I recently observed in a previous blog post (link below), that today we have a rather negative view of boasting. Although there may be some justification in that perception, I further observe that a boast once had a much more positive meaning. I reiterate that there is nothing inherently wrong with the announcement of an achievement or in the public celebration of such. We should in my opinion, continue to share the joy and not spoil success with envy.
Early in the May of this year (2024) I became aware of a recent publication and that awareness was in point of fact, a very pleasing surprise. I discovered that my work is included in ‘Pentacle and the Occult’ an anthology edited by Marion Pearce.
I had totally forgotten about this submission, the article in question ‘Thoughts on being called a heretic’ being one of my older pieces. It should also be noted that I ‘appear’ in this work under my pseudonym, Chattering Magpie. I am honoured to have my work included alongside such eminent writers as Payam Nabarz, Emma Restall Orr, Jacq D. Hawkins, Melusine Draco, Julian Vayne and many others.
It is perhaps a mark of my advancing years that as I still remember Pentacle magazine fondly, I observe that more than one of those included in the anthology have passed in recent years. This includes the former co-editor of the magazine. In some respects seeing their work reprinted is a most suitable epitaph and a fitting tribute to their status within the Western Esoteric Tradition.
Whether ‘Pentacle and the Occult’ is a one off and stand alone anthology, I do not know. It is my hope that the editor will like those associated with the equally fondly remembered ‘Silver Wheel’ magazine, produce further anthologies of selected articles from the magazine archive. If that proves to be so, then I sincerely hope that I will once again enjoy the privilege of inclusion.
‘Pentacle and the Occult’ is available from several specialist book shops, direct from the publisher Green Magic Publishing and online via Amazon International.
On Sunday the 26th of November of 2023 there was an unusual situation on my surgical ward. It was a situation or event that both puzzled and fascinated me in a most unusual manner. We had an Asian woman waiting to be discharged and she raised concerns regarding the method. Our plan was to provide a hospital taxi with no cost to the patient. Yet her concerns centred not on any potential cost to her but rather the religion of the taxi drivers available. She being of the Hindu faith had no desire to travel in a taxi piloted by a Muslim and that is a near unavoidable circumstance in this area of England.
Usually when one hears of some such objection, similar to this and influenced by culture; it is the white community that is presented as an example of poor behaviour. Unfortunately the playing of the so called ‘race-card’ has become so overused, that real episodes of prejudice are increasing dismissed. There have been far too many disingenuous complaints and this has led to a marked devaluation in the credibility of racial issues. Many people have grown tired of such things and will no longer pay attention. I am as guilty of this as anyone else. The vacuous and inappropriate complaints are now so commonplace, I have myself lost all interest in these things. I have developed the response of rolling my eyes, shrugging my shoulders, saying ‘Meh!’ and then moving on. It is not always the correct response but it is the result of too many people ‘crying wolf’ today.
What I was witnessing at this time however, was a most unusual situation and it was therefore, of interest to me. Had I just witnessed an expression of Islamophobia? Could this behaviour be described as racism? Of that I was unsure. That I was witnessing prejudice and bigotry, of that I was certain.
What were her true objections? Did she think she would be forced to read the Qur’an? That is actually a worthwhile pastime and I recommend it. I own several English translations and I study them with enthusiasm. Perhaps she imagined the driver trying to convert her, while waving a kebab of Halal meat in her face? Oh, surely not. These are ridiculous stereotypes and should not in anyway, be taken seriously. It should be noted and this is a very obvious point. This particular patient had already engaged with Muslim staff, primarily Healthcare Assistants and surgeons. Did she complain when her surgical team had been fifty percent Muslim? I do not believe she did. Funny that.
I have heard of this semi-legendary creature called white privilege, which I do have a tendency to dismiss. I was brought up on a council estate. I have no conception of what privilege really means but I do understand the disadvantages of such a deprived childhood. I am aware that as a man, I can do things that would make many a solitary woman baulk. This will frequently include travelling alone and quite unaccompanied. I visit restaurants, I attend the theatre and I am content to do so without company. What I witnessed that day on my current ward did not fit any of those points. There was no relevance and no reference point. This situation was quite different.
As is not unusual in cases of this nature, I had far more questions in my mind and matters that I wished to explore, than I would be able to satisfy. I was not in-charge, I was not coordinating the discharges and the patient in question was being transferred to another unit. That unit would handle the final steps of the discharge and that would include the provision of transport home. I had neither the time nor the opportunity to satisfy my intellectual curiosity.
The situation ended unsatisfactorily, at least for me personally. It has left far too many ‘loose ends’ for me to feel comfortable. I still have many questions and my curiosity has not been sated. Is it white privilege or male privilege that enables me to travel alone? Is it ‘privilege’ that permits me to travel in a taxi, with no care whatsoever for the faith of the driver? Despite my interest in cultural affairs, I would regard the matter as being quite irrelevant to the journey itself. I do not have the answer to these questions, do you?
I consider myself to be quite broad minded and I like to think, far less prone to bigotry than most. There remain however, several points I wish to explore further. It is true that as a former member of the local Interfaith Forum, I will be more open-minded and spiritually curious than the average. Persons of a narrow perspective and lacking an enquiring mind do not participate in such endeavours. We can couple this with my status as a healthcare professional, it is clear that I have a natural inclination to address this issue.
I am therefore asking several challenging questions. First of all I would like to know the genuine rationale. Can we dismiss this incident as being Islamophobia and nothing more? Are there perhaps cultural reasons why a lone Hindu woman cannot travel with a man? I believe that I did witness prejudice and bigotry. Comments made by the patient revealed that and they are comments I choose not to repeat here. Yet it may still be possible that there is another factor at play and one that may manifest in parallel.
In the ultimate, I realise that I am unlikely to assuage my enquiries fully. Yet I would like to consider this issue further and ask whether if it was to happen again, could we or would we address it differently? Is there anything that we as a hospital could or should have done differently?
‘I will not criticise people for their belief, nor will I criticise people for their lack of belief. I will however, criticise people who may criticise others for their belief or for their lack of belief as that is quite different.’
I wrote the above short paragraph on the 25th of January this year (2024) and it was clearly a response to some news items or similar. Clearly the circumstance of how people object to various things that do not necessarily affect them was on my mind. Unfortunately the specific catalyst that ignited the above thought is lost but it still brings to the fore questions that I should address.
Despite being an admirer of Mary Grant-Seacole, I have little interest in the activities that surround Black History Month. Despite my being an admirer of Oscar Wilde, I have little interest in Gay Pride events. Despite being an admirer of female writers far too numerous to mention, I have little interest in women’s history month. I am not black, I am not homosexual and I am not a women. These statements in no way whatsoever are to be interpreted as being declarations of opposition. They are not even pronouncements of apathy. I absolutely and without any reservation whatsoever, support the principles encapsulated by such initiatives. That isn’t the point and furthermore, some related facts may still on occasion attract my attention.
To quote myself from a previously published post: ‘I am not black but I believe that black people should have equal rights. I am not a woman but I still believe that women should have equal rights. I am not a homosexual, yet I believe that gay men and gay women; should all have equal rights. These statements should not need to be said, it should not be necessary for me to make such a declaration today. Yet we live in a world that sadly requires such obvious statements to be emphasised repeatedly. This is because we live in a world of hatred, bigotry and prejudice.’ The hate-filled world of You-Tube (2022).
The question I ask is really quite simple, why do people object to Black History Month, Gay Pride and Women’s history month when the activities do not directly affect them? This puzzles me. I have no objection to these various initiatives taking place; so why does it bother others? I neither support a football team nor have any interest in the Olympics but I am not going to campaign against either. The objections people express towards the above named leaves me confused and that is because they don’t really convey their objections in an articulate manner.
Of course I may myself being of a liberal disposition, not be inclined to comprehend any objection raised. It could be argued that my mind-set and my own personal worldview, disinclines my ability to understand these opinions. Furthermore, I have in the past served as a representative on a local Interfaith Forum and I have attended several Pagan Pride events. This serves as an illustration of my own personal philosophy.
My somewhat open and broad-minded approach to spirituality does rather predispose me towards a degree of syncretism. I consider that the Truth is too great to be confined within one path but can be found at the heart of all faiths. I regard all faiths (almost without exception), as deserving of a ‘seat at the same table’ and access to a ‘level playing field’ to use modern terminology.
In my opinion and I do acknowledge that many may not value my opinion, yet I am still going to share it. People, the groups mentioned and many others have the right to assert their identity. These groups have the right to celebrate the achievements of their various social groups and the influence members of those groups have had upon our wider society.
This doesn’t of course answer my original question and I am not now in any way certain that it can be answered. What is this objection that people have towards those who may be on a different life journey? For example, I don’t like tattoos or body piercings, so what? All that means is that I am unlikely to have either.
Christians object that others are not Christian; Muslims object that others are not Muslim and both attempt to impose their own ‘laws’ on other social groups. They have no right to do this. Militant atheism is as objectionable as any form of religious fundamentalism. People have the right to faith and the right to practice that faith. People without faith have the right to live in peace. What no one has a right to is the imposition upon others of their own personal religious or political views. That is the point.
Why are people so concerned with how others may live their lives? Why does it anger people so much? Why the distress that others may live a life outside of their own socially accepted normality? These people should concentrate a little more on their own lives and put their own house in order before voicing their objections.
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:4-5 Legacy Standard Bible (2021).
Daniel Bran Griffith - The Chattering Magpie 