Fooled Britannia?

Will Britons ever, ever, ever be slaves?

  Sunday 9th September, 2012.

  So ends a summer to rival all summers. River pageants, a concert outside Buckingham Palace, Fireworks, Grand Ceremonies, British skits and sketches, a skydiving 86 year-old Queen escorted by a fictional super-spy, 65 British Olympic Medals including 29 Gold, 120 Paralympic Medals including 34 Gold, Spice Girls on Taxis (Snakes on a Plane?), Mr Bean on the keyboard, stacks of world records broken… I could go on.

Is it any wonder then that hundreds of people roared out that rousing chorus on Saturday night’s ‘Final Night of the Proms’:

Rule, Britannia! Britannia rule the waves!
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves!

Examining all the evidence one quickly concludes that London 2012 was a brilliant success. For starters: no major security incidents, something which we should be greatly thankful for (although I imagine most people will be more prepared to praise the skills of G4 than the mercy of God for that particular blessing). I didn’t visit London myself (except for a short trip out of St Pancras for family business), however I have heard loads of first and second hand reports of the great ‘Olympic Spirit’: bucket-loads of friendliness, support, kindness and ‘pulling together’ (remember the stories of Blitz-time London). Just a short while ago, the radio jockeys were describing how, at a concert last weekend, everyone respected one another during the performances and, afterwards, tidied up their litter and left the park spick and span.

  We can certainly say that this ‘Olympic Spirit’ does seem to be a reality and that no reasonable common-sensical soul would mock its positive social aftershock.

  Here it comes…. you knew it would eventually (I’m not normally this positive!):

  But…

  Even in this summer of content, many Britons- indeed many Londoners- are slaves.

  Reading what I have just written has sent a little shiver down my proverbial spine. What an outlandish and repugnant thing to say: that honest, hard-working, cheerful British citizens in this Olympic and Jubilee year are slaves. Its not just stupid and deluded to say such a wild thing- its also brazen and fanatical, is it not? To claim that many Britons are slaves is- correct me if I am wrong- a crazed and arrogant accusation to make. Where, you might ask, did you surmise that from? Your own proud heart, full of delusions of self-grandeur?

  Did I not see, on the BBC no less, those hundreds of British folk bellowing from the deepest depths of their lungs that ‘Britons never, never, never shall be slaves!’?

  Allow me to answer you with another question:

  Do you think that in 50 years time- no scrap that, make it in 10 years time- do you think that in 10 years time Britain will be an idyllic country with no unemployment, no bent politicians, no mega-rich bankers, no murderers?

  Answer?

Another question for you:

   Do you think that in even 5 years time neighbours will be spending time together, sharing laughter and joy together? That is the promise of the Olympic Spirit, after all. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has said that we must find a way to ‘bottle it up’ and to preserve it for future years.

   Can you picture weekly, or even monthly, street parties? Where will all the bunting come from?

   And what happens when England loses at football? What happens when our cricketers muck up again? Will their be any great Olympic Spirit then? Or does it only work when things are going our way?

   Anyone with an ounce of sense and observance will realise that this world doesn’t always work in a wonderful way. Why not? If we honestly examine this planet then the only conclusion we can reach is this: humans are flawed. The news this week is filled with hate and disruption. It appears in violent and extreme forms- the wicked actions in the Alps this last week are obvious reminders of mankind’s destructive capabilities. Syria. Sudan. Nigeria.  And the extreme cases are not confined to beyond our shores either. I heard of a case of murder not 10 miles from my home only this week. 

  We don’t always do what we should do. No amount of Olympic Sprit- great though it is- will ever solve that problem.

   The bible has a serious term for this: sin. Sin is disobedience to God’s wishes. If we did all live by God’s guidance then this world wouldn’t be flawed such as it is. The bible has a quite graphic picture of our condition, it calls us ‘slaves to sin.’  Although we might wish to break away from our own destructive lifestyles and decisions, we are chained to them. We cannot escape from their hold over us. Outside help is needed.

Will Britons ever, ever, ever be slaves?

   Perhaps when we observe the hatred of one man for another, and the seemingly unending waves of violence, thieving, rioting, deceiving and chaos across every continent and land, we are tempted to blame God. The bible offers several possible reasonings to the problem of slavery to sin. But the most poignant and powerful act in the whole history of mankind, recorded in the bible, is this:

Jesus Christ wore the shackles of slavery and imprisonment so that I could remove mine.

   Through his death- and resurrection from death!- we can find everlasting life, peace and happiness.  I can now boldly say that I am free.

Will Britons ever, ever, ever be slaves?

   Sadly, the answer is yes. Sin is a destructive slave-catcher. Once you are caught in his chains, nothing you can do will free you from sin. Only the death of God himself, for his people, could satisfy the judgement required. Although Britons might well be slaves, Christians can be freed from slavery and can live free lives.

   So enjoy this summer. Enjoy the laughter, the successes, the British victories, the fireworks, the atmosphere and the spirit. But remember that your soul’s safety is of much more vital importance: Are you a slave to sin?