In the book "Why democracies die" by Harvard University political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, coup-d'etat is not the most likely way. That, they say, is when the views of the opposition are no longer tolerated,. This tolerance involves accepting the results of a free and fair election where the opposition has won, in contrast with advocacy for overthrow or spurious …
Author: SteveP
I am married with one wife, three grown kids, one cat and no hair.
Good times are ahead
This blog post was written before the recent news about several vaccines being in a late stage of development, and may be ready for large scale distribution in the spring. There is even more reason to be optimistic than when I wrote this. This is not the new normal Some people are saying that this, …
Stop, rest, delight and worship
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 15th November, 2020 The east window at Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, lower panel, depicting, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, "I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, …
Virtue Signalling: a Christian perspective
The BBC I was triggered into writing this by an Independent article on new rules from the BBC about political neutrality. The new rules for staff who are required to be politically neutral include not attending “political protests”, such as Black Lives Matter events and LGBT protests. LGBT because it may include the 'controversial' transsexual …
Remembrance – Blessed are the peacemakers
... for they will be called children of God Why we need to remember them Remembrance is upon us again. This year I will not be going to the war memorial in Greenhead Park, as I have in years when I was not working, nor did I join in with a public act of remembrance …
Commitment, Consistency and Consequences.
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 8th November 2020 There was an act of remembrance during this service. If you cannot make it to an act of remembrance, British Legion are recommending against doing this, you can start this YouTube service, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zHmIy98ltU, on Wednesday 11th November at 10 am and the act of remembrance will occur at …
Not being involved in criminal activity is a sign that you are deficient.
Yes, you read that right. That is what research from psychologists says. This one: Right temporoparietal junction underlies avoidance of moral transgression in Autism Spectrum Disorder They say that that autistic people are less likely to act immorally, even when consequences or chance of being found out are low, is apparently a 'deficit'. Yes really. …
Continue reading Not being involved in criminal activity is a sign that you are deficient.
What are the politics of the church?
The Church of England is getting political. First there was a letter from the five archbishops* of Britain saying that the 'Internal Market Bill will set a “disastrous precedent” by equipping ministers to break the law.' They urged the British Government not to break international law. Former Brexit minister, David Jones, said their comments went …
Gelatophobia
Fear of ice cream? Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com Gelatophobia is not the fear of gelato, or any other type of ice cream, but the fear of being laughed at. Although not exclusive to autistic people there it is more common in this group. An investigation from 2010 showed that gelatophobia is more likely …
Forgiveness
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 1st November 2020 "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." Detail from the east window of Holy Trinity, Huddersfield November, and the last day in October, is an odd time in Britain. We seem to do the dark side of things without the light. The darkness of Halloween without the …
Making an ass of myself 