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Notes from Revd. Canon John Fletcher
Notes of the talk given at the Annual RAFA Service on September 15th 2013.
Where to go on holiday, what to wear, what to eat, what to buy! As we often remark, “We are spoilt for choice!” If confronted with a choice between freedom and slavery all of us would opt for freedom! It is a fundamental human impulse, a glittering prize we all aspire to. But big issues lurk around that can seriously limit our freedom. Here are two of them!
Firstly: our freedoms can be lost by International Affairs.
Historically this country has been at the forefront in the battle for freedom. The Battle of Britain which we commemorate this evening, came as the lights of freedom were being extinguished across Europe. The RAF though heavily outnumbered won a very courageous battle and the immediate threat of a German invasion was halted. It gave rise to Winston Churchill’s famous speech, “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few”.
Freedom however comes with a price tag attached. Many lives were lost and many were maimed and broken. We honour them. We remember them with pride and gratitude. We also remember those who serve today in tough places such as the Middle East, Afghanistan and other places where basic human freedoms are under threat. In today’s world there is no shortage of hostile countries who seek to rob us of the freedoms we have fought for in the past. Today as in the past, external affairs can often pose a threat to our freedoms.
Secondly: our freedoms can be lost by Internal Issues.
The Old Testament book of Judges refers to the time when the Israelites were settling in the promised land. They were constantly being attacked by hostile tribes that threatened their freedom. After Samson’s defeat of the Philistines Israel enjoyed a long period of peace. But all the time a new threat was developing. It came from within Israel itself. The final five chapters paint a picture of a nation in moral decline. A recurring phrase comes in those chapters, ‘There was no king in Israel, everybody did as they saw fit’.
Today this called Individualsm. Jonathan Sachs, who has recently retired as the Chief Rabbi, pointed out the dangers when interviewed on Radio 4. Basically it means ‘We do our own thing, we make up our morality as we go along’. Individualism allows us to ditch most of our moral standards, apart from tolerance. Tolerance is the one virtue that mustn’t be ditched because it justifies me in doing what I want and not being blamed for it. “You do your thing and I’ll do mine, so get off my back and don’t bug me” It sounds liberating, the path to freedom of thought, the life I choose to live. But it doesn’t deliver! It’s chaotic and intolerant.
The new Girl Guide promise is an example of Individualism. I don’t understand why they could not have retained the original promise and given an alternative for those who have a problem about God. Instead they have ended up with a diluted promise that doesn’t mean much (and if you don’t like it they’ll kick you out of the organisation!). The promise is ‘to be true myself’. Children tend to automatically be true to themselves. When I was a kid I regarded school as a place for messing around, ‘I was being true to myself’. In the street where I lived only two people owned a car so it was safe to play a lot of games outside in the road. Football was always popular but the kid who lived opposite couldn’t bear to be on the losing side. He would argue and shout, ‘You cheated! I’m not playing with you anymore!’ A punch-up usually followed. I was’ being true to myself!’
William Golding’s novel ‘Lord of the Flies’ is a classic portrayal of Individualism. The story is about a group of schoolchildren marooned on a desert island. At first it seems like paradise, perfect freedom to do what you like. But soon tensions arise and one disaster follows another. It illustrates the murderous results of human nature unrestrained by any objective morals, even among a bunch of schoolchildren.
Freedom Is Not the Licence to Do What We Want, but the Liberty to Do What We Ought!
We have been given a role model of that freedom. I stand by the conviction that Jesus Christ is a supreme example of a truly liberated person. He once said: “Whoever does wrong becomes the slave of wrong”, but, “if you follow my teaching you will be free”. In our spiritually starved generation that sounds completely ‘over the top!’. Can we really believe such a thing in our 21st Century? Probably not! But I reckon its worth considering!
Read one of Gospels in the New Testament to find out more! It all comes down to the spiritual transformation of our lives. If you want true freedom it has got to start in your life and mine.
We live in dangerous times and I believe the next 20 to 25 years will be among the most significant in our nation’s history. The outcome is going to depend to a large extent on how we use our freedom, serving ourselves (that’s the easy option) or serving someone greater than ourselves, someone who has given us an example of perfect freedom. We have got to serve somebody. It’s another of life’s critical choices!
John Fletcher.