The Search for Truth - a Physical Scientist's Perspective" will be the theme of the next U-Cafe this Thursday evening. Scientist Alfred Rabow will introduce questions such as:
Is science the only way to address important questions?
Will science be able to answer all the questions?
Does science have good information about how to answer all questions now?
There will be opportunities to explore this theme together drawing upon Alfred's introductory talk.
U-Cafe will meet on 25 October 2007 at 7.30pm at Cross Street Chapel.
All are welcome.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
How Safe are Minorities?
John asked me to post the following for him:
Address delivered at Lunchtme Service at Cross Street Unitarian Chapel
Wednesday October 3rd 2007
HOW SAFE ARE MINORITIES?
by Rev. John Midgley
Minister : Cross street Chapel
First they came for the Jews, but I said nothing. I am not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists. I said nothing. I am not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I said nothing. I am not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me, and there was no-one left to speak up for me.
Pastor Niemoller.
Last Thursday evening we launched a new activity here at Cross Street Chapel. It was an opportunity to discuss religious ideas, spiritual matters. In our publicity material we say that this is part of what we are here for - to provide opportunity to discuss our beliefs, our faith. So we launched a new way to do this - and we decided that in order to make this a fairly open and relaxed sort of discussion, we would do it café-style, and we actually called it U-Café. So, the coffee and biscuits were laid on, and we met the people who were to lead our first discussion.
These were Jews. For something over a year now, a congregation of Jews has been holding some of its meetings and services here. They are Liberal Jews and we decided that it would make for a good launch of the U-Café if we invited them to come and tell us something about themselves. We had a suspicion that Liberal Jews might well be to orthodox Jews as Unitarians (Liberal Christians), are to Orthodox Christians. And so, in many ways, it turned out.
They were a bright, interesting group of people. We learned a lot. Their history, the way they do things and why they do them, and something about their hopes for the future of their congregation. They enjoy meeting at Cross Street, but have hopes of a place of their own, one day. And because we’d agreed to conduct this meeting in this informal, café style, the subjects we covered ranged far and wide.
A fair amount of what emerged was familiar to me, but I hasten to add I didn't mind this. In my youth I actually worked for a Jewish youth organisation in a Jewish area of Manchester. I lodged with a Jewish landlady in Lower Broughton, and tried to enjoy gefilterfish. I studied Judaism as a student and for some years I taught comparative religion at our college here in Manchester where we train our ministers and similar courses for the WEA. I often took parties of students on visits to a synagogue, to meet and talk with a rabbi, and to experience Jewish worship.
But I have to say that last Thursday I heard something that I had never heard before. In our free-ranging conversation, we touched on the Holocaust, the systematic murder of millions of Jews (and others) in Europe under the Nazi regime. And we touched on relations between Jews and others in this country, now. And one speaker told us that there are Jews in this country who still live in dread that any day, anti-Semitism of the kind that the Jews experienced in Nazi-occupied regions of Europe could emerge again, even here in Britain. And that there are Jews, usually of the older generation, who keep a suitcase packed, and always have some cash readily accessible, so that if ultra-right wing politics emerged again, if the anti-Semitic attacks and purges and killings started again, they could quickly make their escape. Such people, in their fear, have a plan ready; where they would go, how they would get there, who they would turn to for help, where they might hide.
I was, quite frankly, astonished to learn this. It conjured up appalling pictures. As I drove home at the end of the evening, I kept turning this over in my mind. It reminded me, not only of stories and films and books about anti-Semitic persecution under Adolf Hitler, but also of the fact that it has gone on for centuries. I remembered Fiddler on the Roof, with its depiction of Jewish persecution in the towns and villages of Eastern Europe long before the rise of Hitler.
When I got home I went and sat for a few minutes in our spare bedroom where we keep our suitcases. And I stared at one, on the top of the wardrobe, trying to imagine it packed and ready for a quick getaway, if the persecutors came for me, or my family or friends. It seemed impossible to imagine. But many millions of Jews and other persecuted minorities found it impossible to imagine in Europe - until the day it happened. So I’m reluctant to say, ‘Ah, you are being paranoid, over-anxious. Nothing like that happens here…’ I remember my friend Mildred from London, telling how she and other Jews were out in the streets bandaging broken heads, after riots involving Oswald Mosley and his blackshirt followers, well within living memory. And if we adjust the story just a little, to black people or Asian people and others… it is not so unrealistic or paranoid perhaps.
When the Liberal Jewish congregation here held their High Holiday festivals here a couple of weeks ago, a police officer turned up offering help with their security. They didn’t need it.
I am glad that the Liberal Jews feel safe, meeting here. And may the day soon come when dread of persecution (packed suitcases, cash and plans at the ready), becomes a thing of the past. Forever.
Address delivered at Lunchtme Service at Cross Street Unitarian Chapel
Wednesday October 3rd 2007
HOW SAFE ARE MINORITIES?
by Rev. John Midgley
Minister : Cross street Chapel
First they came for the Jews, but I said nothing. I am not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists. I said nothing. I am not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I said nothing. I am not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me, and there was no-one left to speak up for me.
Pastor Niemoller.
Last Thursday evening we launched a new activity here at Cross Street Chapel. It was an opportunity to discuss religious ideas, spiritual matters. In our publicity material we say that this is part of what we are here for - to provide opportunity to discuss our beliefs, our faith. So we launched a new way to do this - and we decided that in order to make this a fairly open and relaxed sort of discussion, we would do it café-style, and we actually called it U-Café. So, the coffee and biscuits were laid on, and we met the people who were to lead our first discussion.
These were Jews. For something over a year now, a congregation of Jews has been holding some of its meetings and services here. They are Liberal Jews and we decided that it would make for a good launch of the U-Café if we invited them to come and tell us something about themselves. We had a suspicion that Liberal Jews might well be to orthodox Jews as Unitarians (Liberal Christians), are to Orthodox Christians. And so, in many ways, it turned out.
They were a bright, interesting group of people. We learned a lot. Their history, the way they do things and why they do them, and something about their hopes for the future of their congregation. They enjoy meeting at Cross Street, but have hopes of a place of their own, one day. And because we’d agreed to conduct this meeting in this informal, café style, the subjects we covered ranged far and wide.
A fair amount of what emerged was familiar to me, but I hasten to add I didn't mind this. In my youth I actually worked for a Jewish youth organisation in a Jewish area of Manchester. I lodged with a Jewish landlady in Lower Broughton, and tried to enjoy gefilterfish. I studied Judaism as a student and for some years I taught comparative religion at our college here in Manchester where we train our ministers and similar courses for the WEA. I often took parties of students on visits to a synagogue, to meet and talk with a rabbi, and to experience Jewish worship.
But I have to say that last Thursday I heard something that I had never heard before. In our free-ranging conversation, we touched on the Holocaust, the systematic murder of millions of Jews (and others) in Europe under the Nazi regime. And we touched on relations between Jews and others in this country, now. And one speaker told us that there are Jews in this country who still live in dread that any day, anti-Semitism of the kind that the Jews experienced in Nazi-occupied regions of Europe could emerge again, even here in Britain. And that there are Jews, usually of the older generation, who keep a suitcase packed, and always have some cash readily accessible, so that if ultra-right wing politics emerged again, if the anti-Semitic attacks and purges and killings started again, they could quickly make their escape. Such people, in their fear, have a plan ready; where they would go, how they would get there, who they would turn to for help, where they might hide.
I was, quite frankly, astonished to learn this. It conjured up appalling pictures. As I drove home at the end of the evening, I kept turning this over in my mind. It reminded me, not only of stories and films and books about anti-Semitic persecution under Adolf Hitler, but also of the fact that it has gone on for centuries. I remembered Fiddler on the Roof, with its depiction of Jewish persecution in the towns and villages of Eastern Europe long before the rise of Hitler.
When I got home I went and sat for a few minutes in our spare bedroom where we keep our suitcases. And I stared at one, on the top of the wardrobe, trying to imagine it packed and ready for a quick getaway, if the persecutors came for me, or my family or friends. It seemed impossible to imagine. But many millions of Jews and other persecuted minorities found it impossible to imagine in Europe - until the day it happened. So I’m reluctant to say, ‘Ah, you are being paranoid, over-anxious. Nothing like that happens here…’ I remember my friend Mildred from London, telling how she and other Jews were out in the streets bandaging broken heads, after riots involving Oswald Mosley and his blackshirt followers, well within living memory. And if we adjust the story just a little, to black people or Asian people and others… it is not so unrealistic or paranoid perhaps.
When the Liberal Jewish congregation here held their High Holiday festivals here a couple of weeks ago, a police officer turned up offering help with their security. They didn’t need it.
I am glad that the Liberal Jews feel safe, meeting here. And may the day soon come when dread of persecution (packed suitcases, cash and plans at the ready), becomes a thing of the past. Forever.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The Search for Truth
"The Search for Truth - a Physical Scientist's Perspective" will be the theme of the next U-Cafe. Alfred Rabow will introduce questions such as
- Is science the only way to address important questions?
- Will science be able to answer all the questions?
- Does science have good information about how to answer all questions now?
There will be opportunities to explore this theme together drawing upon Alfred's introductory talk.
U-Cafe will meet on 25 October 2007 at 7.30pm at Cross Street Chapel. All are welcome.
Successful First U-Cafe
U-Cafe had a successful launch on Thursday 27 September 2007 with members of Manchester's recently formed Liberal Jewish Congregation coming along to talk about their lives and faith. Thanks to Phyllis, Len, Chris, Nan and Jan for their openness and insights into a form of Judaism which is not very well known.
There was a lively and often challenging question and answer session with opportunities to learn from each other . The contrast between spiritual and cultural Judaism was highlighted as was the difference between orthodox, reform and liberal Jews. Indeed, it was made clear that unlike Christianity, there is infact, no orthodox position.
With a total attendance of 18, including a couple of visitors to Cross Street, U-Cafe got off to a good start.
If you would like to make a comment about U-Cafe just click on "Comment".
For further information on the Manchester Liberal Jewish Community.
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