not so silent

Wallander vs Hutch In 1975 I was 17 years old it was the year The Boss Delivered  Born to Run deep into my soul.  TV screen heros came and went with regularity. There were enough detectives on TV to cure all crime. But who was my hero? For instance I never wanted to be Ironside (can you blame me) only flirted with smelly Colombo,(not literally) Kojak was too old like a dodgy uncle but Starsky and Hutch well they were the people to be in the late 70s. This united pair burst onto the sunny California scean in a Ford Gran Torinos "Bright Red" (paint code 2B). In Aston where I lived there were no hills, no beachs no Bright Red Torinos, but I did have my Austin A40. They ran, jumped into the car without using the doors slid of the roof lounged on the bonnet (hood) and pulled guns and people out of the boot. In my distant days of youth, the days before varifocols and flatulence Starsky and Hutch  inspired Friday night drives in my A40 with The Boss on the cassette player. I l

Wood for the trees I was in a gathering where the question was asked  “name someone of spiritual strength”. The required buzz among the listeners started with their neighbours and then we were offerd the opportunity to shout out a verbal offering some names.  And so they came; Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Dalie Lama, Desmond Tu Tu and finally The Queen. There was then a short silence. I wanted to call this blog Pavlov’s dogs but I am aware this would seem offensive. It is not meant to be. But can we not see the wood for the trees?  Are we just conditioned to recite a list of people we have never meet to be our spiritual hero’s. Is it safe to have spiritual heroes we cannot question or hold to account or share our lives with those who are firmly located on another continent or watching us on TV? There is the cynical situation that whatever the question is in Sunday school the answer must be Jesus.  The list above must be the adult version of Sunday school. Don’t get me wrong I