Trying to find the middle ground.

I don't normally bother to write about controversial subjects and believe me this is certainly not the start of controversial posts. I am just sick, sore, and tired of the rabid voices that are heard on the radio, that are spoke on the television, and that project their thoughts via the letters pages of local newspapers. I for one feel that no one is speaking on behalf of the people they profess to represent in either their staunch defence or their rampant attack. I am of course talking about the whole "gay" issue within the Church of Ireland.

I do not agree with the so called spokesman for Changing Attitudes Ireland, I feel that he has some sort of agenda and indeed I also feel that the organisation as a whole is destroying the relationship of the Gay individual with the Church as a whole. Not all Gay people want such a rabid, out and out attack on the fundamental traditions of the Church. Indeed there is a silent majority within that scion of the Church, that is not being heard. It is not that they don't want to be heard, they simply do not wish to be soiled by Changing Attitudes Ireland. Neither do they want to be seen as being in league with this extremist pressure group.

No one that Numenorian Exile knows, (people who would be classed as Gay) wants to redefine marriage, no one is asking for that. There are people who seem to think that the Church needs to change at once. It is a disgrace and all the while the only voices that are being heard are these media whores, who give cheap theological sound bites at the expense of the individual within the church.

There is a great level of arrogance within Changing Attitudes Ireland, and also in the extreme Evangelical wing of the Church. All the while the quiet contemplative Christian suffers. There is no talk of love from either side, certainly not the love of Christ, the love of God, none of this. It is baseless arguments that result in a merry go round of emotions, with emotive language being bandied about. No one is talking to the individual.

Quite simply no one is asking for marriage to be redefined, no one is asking for the Prayer Book to be changed, no one believes, or indeed, has believed this to be an issue. The only reason this has come about is because certain individuals want it brought to bear. 

In truth, the people on both sides have got it wrong. They claim to speak on behalf of certain groups within the Church, they do not. They claim to have all the support of the Church, they do not. No one is taking the middle ground, no one is dealing with the issue on a rational level. One thing that really annoys me is that outsiders of the Church of Ireland feel the need to flex their theological muscle as it where. We have converts from the Roman Church, hypocrites, proclaiming messages on behalf of Anglicans, and we also have converts to Rome from Anglicanism giving us their half penny theology. This infuriates me. On the other side we have rabid Evangelicals from the non-conformist churches giving us their exegesis on scripture. They should all be silent. Silent !

There needs to be a middle ground, there is no issue. The matter should be closed. Ideally CAI should disband, and also the Evangelical wing should remove their pressure on the Bishops. Things need to return to the way they once where. Other wise the Church will eat it's own head.

  

Saruman the White ?

A Disturbing Development

Numenoraian Exile is concerned that the once noble head of the White Council has now taken up office in the Vatican. After the Battle of Bywater we were all of us led to believe that Saruman the White, (indeed I have protested that title as he surely ahd become Saruman the Black) was killed by his servant Grima Wormtoungue.

However, legend became myth and some things that have past were indeed forgotten. It strikes me the Saruman has returned to this present age disguised as another, for he must be the current occupant of the Vatican Palace.

Saruman the White

HH Pope Benedict XVI

I will consider investigating more, although I am concerned about the Pope's ring of power.

Titanic Trash !



It would seem that at long last the madness that satirised the media and the people of Northern Ireland is finally coming to an end. With all the hype and the hysteria propagated by the television and the newspapers over the last three weeks one might be forgiven for thinking, what on earth was the point of it all and what useful purpose did it actually serve.

The grand structure that dominates the Titanic Quarter in the old "Yard", is finally open. It is a glorious sight, so I am told, yet I will reserve judgement until I actually visit the so called masterpiece. I am not convinced that it was worth the millions it cost to build it. Is it more profitable to the people of Northern Ireland that a man should die on a hospital trolley in the Royal Victoria Hospital, (part of a litany of problems within the NHS in NI), or to have this beautiful building that is simply a delight to the senses?

On Sunday last we had the pleasure of watching the so called great and good of Belfast City Council unveil the "new" Titanic Memorial Garden. What was wrong with the old one is beyond me, but frankly it must have been very important to flutter Belfast Rate Payers money away on this, rather than deal with the social housing shortage in the city. Oh it twas a grand affair, I daresay Ismay, Captain Smith, Thomas Andrews and the faithful departed would have been proud to have Brian Kennedy sing "You raise me up" in the hallowed hours of a Sabbath Morning. I am not a member of the Lord's Day Observance Society, but if I would join if they are against Brian Kennedy singing on a Sunday morning.

Then we had the delightful Noel Thompson, of BBC Newsline fame, prancing about on stage, his last "Hurrah" I suspect before he is replaced by a younger model, although Mark Cruthers hardly qualifies.

A simple affair would have sufficed, not this mockery that we had to endure on Sunday. I use the term mockery for that is what it was. Memories of tragic events are often kept deep within the soul and that is were they should stay. Rather than using it as the "flagship" to advance the image of Northern Ireland World Wide. Perhaps in another 100 years we will have commemorations of the bombings and shootings of the conflict, indeed they could host the MTV Music awards in the Bogside on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday !

It's not all doom and gloom, a load of Titanic Enthusiasts or should that be sycophants went to the grid coordinates of the sinking. How charming. How repulsive. Hopefully this is the end of the end of the matter and we can all get on with the rest of our lives.

The outrage of Numenorian Exile #1 "The Chaplain to the Titanic Quarter"



An aggrieved Numenorian Exile attacks a metaphorical representation of the ludicrous idea "Chaplain to the Titanic Quarter"



The description of Numenorian Exile's blog reads, Liturgy, Reflection, and Muse, however there are occasions when Noble Knight needs to speak out against ludicrous, absurd, ridiculous, and downright farcical ideas. Particularly ideas from the Church. (When Nmenorian Exile refers to the Church, he means that part of the Anglican Communion in Ireland).

Noble Knight wants to make clear from the very start that he is not attacking the person, character, or nature of the Rev Chris Bennett, that is not what Numenorian Exile does. Numenorian Exile is attacking the nonsensical idea that he is part of and what indeed the Lord Bishop of Down and Dromore, (Rt Rev Harold Millar), is also a party to.

In the two thousandth and eleventh year of Lord, the Rt Rev Harold Millar, The Lord Bishop of Down and Dromore, introduced the Rev Chris Bennett as "Chaplain to the Titanic Quarter". The Titanic Quarter Parish was created at the request of M'Lord  Bishop Millar. The parish stretches from       the Odyssey Complex to the far end of Queen's Island with the Lagan as a boundary on the one side and the Sydenham Bypass on the other. In short this new parish is in effect the old Harland and Wolff Shipyard.

The Bishop proclaimed at the time, "We have no idea what the church is going to look like in the Titanic Quarter", although recently it has come to the ears of Numenorian Exile that the Church is to be a boat anchored in the River Lagan. This raises three fundamental questions, firstly. who is financing this floating Temple of the LORD? Secondly Numenorian Exile thought that the River Lagan was the boundary? Would it not be better that the church was actually in the Parish? Well that is a silly question, surly it's far more advantageous for the Diocese of Down and Dromore to have, in modern parlance, "a happy clapper boat", on the Lagan, with a "chill out zone", (whatever that is ?), and a nice little bourgeois middle class talking shop. Thirdly who is the mission directed to? Nobody actually lives in the quarter or rather there is not actually a community based there, among the waste ground and dry docks of Belfast's industrial heritage. This leads Numenorian Exile to ask a fourth question, "How can the Bishop justify having a full time stipendiary Priest overseeing a mission in an area that is effectively waste ground, business accommodation, leisure complexes and car parks?"

Now, Numenorian Exile has investigated the website, "The Dock Church", in order to ascertain the mission statement of the Church. I mean you would think that being a "Church" it would have a mission statement, well it has one of sorts. It has a "Vision Statement",Numenorian Exile assumes this is a trendy way of saying this is our confession of faith, purpose, and mission. Looking through the vision statement Noble Knight's eye caught a glance at the estimated size of the new community, "twenty thousand in  modern apartments". These "Yuppie" apartments are not built as yet, indeed the last time Numenorian Exile visited his Castle he did not observe the building of apartment blocks, therefore Numenorian Exile's question still stands, "How can the Bishop justify this".

Numenorian Exile examines the Vision Statement.

The Dock Church.

A very bold statement indeed, and one that no reasonable Knight could take issue with ? Not so!Numenorian Exile views this as the typical trendy church talk that is very, very popular in this day and age, yet Noble knight knows how to decode this puke. It should read as follows, "We are all very nice people, and we have very nice ideas, indeed we are well meaning, but actually we are just a talking shop that detracts from the real issues and the real need for mission." (Numenorian Exile will tackle "mission" later as it is the key to Numenorian Exile's outrage)

 Vision of the Dock Church
This is a very popular post modern view of what the Church should be and what the Church should do. In this paragraph Numenorian Exile discerns two things, firstly that this "new Church", will be a sort of community centre/ social workers base. There is nothing wrong with pastoral care, indeed it is a bulwark of the Christian Faith, but what is being proposed here is far from it. What is being proposed is a gossip factory, much like a cafe. Secondly Numenorian Exile sees who the target of this "Mission" actually are. (More on that later)

    More on the Dock Church Vision
Is this a Parish Church or not? What exactly is this supposed to be? What is the point of having yet another meeting place with coffee and newspapers and that sort of tripe? Is that what the Bishop thinks is going to bring people to Christ ? Can you image it? A typical Belfast working class male, "Alright mate, I will have a copy of the Newslatter and a cup of Caffee", Titanic Chaplain, "Certainly, would you like decaf or non decaf Gospel with that?" Perhaps Numenorian Exile is going over the top in his example, this boat will not cater for the working class, this boat will cater for the new Urban Man in his lush apartment and do you think he will want to stop and chat?

THE ACTUAL OUTRAGE OF NUMENORIAN EXILE !
Now, Numenorian Exile has explained what this new Parish is, what it will look like and what the vision statement is all about. Why is Numenorian Exile so annoyed? Well it is quite simple it's the mission aspect of the whole thing. Numenorian Exile does not care for bunkum and there is an awful lot of bunkum associated with the so called mission! Numenorian Exile is angry because in the last three years two churches on the Newtownards Road, (an arterial road that runs through the heart of East Belfast to the City Centre, that fed the Ship Yard with workers over the decades), have been deconsecrated, the two churches belonged to Down and Dromore and were Anglican, and both are just a stones throw from the Ship yard. Of course there is also Ballymarcarrett Parish Church, (formally St Patrick's Church of Ireland), a church built with the proportions of a Cathedral, that has a congregation that is on the decline, and is supposedly the base of outreach and mission in that area. (Which it has failed to do)!

So you can see why Numenorian Exile is so annoyed with those that are part of this scheme and who brand it with missionary zeal, the fact of the matter is simple, the road on which live the descendents of those that built the Titanic is in need of outreach from the Church, yet, that community has been ignored by the Bishop, in favour of a Parish made up of no one but seagulls and stray dogs. Speaking of dogs, the dogs in the street know that this is a farcical idea and that the actual priority of the Church should be the revitalisation of the Parish of Ballymacarrett and not some trendy scheme to get people into a church that does not exists and even when it does will not serve the people of Ballymacarett Parish.

I shall continue to pray for the Parish of Ballymacarett and I shall continue to vent my outrage about this at every possible opportunity, put simply, would it not be better to have a missionary Priest on the Newtownards Road, rather than on waste ground ?



Theft of the Heart of St Laurence O'Toole, Patron Saint of Dublin

The Heart of St Laurence O'Toole, Patron Saint of Dublin, born 1128, the first Irish born Archbishop of Dublin 1162.

Reading the Irish News recently I noted that the relic held in Christ Church Cathedral, (Anglican), Dublin had recently been the victim of a rather serious crime. Thieves have stolen the Heart of Saint Laurence O'Toole, even though we are lead to believe by Cathedral staff and clergy that the heart has no monetary worth whatsoever, indeed the Dean of the Cathedral has been quoted as saying, " It has no monetary value but we have loads of silver. It’s the last thing we thought would be stolen.” (The Very Rev Dermot Dunne, quoted from The Irish Times, 06/03/2012)

I think however that the Cathedral staff are not looking at this theft correctly, to assume that it was stolen for the purposes of making money, is a just one, yet I daresay it is not the whole motive. The Stealing of relics goes back to the Middle Ages, indeed clergy were once the instigators of such crimes, relics in those halcyon days were a source of  income, indeed it can be argued that they formed the basis of the European Economy, and of course Chantry Masses also backed up the economy of the two pillars, Mass and Relics.

To say that the heart is worthless in a monetary sense is a rather foolish statement, there are still, much like the Elector of Saxony Fredrick the Wise, hoarders, (I suppose they prefer the term collectors), of such things. There is indeed a vast market for such things. I don't think this is a simple act of cultural vandalism against the Church of Ireland, I believe that it is part of a serious crime spree in the whole Church Community, the Roman Catholic Church, (Or as it styles itself "The Church in Ireland), has also been the victim of nefarious relic hunters.