Scientology and Falling Out

I have been part of an online Pagan community for a while now that I have got along fine with. Other groups I've joined I have quickly left again because of not clicking with the people there very well. This group though has been very friendly and there have been few differences between us. Lately however I seem to be falling out with people there more and I don't know why.

Maybe I got comfortable enough to reveal a bit more about my opinions on things and it turns out I'm just as different from them as I was from other groups before. I'm not great with people, I'm opinionated in a way that most other people aren't and I'm usually guarded about my views because I've had disagreements with people in the past that have ruined friendships.

One of the fallings out recently has been on the issue of Scientology. Very few people will know why I feel the way I do about it because I don't come out and tell people as a general rule, it's not my place to divulge it. I admit to being biased on the subject and last week after the Panorama programme, it came up on this forum.

One of the women I usually get on well with disagreed with me. I was arguing that Scientology is a cult and not a religion, she is of the opinion that the only criteria for a religion is that someone believes it! She's free to believe that, of course, but from an academic perspective it is vastly more complex than that. So we seem to have had this falling out over it, not to mention other members of the forum who are not Pagan, who I do not interact with as much, who are arguing that it is a religion on the basis that all religions are corrupt and guilty of brain-washing etc.

I find it frustrating to deal with people like that. They have their own bias that prevents them from seeing religions in a neutral way, just as I have my bias against Scientology and it simply doesn't make for healthy debate. They gang up on me as the most outspoken person against it on the discussion, no other bugger has stuck around to argue my corner with me, even though plenty of people have put their oar in to say the same as me.

I wish I was more able to back away from these discussions when they get heated, I don't want to appear to be backing away because I know I'm wrong, when that's not the reason for me backing down! I don't believe I'm wrong. Not on this. I believe my opinion is valid. I also think that I have a more healthy view of religions in general and it's hard to get through to people who have decided that all religons brainwash people!

Tony Blair's Legacy

Inspired by the three accounts on the BBC, I thought I would write my own How will history judge Tony Blair?

Economics:

Inflation is today at its highest in six years, 5.5%, causing problems for first time buyers and current mortgage payers, as well as other personal lending. Personal debt is now at a record high of £3.8 trillion and the government has little to offer on improving this situation. Blair seems quite happy with this level of debt.

There is a greater divide between rich and poor in the UK than ever before, with the wealthy having better access to services and those less well off with less access to services that would improve their lives.

Students are in debt to the tune of £16 billion, following the scrapping of grants in favour of huge loans and the introduction of tuition fees and the government have dipped into this pot several times since Labour came to power in 1997 to bail themselves out.

Health, education and transport:

Controvertial school reforms, poor funding distribution in the NHS and grossly unpopular foundation hospitals all speak for themselves. Lack of improvement to public transport and road charges widely regarded as a stealth tax leave many Britons confused as to the Labour party's attitude towards climate change; despite the rhetoric about needing to act on the issue, the UK's emmissions continue to rise year after year.

Pensions:

The labour party's treatment of pensions is under serious criticism. Blair has always backed Brown on this issue so is also to blame for the failings. In all of these economic issues, we do of course have to credit Gordon Brown with the appropriate responsibility for Labour's fuck ups, and he's our next PM. Oh joy.

Iraq:

Tony Blair will be most vividly remembered for his defiance of international and domestic opinion in invading Iraq and the extended period of conflict following that and the previous invasion of Afghanistan. His blind obedience to US President G.W. Bush has marked him in a negative way in many people's eyes.

ID Cards:

Tony Blair has pushed through his proposals for this huge waste of public funding, breaking the law on requested reports and repeatedly lying about the supposed benefits of the scheme. We can only hope that this scheme will also leave with his departure.

The Liberal Democrats have today called for a General Election to detirmine the next UK PM. This move has been criticised as there is no historical basis for such a request, despite the fact that according to a poll last week most voters want an election.

The democratic system in the UK is stale and no longer relevant for people. So what if there is no historical basis? We need electoral reform in this country, now is the perfect time to implement it. Labour have got away for too long with this Presidential style of leadership, with Tony Blair refusing to change his proposals in the face of opposition from his own party. The last 2 elections Labour have kept their place in government despite increasingly low percentage of the vote (tweaking constituency boudaries where they need to).

People are uninspired by politics, low turn outs demonstrate this clearly. However, the absence of an "none of the above" option on the ballot may be to blame to an extent we cannot judge. If this option were present how many more people would turn out to register their disatisfaction with the options, rather than being counted as apathetic?

It's time for change.

Burying Bad News

Tony Blair announces his resignation the same day the the government admit the latest rise in estimated costs for ID cards. Talk about trying to bury bad news. It's almost as bad as the day TB was taken by police for questioning the same day as the results of the Diana enquiry (he was the first PM to ever be brought in by police, yet the papers glossed over this story in favour of the enquiry results).

Almost, but not quite, the press have seen through the attempt as have other politicians and they are making sure people hear about it.

Over £5.3 billion it's going to cost now.

Anyone not persuaded by the liberty issue must be put off the scheme by the cost issue. This money would be much better spent on recruiting more police officers.

To say "no2id" click here.

Auntie Lallie

I can't take credit for the below post. This was an email sent to me and my family by my mum following the recent death of my Great Aunt Lallie. I just thought this was so wonderfully written, my mum says it all far better than I could.

I was at a "Tai Chi for Horses" clinic today when I got the news about Auntie Lallie. I had spent all morning trying to get my hips to move backwards while getting my weight to move forwards from my ankles so my weight was on the balls of my feet rather than my heels...then I got the call from my cousin Ros and knew right away what it was and climbed over the fence to take the call. I was sadder than I expected, even though I knew it was coming. I was going to have to go and tell my Dad and I went for a cry into the mane of a chestnut horse standing nearby; horses are so much easier to communicate with than people at times like this....

Auntie Lallie was so much larger than her own life and always unexpectedly generous. As Isaac said, you would know her if you saw her now from her 1930's photo on Dad's wall because her face was so full of character. One of Grandad's first memories of her is of a teacher saying "Elspeth is such a rough girl" (or "child", I'm not sure which) I asked him why the teacher said this, he doesn't know. What did she do or say? (Does anyone know now?) I talked Dad through lots of memories, he sang songs he remembered from way back, and reminisced about the family business and his mum and dad, "I'm the last of seven", he said, "five" I prompted, "no seven" he said, "mum and dad count", "of course", I said. But why would anyone have called her rough? If she was, she rose above it and beyond! My early memory of Auntie Lallie was of her telling us about some new neighbours who had moved in and brought down the tone of the place (Crescent Way). The new mother went out to call in her errant offspring by calling "Elveeeeera!!! Auntie Lallie loved doing the impression!

When we came to stay with Auntie Lallie and Uncle Sam, I remember embarrassing my parents by running into the dining room crying "Hey you lot!" (I was sent packing). Dad and I once sang Petula Clark's "Sailor", with him accompanying me on the piano. I asked my dad, did Uncle Sam really live in the garden shed? No, he said, but his cigarette coupons paid for our first radio! I was so frightened of Auntie Lallie back then, she had oriental china and bamboo place mats and clean carpets, but now I can't think why I was frightened, she wasn't scary at all, she was gentle and generous and sweet and in later years I found her funny, warm and full of life, grateful for any small favour and always pleased to hear from us. Equally, she was capable of elbowing others out of the way to get to the front, whether it be at a funeral or a feast!

I remember how Auntie Lallie enjoyed her birthday celebrations, was it her 80th, when she was presented with the album of her life, we all had such a good time, Mum and I staggered back down the lane to the B&B, I think it's the only time I ever got drunk with my Mum! You did your Charlie Brown, and all the grand children did a turn but Lallie was the star of the night!

Dad says they were the closest of the siblings and helped each other out several times. I told Dad that Auntie Lallie had said "the first will be last", he thought that was amusing, and hoped it might have been her dying words, he likes drama, but I had to tell him she'd said it some days ago. That's life.

Today, Isaac and Aysegul make tea and Dad continues to reminisce. He notices he is the last of his generation and has no long term living friends left, but is philosophical. I'll be all right, he says, and turns on the snooker. Every so often he remembers and his voice catches. He's glad we're there, but now he wants to get on with things. I try to encourage him towards thoughts of his "telegram" ( or card, as it is now). He tries to be positive, but it's even harder tonight.

(Auntie Lallie, we all love and miss you..)

As for my own thoughts and words... I didn't know Lallie well. Her 80th birthday that my mum refers to, I was about 9. I remember that walk back to the B&B. I'd had a few sips of champagne and was laughing along with my mum and Nannie, my dad kept trying to shush us. Anyway, I hardly remember Lallie from that occasion, just her laughter. I do remember her from more recent visits, most notably my Nannie's funeral two years ago. She was indeed as my mum describes her, kind and funny, tough when she needed to be!

She will be missed. May the old ones watch over her always.