle. This purpose, as far as the people who are here are concerned, is in the hands of those who through courage, faith or ignorance, have accepted the difficult task of leading the church into spreading the Good News of the love of God through Jesus.

You see, what I've had to learn and am still learning is that Christianity is full ol human beings who are as prone to the primal urges of protectionism, elitism and narrow-vision as everybody else and that the goal is not for me to become liked but known by God. Is it right for it to be this way? That's why I feel sorry for the leaders who are sailing the last ship of hope through an ever darkening and disintegrating society. In a world where tha gap between those who have plenty and those who have nothing is widening in galactic proportions, who's going to give the message that there is another way, a means to escape the corruption?

Common sense says it won't be the coupled morons here in this tent, but it wouldn't be the first time God has taken a bunch of simpletons and used them to change the world.

Injustice and sorrow are safe as long as the people who 'have' the justice and the joy keep it safe from the ugly and the stupid and those who are crying out for them without knowing it.