It Came Upon The Midnight Clear.

"And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light arise in darkness and thine obscurity be as the noonday. And the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfy thy soul." Isaiah 58:10-11

'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens is a personal favourite of mine, and of many other people too. I enjoy reading it each year, and watching the many versions of it on television or dvd, including it has to be said, the wonderful 'Muppet Christmas Carol'. To me the story encapsulates the very essence of Christian faith, especially as understood by Unitarians. So profound are the teachings of this great faith that we, even now after two millennia, pause once a year to remember and celebrate the birth of its originator, Jesus of Nazareth.

To me the fundamentals of the Nazarene's teachings are:

Love of God,
Love of Humankind
Repentance
Hope

Most of Charles Dickens' writings are rich with themes that explore these fundamentals, and 'A Christmas Carol' is perhaps the richest.

During one very beautiful exchange in the book, Scrooge's nephew while seeking to persuade his uncle of the merits of the Christmas season, and the values it embodies so eloquently deliverers a most moving of speeches:

"There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,' returned the nephew. 'Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come around - apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that - as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!"

It took the visit of three spirits, four if you include the ghost of Marley to make Scrooge agree with the above passage, turn his life around, and for him always to keep at the forefront of his mind the advice, given by Marley, advice that is a relevant now as when it was written:

"Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, where, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business."

We may not be as miserly and bitter as Ebenezer Scrooge was before his apparitional visitations. However, many of us can perhaps identify areas of our lives or relationships where we may profoundly lack either the love of God, or the love of our neighbour that a true love of God should engender. Do we put our needs and desires ahead of all else, or do we recognise that we share this world with countless others and an existence with the Ultimate Existence? Are we like the biblical Joseph before his descent to Egyptian slavery and imprisonment saying to others "Hear I pray you this dream which I have dreamed" or do we, also like Joseph, shortly before his assent to greatness say to others about their dreams "tell it me, I pray you".

Whatever our failings we can have hope in the Good News that Jesus' brought, that change is possible, that goodness is within our grasp, and that like Scrooge we can turn away from the negativity in our lives and reach out and take hold of that which is our true life.

One man who honoured Christmas and the message that the babe in the manger would bring to the world was the cobbler and worshipper at the High Street Unitarian Chapel in old Portsmouth, John Pounds. I heard the following reading by R E Jayne, at our chapel's carol service this evening and it spoke deeply to me therefore I would like to share it:

"John Pounds always celebrated Christmas with a feast, humble in its dishes, but lavish beyond words in its spirit of love and goodwill, at which all his neighbours were welcome. He was a famous cook, but most famous as maker of Christmas puddings. Every year he would make one tremendous plum pudding; and then on Christmas day he kept open house; anyone who cared to look in could have a taste of the pudding until it had all gone. No jovial baron of olden times, or generous hearted lord of the manor, ever dispensed Christmas fare to the people on his estate with greater goodwill than this poor cobbler, when he cut and handed round to his visitors their slices of his only plum pudding. As Charles Dickens said of the converted miser Scrooge, so it may be recorded of John Pounds. "He knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge." He did not commemorate the birth of Christ in selfishness, but in a 'a more excellent way,' by feeding the hungry who were poorer even than himself, and by bringing happiness and laughter into the lives of the people, and especially the little children of the squalid streets and alleys of old Portsmouth."

At this time of year when lights of rededication to ancient faith blaze in the windows of those observing Hanukkah, and the sounds of carols telling the story of that humble stable in little Bethlehem all those years ago drift on the evening breeze, there is a palpable magic in the air that can remind us to re-commit to our true treasure, our true gifts, and that hopefully will inspire us to share it with others now and in the year to come.

May God bless you all, and may your Christmases be filled with happiness, health and holiness.

When Business Was Good

"In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall make straight thy paths" Proverbs 3:6

I am excitedly looking forward to Ian Hislop's programme "When Bankers were Good" this coming Tuesday evening on BBC Two, featuring as it does some wonderful, philanthropic, Victorian men and women who understood that divine service, ethics and morality apply in all areas of life including the hurly burly world of business and from whom our modern society can learn a thing or two. I believe that some of those to be featured in the programme were Unitarians which provides some added interest for me.

Reading about this programme reminded me of a biography that I have recently read, about a man who Florence Nightingale referred to as: "One of God's best and greatest sons" namely William Rathbone VI

William was born in 1819 to the prominent mercantile, banking and political Rathbone family (who had become Unitarians, albeit still valuing their Quaker heritage, since William Rathbone IV moved from Quakerism to Unitarianism). At an early age he came under the influence of the Rev J.H. Thom whose views regarding the responsibilities of the wealthy towards the poor, were to shape William's whole life thereafter. Rev J.H Thom had characteristically said:

"What we are as Christians may be judged from what we suffer the poor around us to be."

William took such teachings to heart and began a life of the greatest philanthropy and public good, the effects of which continue to be felt right down to our own age. The family's existing wealth was only augmented by William's shrewd and successful business activities opening as he did branches in Canton and Shanghai and diversifying into ship-owning. Being aware as he was, from a very early age, that people often sadly decline in generosity as their wealth increases, he set for himself a principle by which at first a tenth of his income would go to the furtherance of public good, and then at every increase of his earnings there would be a subsequent increase in the proportion of money given away, until eventually the proportion reached five-tenths, and then subsequent to this, all further increase in income should go to the service of benevolence. He himself summed up this attitude when he described surplus wealth, after a person had provided for the reasonable needs of himself and his family, as:

"a trust for which he owes an account to himself, to his fellow-men, and to God; it is not an absolute freehold which he may use solely for personal enjoyment and indulgence."

He also knew the other scourges that wealth could bring in its wake, and so he took it upon himself to continue his father's efforts to abolish bribery and corruption.

William was no stranger to the needs of Liverpool's disadvantaged citizens, and his honour and prestige did not stop him from house-to-house visits of the poor during which he saw first-hand the misery in which many of them lived, which only served to strengthen his resolve to use his affluence and influence to bring alleviation to the problems he saw.

In 1859 his life was rocked by the illness and death of his wife Lucretia. His observation of and gratitude for the care given to his wife by a nurse, Mary Robinson, led him to desire the same standard of care for the poor of Liverpool. To this end he engaged, at his own expense, a nurse to work in the most disadvantaged districts and he laboured tirelessly to establish in 1862 the Liverpool Training School and Home for Nurses which set in place a district nursing scheme which eventually spread throughout the entire country. Not yet satisfied, he investigated and became increasingly saddened by the state of care at the great infirmary at Liverpool Workhouse and successfully strove to better the nursing practices there.

In 1868 he entered Parliament as a Liberal MP where he worked at reforming local government and specifically local taxation, efforts which significantly contributed to the Local Government acts of 1888 and 1894

William's other great and generous endeavour and a central component of his lasting legacy, was his involvement in the foundation of University College Liverpool in 1882 and the University College of North Wales in 1884, now known as Liverpool University and Bangor University respectively, a natural outgrowth of his belief, a belief that was strongly held by many 19th century philanthropists and reformers, and still held today, that a good education is one of the best and most sustainable routes out of poverty.

His death in 1902 called forth many tributes from prominent people in Liverpool and led the Archdeacon Madden to refer to him as "An ideal citizen, and typical modern saint". As a result of William's devoted service to God and to his fellow human beings he became one of a dearly remembered group of people whose activities in the furtherance of civic virtue led a Baptist minister Rev. Dr. C. F. Aked to say in 1905:

"The life of Liverpool has been enriched by some Unitarians who were amongst the saintliest of God's children; the records of its public philanthropy and of its private beneficence are eloquent with stories of Unitarian goodness."

Today many in society are looking for a new way for politics and business to be conducted. Some wish to do away with the systems we currently have and replace them with something else (a 'something' which very often they find hard to articulate). However we Unitarians have past luminaries who have illuminated ways for us to conduct ourselves in our work, and in the use of our wealth. All our congregations can if we so wish, continue the legacy of our forebears, even if only in small ways, and once again join forces with those of all faiths and none to strengthen the fabric of our society, inrease opportunities for all and continue spreading a spirit of munificence throughout our land.

"For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also". Matthew 6:21

Facing The Night With Joy And Trust

"I form the light and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the Lord, that doeth all these things." Isaiah 45:7

Halloween is upon us with all its symbols and traditions that help to brighten up this time of year and which give us all an opportunity to engage in a little frivolity. Halloween's observances stem, I believe, from the Gaelic festival of Samhain, a name which in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic has in time become applied to the whole month of November. Traditionally this day marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the night-half of the year. Animals that had been fattened over the warm summer months would be slaughtered and their meat preserved to feed the people over the lean and cold months ahead. A big feast would be held to rejoice in the face of the hardship and danger which the winter would likely bring. This danger and hardship was the cause of an uncertainty which drove people to devise and play divinatory games on the night of Samhain, or Oidhche Shamhna in Gaelic, to ascertain what the future had in store. The Christian festivals of All Saints and All Souls that are observed on the first and second of November introduced a focus on the departed into the existing traditional agricultural festival. People would remember all those who had died, and would in some cases go "souling" house to house asking for gifts of money or food in exchange for praying on behalf of the souls of the departed. In time costumes would be worn and the seeds for trick-or-treating were laid down.

We now stand at the gates of winter, with the landscape painted in hues of orange, yellow and red, just as the sky is illuminated with those same colours in the moments before the sun sets and ushers in the night, therefore now more than ever is the time to recognise that we don't know what the future holds, and that life does indeed have mysteries and fearful possibilities that threaten us all. Despite this we need not be bound in chains of anxiety, or search desperately for signs to reveal to us the hidden, instead we can look the coming night, with all its dangers and difficulties in the face and laugh with a spirit of joy. For we can remember the days of light and fullness and rejoice in their fruits which now follow us into the dark night to sustain us. We can look fondly on the memories of our loved ones, and of the wise men and women of the past, especially our teacher Jesus, whose wisdom still lives for those who wish to avail themselves of it. The departed do not leave us, but through our recollections continue to inform our present and shape our future.

Above and beyond all else we can place our confidence into the hands of the Creator of light and darkness, life and death, whose presence is with us always, and whose love for us is immeasurable.

Wishing everyone a Happy Halloween.

"Among the bonny winding banks,
Where Doon rins, wimplin' clear,
Where Bruce ance ruled the martial ranks,
And shook his Carrick spear,
Some merry, friendly, country-folks,
Together did convene,
To burn their nits, and pou their stocks,
And haud their Halloween
Fu' blithe that night".
Halloween by Robert Burns 1785

Inquiry and Prejudice

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord"
Leviticus 19:18

While leafing through my copy of the Inquirer this morning I read something which I thought quite disturbing. A letter written in the magazine was expressing disappointment about the nature of previous letters by those who clearly did not share the same social/political/religious views as the author(s). A previous writer from Belfast was criticised for a letter that was entitled (by the Inquirer itself I imagine) "Islam is not as tolerant as Christianity" which calmly criticised an argument that had suggested that the atrocity committed by Aders Breivik in Norway demonstrated that Christian extremism is as significant a risk as Islamic extremism. Another writer is criticised for suggesting that; "Unitarians should be left to make their minds up" on political and social issues instead of apparently having to toe the party line as some would prefer. They also complain about those letters written over the past few months by people who feel that there could be problems with the immigration policies of our times. To top it all off the writers imply that the very appearance of such letters in the Inquirer with which they disagree could perhaps give the wrong impression about the Unitarian community, despite all those other letters that have been published challenging the above mentioned views. How very tolerant and open-minded. How committed to Inquiry the writers of this letter seem to be! But not only unsatisfied that the pages of the Inquirer contain such views, it seems that the very presence of people in Unitarianism itself, with views other than those of the authors, is cause for concern. "However we think that the fact that there appears to be such a constituency within Unitarianism is cause for concern" was the exact way they phrased their disquiet.

This to me is an example of an intolerance that is sadly not at all rare, and I have unfortunately heard from people, who while finding much of Unitarianism true and uplifting, said that they either have no desire to join a congregation or even to leave one they are already affiliated with, because of the hypocrisy they see, of a community that relishes the label of tolerance and freedom but which in practice can sometimes be as intolerant as the most closed-minded churches (who at least don't claim to be free-thinking).

I am, as perhaps can be gleaned from my blogging, a more traditionalist Unitarian, and I have deeply held (and hopefully rationally held) beliefs that don't always reflect the majoritarian view within UK Unitarianism. As an example; despite being homosexual myself, and while supporting the right of any church to conduct religious civil partnerships should they so choose, and also respecting the duty of the representatives and spokespersons of UK Unitarianism to enunciate the views of the majority of Unitarians , I don't happen to believe in same-sex marriage. I strongly feel that the issue is not one of a lack of equality at all, and I certainly do not feel that it is an issue of discrimination. (Clearly I must be part of the constituency that gives so much cause for concern). I utterly respect those that disagree with me, and always try to understand their arguments. I am not offended or upset by the GAUFCC's efforts in support of same-sex marriage, and recognise that my views are a minority amongst Unitarians. However I do expect others, while disagreeing with me, to also value my right to hold my own opinions, and not to make rash judgements about my character as a result. This is not to say that debate should be stifled or diminished in order not to offend those like myself of differing opinions, debate should be vigorous, but we should pursue the debate as friends not enemies.

Thankfully the congregation of which I am a part, happens to have people from a diverse range of social and political views, and luckily it is blessed with an abundance of genuine tolerance that creates strong friendships amongst all of us, and which does not expect us to conform to a set of preselected social or political views.


Sadly prejudice is a reality which affects us all from time to time, even the most liberal minded of people are not free from its influence. I myself learned this lesson directly at this morning's service.

Our minister is currently away and as a result we had a lay preacher from a congregation that I believe is known for its less than traditional approach to faith and social issues. (A "lefty" church would be a cheap but handy shorthand.) All week I had been somewhat less than enthused about this week's service without really having given much thought as to why. The reality on the day, however, was completely different from what I had clearly expected, and we had a service that was so traditional that it would not have been out of place in a liberal Anglican service. I have to say I was taken aback. It struck me just how easily and how unthinkingly my assumption earlier in the week had been made, and on the impact this had on the way I felt about attending worship today. I was wrong, and while ashamed of this, I shall attempt to learn from my mistake.

This is simply human nature I guess. We all pre-judge events and people, (in other words we are all prejudiced). As human beings we categorise things in our lives and assume that things that come in similar "boxes" are all going to be alike. If we meet a person and they are a little rude to us, we just assume that they will be like that the next time we meet them, despite the very strong likelihood that they might have been having a bad day when they were rude, and that normally they are a delight to know. If we have an unpleasant meal in a restaurant we may assume that all meals there will be the same. I feel the key is to be mindful of our prejudices, not pretend we don't have them, and recognising them, strive not to allow them to shape the way we feel, to think "outside the box" and with a degree of courage allow ourselves to believe that this person or this organisation or this situation might be different from what we think it might be. Those that believe they have no prejudice at all, are likely not acknowledging it, and as such may exhibit the very intolerance and bigotry they condemn others for. The words of our wise teacher Jesus spring to mind:

"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but cosiderest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
Matthew 7:3-5

It is also very natural to have a warmth of feeling towards those with whom we have much in common and with whom we think alike, and to be suspicious of those with whom we don't. But for us to be true to our Unitarian calling we must learn to see beyond differences of opinion and belief and instead cleave to the common humanity and dignity that we all share, as children of the same Divinity. Or as Jesus taught:

"For if you love those that love you, what thank have ye? For even sinners love those that love them."
Luke 6:32

Respect and regard for people who are different from us, in thought as much as in anything else, is what we as Unitarians should affirm, and not just to have respect and regard for those who we love for thinking the way we do.

So I hope that those who may conclude that my beliefs regarding marriage must mean that I am a raving, self-hating, homophobe, strive to recognise that a difference in belief does not equal a moral failure.

Likewise I hope that the writers of the letter to the Inquirer learn not to be so concerned with their fellow Unitarians whose freedom of thought and inquiry has led them to different opinions. Dissenters should not be in the business of striving to prevent dissent.

Finally I hope that my own prejudices continue to be challenged, on this blog as much as in life, so that I can grow in my appreciation of truth.

Joyous Introspection.

"I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies" Psalm 119:59

Often the emphasis during the harvest season is one of celebration, and rightfully so. It is, however, somewhat hard for our industrialised society to really appreciate this joy. For us vegetables, grain, fruit and meat are available all year round. Only a few generations ago, the harvest was vital to survival, a matter of life and death even. How appropriate therefore is joyous celebration. But this time of year, as the crops are brought in and the nights begin to lengthen, is also a time of accounting. Farmers and communities would assess what had grown well and what had failed. What could have been done differently and what had worked perfectly. It was a time of resolutions; what to plant for the following year, what practices to incorporate into the life of the farm and what animals to purchase. It was also a time for action; ploughing the fields to prepare them for the sowing of winter wheat. Is it any surprise therefore that the Hebrew calendar, deeply tied to agricultural cycles (of the Land of Israel) has the New Year at this time of year?

Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year, takes all of the above themes and applies them to people. Celebration; thanking God for the year that was, and all the blessings bestowed. Self accounting; contemplation on conduct and behaviour over the previous year, with repentance for all that was done wrong. Resolutions for self-improvement over the coming year and finally action; expressed by extra punctiliousness in the performance of religious and moral obligations.

Perhaps it is not coincidental that our political parties have their annual conference during this autumnal season, maybe there is "something in the air" that lends itself to such events. (Although how much honest introspection and repentance for past wrongs goes on at these functions is anyone's guess!)

The Gospels have Jesus saying:

"For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh".
Luke 6:44-45

Our actions do testify to our true nature, especially the smallest, almost unconscious actions. For a stingey person can perform a very large, public act of charity, but when he receives a few pennies more of change than he is owed he may pocket the lot without a second thought thereby eloquently testifying to his true self. Many of us can conduct ourselves with the greatest refinement in public, giving an impression of humility, kindness and gentleness, but in the privacy of our homes speak with sharp, arrogant and hurtful words to our loved ones, again actions that more starkly reveal our true selves. This harvest season gives us ample opportunity to examine the fruits of our behaviour over the year gone by, to see if they match with the view of ourselves that we have or are aiming for. Like the farmer we can ask ourselves where and why did we go wrong, and identify how we were successful.

In honesty however I have some confusion with Jesus' words on this subject. Immediately before the verse brought above he is said to say:

"For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit."

Is this really so? If I understand the metaphor correctly (and I would appreciate correcting if I am wrong) it means that a good person does not bring forth evil deeds and an evil person does not bring forth lasting goodness. But there have certainly been good people, who have done great wrongs either in a moment of passion, out of ignorance or misguidance etc, just as there have been negative people, even some of histories tyrants, who on occasion have done kindnesses for others and left legacies of goodness from which we still benefit. But in general I agree with Jesus, we are what we do, far more that what we think or what we say. (Interestingly if that teaching of Jesus is taken literally as some denominations do, then how can they deem Judas to be wicked? For according to them his betrayal of Jesus lead to the crucifixion and resurrection which was central to the salvation of mankind. If Judas was evil then how could he have created such good fruit? But I digress.)

Even for those who do not celebrate the New Year at this time, the opportunity for new beginnings is to be found. Fresh back at work, school or the domestic routine after the summer, we can all resolve to walk again the paths of the Eternal's testimonies. To lead a life that produces a harvest of good fruits in abundance.

"I can pick cherries from a tree,
Or break the branch and let it die:
For good or ill, my hands are free.
With fingers I can soothe a brow,
Or make a fist and strike a blow,
Kindness or cruelty bestow.
Then let us now this lesson see:
Like life itself our hands can be
For evil used, or charity."
John Andrew Storey

Perfection and Peace

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: But a grievous word stirreth up anger."
Proverbs 15:1

During the last month our television, radio and newspapers have been filled with many tales of strife. Between peoples and their governments, between rioters and the police, and many other similar stories.

One of my favourite lines in the beautiful BBC adaptation 'Lark Rise to Candleford' is delivered by the character Dorcas Lane, the postmistress played by Julia Sawalha:

"There seems to be an attitude abroad of seeking out conflict, relishing it, to feed the worst in human nature. I am often accused of being sentimental, it's true, I cannot deny it. I just find it so much more interesting to seek out forgiveness and acceptance and those so easily mocked values such as generosity and loyalty and love. I know it is considered old fashioned in these oh so modern times, but I love my community. Write about love..I dare you".

I was reminded of these words while talking to a friend of mine whose church is somewhat afflicted by a dispute between several existing members and several ex members of the congregation. I struggled to understand how people who come together deliberately to share in fellowship, and to embrace and embody the values of forgiveness and generosity can fall into the same patterns of conflict that have torn and continue to tear communities and even whole countries apart. I am saddened by how many in our own Unitarian circles are disillusioned and turned off by the lack of tolerance often exhibited by our denomination which likes to wear its broad-mindedness and liberality on its sleeve. If religious folk who preach peace and communion are seemingly not without fault in these selfsame areas, should this cause us to give up in despair? I certainly know of those who think so.

One only has to look at all the literature ever produced by the hand of man, or even in the Bible itself to see how deeply entrenched in the human heart is the idea of discord with one's fellow man. For all our advancement and modernity we still suffer from war and ill-feeling amongst people. Should we think as does Mr Thornton in Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South:

"If only there where a mechanism to enable us all to live together. We can bring back marmosets from Mozambique but we cannot stop man from behaving as he always has."

There is, however, an alternative way and subsequently there is hope. We were informed long ago by our teacher, his words being as relevant today, that:

"Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48

But what is this perfection of which Jesus speaks? Clearly it cannot refer to a complete absence of wrongdoing or needs. That type of perfection is only to be found in God's own unique existence, as we are told by scripture when it says that there is no righteous man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not (Ecclesiastes 7:20). We all do wrong. Jesus himself taught that there is no one, including himself, that truly merits to be called good. For only the Eternal One can ultimately be known by that description.

No, the perfection of which Jesus speaks is, in my opinion, that which comes from emulating God by pouring out our kindness and love even on those whom have caused us harm. To move beyond the wrong done to us and seek the welfare of those whose choice to upset us demonstrates their deep need for repentance, improvement and healing.

Conflict may be part of the human experience and will sadly be found even in the sanctuaries of the world's faiths, however we can aspire for better. We can aspire for better in our private and communal lives, and despite the guaranteed failures along the way, we can rejoice in knowing that each step in the right direction, each temptation for strife overcome, is an emulation of the Eternal's perfection that surrounds us and our world with glory.

Perfection is not always getting it right. Perfection is found in aspiring for the good and constantly battling forward in that direction.

"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God" Matthew 5:9.

Self-Restraint VS External Coercion

"A just man that walketh in his integrity, blessed are his children after him." Proverbs 20:7

"National progress is the sum of individual industry, energy and uprightness, as national decay is of individual idleness, selfishness, and vice. What we are accustomed to decry as great social evils, will, for the most part, be found to be but the outgrowth of man's own perverted life; and though we may endeavour to cut them down and extirpate them by means of Law, they will only spring up again with fresh luxuriance in some other form, unless the conditions of personal life and character are radically improved. If this view be correct, then it follows that the highest patriotism and philanthropy consist, not so much in altering laws and modifying institutions, as in helping and stimulating men to elevate and improve themselves by their own free and independent individual action."

These words form part of the introduction to 'Self-Help' the most celebrated work of Samuel Smiles (1812-1904); a book which contains much wisdom and down-to-earth common sense.

Over the past week we have all heard the many opinions offered to explain the causes of the inexcusable orgy of violence and theft which took hold of many of our major cities early last week. Broadly (perhaps far too broadly) these arguments can be divided into two categories; the Condemnatory and the Understanding. Those who have embraced the former have spoken for a need for greater police powers, and harsher sentences for the perpetrators coupled with the loss of benefits to punish their families. Many on this side of the argument consider themselves as completely uncontaminated by and non-responsible for the moral failings of those who engaged in the wanton violence. They exhibit an Us-and-Them mentality. Good folk vs the savage underclass.

Those who subscribe to the Understanding approach have in many cases simply and transparently projected their own political ideology and discontent onto the rioters, transforming them into their personal hired-thugs to vicariously argue in favour of their own world view. A sort of "If you don't accept and implement my social/political ideology then you can expect (and deserve) similar violence" argument. I notice how many on this side of the debate very rarely express a similar desire to understand the sins and motivations of the wealthy bankers, politicians or even Murdoch and his empire! No when it comes to these wealthy sinners, it would seem they are wickedness itself.

Of course there have been plenty of reasonable, nuanced and well thought-out arguments that have gone some way to shed light onto the events that have so starkly brought to light the problems in our society and we do ourselves a disservice if we dismiss such arguments because their nuance reveals the complexity of the problem.

One motivating factor that I feel has not really been discussed enough is that of Fun. It was evident on the faces of so many looters that they were having a most exciting and amusing time. A carnival of destruction if you will. I heard many of the revellers interviewed expressing that very same motive for their acts of criminality. Why though should this come as any surprise? Anyone who has ever seen a child (and sometimes an adult) at play will know that there is great pleasure in an act of destruction. Add to this the cat-and-mouse element with the police and the sense of fun is predictably magnified. Acquisition itself produces much felicity, how many of us don't feel an increased sense of joy when we purchase an item we covet?

Problems arise when such natural, universal human instincts and desires combine with an absence or atrophy of strong moral values and self-restraint. Without these constraining bridles the worst of human kind can become unleashed, how much more so when inflamed to huge proportions in the super-charged and uninhibited atmosphere of a mob. As people we are not wholly bad or wholly good, but instead are a weave of both virtue and vice. If virtue is not placed as something to be desired and worked for, we lose the counterweight that serves to keep in check the worst in us.

While the focus of the past few days has been strongly on young people and children, it behoves all of us to realise that their behaviour during the looting was simply the extreme end of a spectrum which includes us all. Where have youngsters learned that the pursuit of fun and acquisition overcomes the verities of right and wrong? Why are notions of right and wrong themselves so abstract in the minds of many youngsters? Because that is the example that we adults have set. I could mention example after example of people (myself included) placing their own pleasure, their own wants before their duty and obligations to themselves and others. It is evident to me that we have created a society which redefines selfishness as a right and duty and restraint as repression.

How many households are in debt as a result of adults spending what they do not have? Do people really think their children don't realise what goes on? What example do adults indulging in casual drug use (and I include cigarettes in this too) give to young minds? That my moment of pleasure is far more important than the damage I do to others in my vicinity or to those in my society who may assume from my behaviour that it is OK to indulge. What lessons are we transmitting when we treat sexual intimacy as a recreational activity? That it is perfectly acceptable to reduce another human being to an unimportant vehicle of my own lustful pleasure; and then we claim to find it shocking that there are swathes of the country where young men think nothing of sleeping with girls and leaving them alone to deal with the consequences! What lesson did all those shoppers who tumbled over and crushed each other in order to grab some bargains in a Primark shop back in 2007 teach their offspring? That my desire for a new pair of shoes transcends all moral codes.

"The nation that has no higher god than pleasure, or even dollars or calico, must needs be in a poor way. It were better to revert to Homer's gods than be devoted to these; for the heathen deities at least imaged human virtues, and were something to look up to". 'Character' Samuel Smiles

Watching the news, or reading the papers last week, one could not help but be struck by the contrast of individuals throwing all decency and righteousness to the gutter in pursuit of fun and acquisition with the images of those children and adults whose lives are fading away as they succumb to the spectre of starvation and absolute poverty in the horn of Africa. What shame we should all feel at this. How demeaned has our nation become despite of its relative affluence? How unfortunately apposite are the words of scripture when they say:

"Thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art become corpulent - Then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation." Deuteronomy 32:15

I feel that the cost in continuing along the path that Britain (and so many other countries around the world) has been travelling upon will be very high. I have no doubt that Samuel Smiles was right when he wrote about the fate of nations that are composed of people:

"Living for themselves only, and with no end but pleasure - each little self his own little god - such a nation is doomed and its decay inevitable."

It is we, collectively, who have manufactured an environment (with much assistance from governments of all stripes) where self-realisation, self-indulgence and selfishness have trumped the Divine values of self-restraint, self-respect and selflessness, and it is we again collectively who could reverse the trend; a task which everyone is, according to Samuel Smiles, equally qualified to perform and to achieve:

"Even the humblest person, who sets before his fellows an example of industry, sobriety and upright honesty of purpose in life, has a present as well as a future influence upon the well-being of his country; for his life and character pass unconsciously into the lives of others, and propagate good example for all time to come."

The opportunities for us to strengthen our individual and collective character are daily given to us. For there really is no act, however trivial, that does not have its train of consequences:

"Every action, every thought, every feeling, contributes to the education of the temper, the habits, and understanding; and exercises an inevitable influence upon all the acts of our future life. Thus character is undergoing constant change, for better or for worse - either being elevated on the one hand, or degraded on the other". 'Character' Samuel Smiles

Unitarians have traditionally valued the power of individual character, and recognised that Liberty can only be created and maintained when people are governed by the ennobling qualities of self-restraint and moral integrity in place of the coercive and ultimately ineffectual power of the state. They brought to people the hopeful and life-giving gospel of Jesus, and taught that salvation is gained through good character. Let us today, following the example and instruction of our ancestors in faith and our teacher Jesus, take up the same banner and bring dignity, respect and hope to all those who are in desperate need of them, ourselves included.

"When the time arrives in any country when wealth has so corrupted, or pleasure so depraved, or faction so infatuated the people, that honour, order, obedience, virtue and loyalty have seemingly become things of the past; then, amidst the darkness, when honest men - if haply there be such left - are groping about and feeling for each other's hands, their only remaining hope will be in the restoration and elevation of Individual Character; for by that alone can a nation be saved; and if character be irrecoverably lost, then indeed there will be nothing left worth saving." 'Character' Samuel Smiles

"Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.
Footprints that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again."
'A Psalm of Life' Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.