094 - Man in a Box (or 'Lublin Shroud')

094 - Man in a Box (or 'Lublin Shroud'), originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

One of the problems Poland suffers from is the general inability of priests to accept their responsibility in the present day; they want to live in a past where their parishioners came to them for help, or so they would want you to believe. This would not matter, if it were not for the effect on society.

Back during the communist era the church felt it could justifiably oppose the sate by selling the 'family values' line to counter the community level action they felt that the communists where pushing. After all, if everyone figured out what to do at the community level, what would have been left to the priests? Gladly or sadly, the communists in power had no real desire for community action, it would have undermined their own, so people were left with two hierarchies above them, one with control over the body and the other with control over the soul. These days the threat of direct government control in one's daily life has largely receded, but the Roman Catholic church with its 'family values' line has become largely resplendent in its power, or would be if it were not for the actions of a few pesky priests and a slight but general drift away from the church.

The family value principal is based on getting people to care for their own family, but without much guidance in how to achieve this. The result is instead of a vibrant church where people in a community are aware of their neighbours, everyone stands or sits together in the church, eyes to the front, and no help if you are in difficulty. No welcome, no goodbye, just programmed responses and a loos of attention 5 minutes into the sermon.

I have a friend who is not Polish, and in his time here has become completely alienated from the RC church - who ignores him as the basic principal is that priests do not come to you without your express begging - you go to them for help. Priests have no real idea what people feel or if they are in distress, they only come around to your door but once a year to sit for a few minutes and, generally, take an envelope of money away with them.

This friend twice in December responded to separate incidents where an old person in a flat elsewhere in the block had fallen and was trying to get help by banging on the floor. This was ignored by everyone but this foreigner, even though one incident occurred on Christmas Eve when other people were still up and celebrating.

The RC church here teaches that 'bad things come from the West' and that they should call back their children who have gone to the West to find work because their souls are at risk in the West. If you were not born to a Polish family, let me tell you that the values, if any, that you learnt from your family are not values at all, only the Polish family is a true family. Poland is the Christ of all nations.

Poland needs help, but the priesthood is by and large making sure that it does not get that help. They could learn from the mistakes other nations have made, but they would rather just make the people feel guilty if they wander away from the family table, unless it is to visit the Church.

Three definitions one can apply from society here are:

Leadership: You do what you're told.
Responsibility: Why does not someone else fix this?
Freedom of Speech: Don't you dare make anyone outside aware that there is a problem.

061 - D--n your Age Appropriate

061 - D--n your Age Appropriate, originally uploaded by gingerpig2000.

We watch a lot of programs that deal with fashion, it is an interest that we can share and do on a wet day. One of the things that annoys us is the concept of 'age appropriate', not in itself but the implication that one should dress age appropriate.

First, it means that people will recognise you by age at 500m, and your actual qualities will be less apparent, just another 50-something irrelevant. Don't believe me - how many people do not employ people over the age of 50? Now go take a look down your street and judge how old each person you see is. What chance have the older ones of competing with younger people based on our practiced perception of people?

Second, what about freedom of choice. This is not just about not criticising other people for their choices but accepting them for their choices.

Third, what about trust? You think my wife is going to knife someone because she is wearing a leather jacket or that she cannot be trusted with a class full of students? Trust her, then, to make decisions on what she would like to wear.

Fourth, take a look at what you wear and decide how acceptable your clothes would be a century or two ago. Someone was first to wear the types of clothes you wear and it does not make you a mass murderer or other delinquent because your clothing choices are different to members of other societies or societies from the past, does it.. Unless you are, of course.

In this time of recession, decisions are still being made by people who cannot accept change and who will hold on to how it was in the past. If you want a better future, start paying attention to those who understand change.