All the world on display under Nelson’s watchful eye. Steve Maltz comments.
O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
Last Saturday [ 6 December – Ed ] I spent an afternoon at Trafalgar Square. What I experienced was a microcosm of our world, a snapshot of our current culture, both positive and negative. I came in order to experience what was promised to be ‘the biggest carol service ever’, organized by the Voldemort of the chattering classes, Tommy Robinson. So, let’s cover that first, then.
When I arrived, it had only got going so my initial impressions turned out to not be fully representative of what later unfolded. I saw a smallish group of people – perhaps a thousand or so – gathered together perhaps reluctantly, but attracted by the ‘call to arms’. In other words, they weren’t your usual carol singers, but were there chiefly to support the cause, a kind of Christian nationalism, more reactive to the rise of the Islamists than proactive to a need to worship Christ.
There was little joy there and, despite the efforts of the band on the stage, very little singing. It would have helped if the words to the songs had been displayed somewhere. Yet … it wasn’t all negative. When I viewed the official video record of the event afterwards, I saw an earnest desire from the ‘rough diamonds’ on the stage to promote Christianity. There was even preaching, followed by communal prayer and a call to accept Christ through the ‘sinner’s prayer’. Many responded, but any lasting changes will be between themselves and God.
But the word was preached, despite those preaching not being the pristine paragons that the mainstream Church would prefer. All warnings by the likes of the denominations and Bishops about the anticipated hate-filled atmosphere were not just inexcusable – but were not backed up by events. It was peaceful and there seemed to be some joy by the end, despite Mayor Khan’s assertion that it was going to be a far-right ‘festival of Islamophobia’. You got that wrong, Sadiq! Shame on you!
CHRISTMAS TREE AND CHANUKIAH
Frankly, I was more fascinated by other observations I made that afternoon. Trafalgar Square sported both a Christmas tree and a Chanukiah. The former was a little manky and slightly bent over. The latter stood proud, thrusting its light beams of hope up into the winter sky (a bit of poetic license there, it wasn’t yet operational as Chanukah hadn’t yet arrived). Behind it was a small group gathered, giving out leaflets entitled, ‘Standing with my Jewish friends’. I talked to their leader, a lady who self-described as ‘an optimist who creates elegant paintings of people and places, drawings about democracy’.
She, and the others, had no axe to grind. She was no Zionist, neither Jew nor Christian, just a concerned citizen. The final words of the leaflet declared, ‘Israel’s war against Hamas is an existential battle for civilization against barbarism. Their fight is our fight too’. The leaflet was fantastic. I could have written it myself! It showed me that many people, perhaps the silent majority, do get it! They have not been injected by the mindlessness of the ‘progressives’. It was heartening and I told her so. We exchanged phone numbers.
BLACK CHRISTIANS
On the north side, a small ‘traditional’ choir of middle aged, middle class, ladies and gentlemen, were belting out carols and drawing a great enthusiastic crowd. It was certainly more natural and pleasing than the ‘carol service’ of the patriots. Here we had people singing and responding according to the prompting of their hearts and it was a wonderful link to the England that our media keep telling us is lost and consigned to the past. But there was more … and this is where I will end my story.
On a traffic island to the south, a small group were also making a noise. They were a collection of friends from churches in the area and they also were singing. Not Christmas carols, but beautifully rendered gospel and worship songs. I spoke to a young girl and I asked her why there were no white faces represented. She said that there were white people in their congregations … but they don’t get out much! How sad! Thank goodness for black Christians! This is true, welcome, multiculturalism in action. They drew a small crowd and you could see the effect of their singing on people’s faces. It was pure joy, perhaps the best expression of the hope of the season, the declaration of He who came into the world at this time to offer hope for a world that needs it now more than ever.
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This article first appeared in Steve Maltz’s Sub-stack. Section headers added by Christian Comment Editor.
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