The classic George Orwell novel, 1984, presents a dark vision of our
world in a post-capitalist era where society is governed by a shadowy
Government obsessed with war and mind control of all citizens. The all seeing
Big Brother has control over the lives of all citizens and the mantra of The
Party is:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
This novel was published in 1949
and arguably some of the themes have come to pass especially in the autocratic,
hermit kingdom of North Korea. This nation does everything possible to keep its
citizens ignorant about the outside world and is constantly on a war footing,
supported by a national broadcasting service that pumps out propaganda on
behalf of Marshall Kim Jong Un.
Christmas is not celebrated in
that country as only allegiance to the dictator is permitted in place of any
religious orientation. Since the current dictator took power, the regime has
become even more paranoid and isolated, with threats against the USA including
the recent controversy over a cyberattack due to the release of a comedy film
about the regime. There are also many people defecting the regime and groups such
as Now, Action, Unity Human Rights (NAUH), a Christian group who help defectors
settle in South Korea.
Although North Korea may be an
extreme example of restricting freedom, there are other extremist groups who
have sought to bring hatred and undermine freedom in our world. We don’t have
to look too far into the past to find examples of these people, with some
terrorist activity in the Advent season. On the 15th December, the
world was shocked when an Islamic terrorist stormed the Lindt Café in Sydney
and held both staff and customers as hostages. There was a measured response
from the Australian Government who sent out the message that people could come
into the city centre apart from the exclusion zone where the siege took place. Sadly,
two people perished in the shootout that ended the siege. Social media captured
the zeitgeist with a Twitter user starting #illridewithyou to encourage
citizens sit with Muslims on public transport.
The world was just coming to
terms with the attack in Australia when news emerged the next day of a horrific
attack by the Taliban on a school in northern Pakistan with 132 children and 9
members of staff losing their lives. Unfortunately, this attack was less of a
shock since Pakistan has become known for its Janus-like ability to face both
ways on the terrorism issue. The people of the nation showed that they are not
going to bend to tyranny and showed great eloquence in a silent protest against
the Taliban.
In addition to ideological
terrorism, everyday life has the habit of throwing a curveball of random, unfair
and difficult to fathom events. Sadly, tragedy struck nearer home when three
days before Christmas when an out of control refuse truck crashed into
pedestrians in the centre of Glasgow. This accident was caused by the driver
becoming ill at the wheel and 6 people lost their lives in addition to 10
people being injured. The corresponding blog in 2013 discussed the tragic
helicopter crash at the Clutha Vaults in the city and there was a feeling of
déjà vu to see horror fall on the city once more.
Similar to last year, the spirit
of the people came shining through and the council quickly opened an appeal
fund. Many people showed concern by leaving floral tributes near the scene of
the tragedy and a book of condolence was opened. It was moving to see that the
essence of Christmas was not lost in the midst of tragedy as a remembrance
service was held for the victims bookended by Christmas Carols the day after
the disaster.
On the day itself, the Christmas
spirit shone through the darkness in numerous ways, such as a nearby café
suspended trade and freely served hot drinks to those witnesses of the tragedy
and helped them to clean the blood off of their clothes and there was accounts
of taxi drivers offering to take people affected by the tragedy to and from
hospital. A Clergyman from the nearby St Georges Tron church also pointed out
that the fact that the Christmas story occurred, God was able to understand the
pain of the human condition and because of that, people can seek him for
comfort in the difficult times.
Every year, the world faces new
tragedies and challenges but the old Christmas story remains a reassuring
constant. The humility of the circumstances of that heavily pregnant young
woman and her husband missing out on a hotel room at census time did not
immediately point to an event that would still be changing lives over 2000 years
later. The story takes an unusual twist
with the birth being heralded to lowly shepherds on the nearby hills by angelic
beings proclaiming the birth of a Saviour, a gift to all of mankind. The astounded
shepherds continued the gift giving by taking a lamb to the scene of the birth
in a dingy stable in a first Christmas scene where both poverty and promise
met.
That night was only the
beginning, as enigmatic foreign strangers were guided by a star and turned up
to visit the young family in Nazereth at a later date presenting expensive and
prophetic gifts that gave a clue as to the regal status of the child and of the
death that he’d suffer around 30 years after that visit. This great old story
of a God given gift for all mankind has endured through the generations, a leap
of faith too far for some, but surviving due to its transformational qualities
and offer of a freely given fresh start for all people and their Creator,
regardless of social status or religious background.
Perhaps one of the most poignant applications
of the meaning of Christmas was evident in the December 25th truce
on the WW1 Western Front in 1914 when British and German soldiers left their
trenches to sing carols, give gifts and play football with one another. This
act of peace and goodwill among enemies, stands today as an example of the
power of the Christmas story to touch people’s lives in the most desperate and
darkest of circumstances.
Society will face more
difficulties in the times ahead as life throws up a mixture of political and
random events but we can seek solace in the fact that no one can imprison the human
soul and we can see the light shining through the darkness. We can be thankful
that the 1984 vision of the world has
not be realised in its entirety and in 2014, we still have the gift of
Christmas. In light of the hope it brings, the Orwellian mantra can be flipped
to:
LOVE IS PEACE
REDEMPTION IS FREEDOM
HUMILITY IS STRENGTH
