I was reading an article at the weekend and the writer referred to the forthcoming reshuffle announced today and said that Prime Ministers could be brutal when doing this; ‘It’s not singing ‘Kum Ba Yah’ they said.
I’ve heard variations of this over the years, often around the idea ‘it’s not Sunday School, you know’ with the idea that ‘real life’ (sic) is somehow different and less naïve.
I’ve become more saddened over the last few months by the news that I’ve ever been before: the tide of racism and hatred around ‘stopping the boats’ , the massacre of Israelis and then the continued oppression of Palestinians and Gaza being practically razed to the ground, a Home Secretary – now thankfully sacked- who normalised hatred etc etc : ‘It’s not Sunday School’.
Then I began to think what my Sunday School experience was like in 1970s Leicester. I learned:-
To give into hate and gossip was wrong.
Racism was evil and to be resisted : this was a live issue in Leicester in the 70s as the National Front was in the ascendency.
To actively advocate for justice was what Christians did: even if it cost you.
You stood up for good; even when people were silent. I have a memory of being at the swimming baths and being aware that my Asian friends were being shunned and going to stand with them and being called ‘A P**i lover’ but knowing I was in the right place.
You learned not to exalt yourself or shout about your achievements: serving others was prized. Likewise, wealth was not to be sought as a life goal.
You didn’t just stick with your friends and look out for them, but you actively sought to include those who weren’t like you, even if your friends couldn’t cope with you.
Other religions weren’t to be feared: ‘you tell me your beautiful names for God and I’ll tell you mine.’
Of course all of this was grounded in the strange, mysterious but ultimately compelling stories of Jesus and the faithful older people who prayed for you, cared for you and gave you space and time. Those stories only anchored themselves in me when I was around 18/19 – it was a major shock to encounter evangelical Christians who were right wing: I didn’t think this was possible- and I actively identified as a Christ follower.
The Smiths sang:-
It’s so easy to laugh
It’s so easy to hate
It takes guts to be gentle and kind
..which I guess is a kind of Sunday School thinking. I now think that ‘Sunday School’ thinking is more real and takes more strength of character and courage than the many alternatives.
NB: By the way ‘Kum ba Yah’ is asking the Divine, to ‘come by here’ and – as the verses say- heal and help those who are excluded . I would actively like leaders who saw this as a strength- not a weakness.
I lost my blog a year ago- this site isn’t finished, but I’m going to try and start again…
Wearily Hopeful 